2015, 352p, Clean Historical Fiction
My Rating=5 Stars
Source: Received a copy from the publisher for an honest review
When Joseph, the eleventh son of Jacob, is sold into bondage by his brothers, Egypt is a land in turmoil—its fortune determined by the unpredictable rains that either bring prosperity or leave the people in famine and starvation. But Joseph is no common slave. Imprisoned and forgotten by all but God, he interprets a dream that reveals the future and alters his destiny. Now with his privileged Egyptian-born wife, Asenath, at his side, Joseph's transformation from the boy in the pit to the ruler of Egypt is nearly complete. But position and power cannot erase the bitterness he holds deep inside. When he suddenly comes face to face with the family that betrayed him, Joseph devises a plot to test his brothers' true character. Yet even revenge may not fill the aching hole in Joseph's heart, and the influence of a beautiful woman may be his only hope for redemption.
I loved this book!! It didn't matter at all that I already knew the plot and how it would end. Most of it is told in flashback so Joseph meets up with his brothers fairly early on and it takes a while to get to the amazing ending, which brought tears to my eyes. This is a well written and well researched novel and I read most of it in one day.
The portrayal of Potiphar and his wife was interesting to me. She's always portrayed as an evil, over-the-top character and here she was his friend. It made what she did even more sad, though. This storyline was one of the most intriguing to me.
We also learn more about Judah and what happened to him after the brothers left Joseph in the wilderness. His life wasn't easy. He was more careful in his protection of Benjamin because of what he'd learned through the experience with Joseph and was determined not to repeat it.
There's a great "Note to the Reader" at the end where the author shares some of her research and I found that quite interesting. This is a fantastic read for anyone who enjoys historical fiction and/or the story of Joseph!
Rachel K. Wilcox is a third-year student at Stanford Law School. She graduated with honors from Brigham Young University, where she was a Hinckley Scholar and class valedictorian. She also served as a teaching and research assistant. In the last five years, Rachel has volunteered on a presidential campaign, worked as a case writer, editor, and research associate at Harvard Business School, and worked as a strategic analyst and editor for a biotech company. She resides in Palo Alto, California.
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