Book Review - Of Fire and Lions

ABOUT THE BOOK:

Survival. A Hebrew girl first tasted it when she escaped death nearly seventy years ago as the Babylonians ransacked Jerusalem and took their finest as captives. She thought she'd perfected in the many years amongst the Magoi and the idol worshippers, pretending with all the others in King Nebuchadnezzar's court. Now, as Daniel's wife and a septuagenarian matriarch, Belili thinks she's safe and she can live out her days in Babylon without fear--until the night Daniel is escorted to Belshazzar's palace to interpret mysterious handwriting on a wall. The Persian Army invades, and Bellili's tightly-wound secrets unfurl with the arrival of the conquering army. What will the reign of Darius mean for Daniel, a man who prays to Yahweh alone?

Ultimately, Yahweh's sovereign hand guides Jerusalem's captives, and the frightened Hebrew girl is transformed into a confident woman, who realizes her need of the God who conquers both fire and lions.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Mesu Andrews is the Christy Award-winning author of Isaiah’s Daughter and numerous other novels, including The Pharaoh's Daughter, Miriam, Of Fire and Lions and Love Amid the Ashes. Her deep understanding of and love for God's Word brings the biblical world alive for readers. Mesu lives in North Carolina with her husband, Roy, and enjoys spending time with her growing tribe of grandchildren.

MY REVIEW:

This story pulled me in from the very first page. I absolutely love how the author brings the people and story of the Bible alive.

This story revolves around Daniel and his wife, Belili. While the Bible doesn't say anything about Daniel having a wife, the author explains how her research led her to believe that Daniel was perhaps not a eunuch. I really liked the complexity of the relationship Belili has with her children and how misunderstanding can lead to broken relationships.

In this fictional account, we see Daniel has an old man who is still revered by his family, friends and those in power. He is still called on for his wisdom because of his vital and chose relationship with God. It's a continuation of the Daniel that we know from the Bible - a man who chooses God and His ways over all else.

I really loved how Mesu brought this story alive and gave us an understanding of what it was like to live during these times. I really felt so drawn into this story and had a hard time putting the book down. This book is an excellent story of Biblical fiction and I highly recommend it.

*This book was provided to me by Waterbrook/Multnomah. I received a copy of this book to review but I was not financially compensated in any way. The opinions expressed are my own and are based on my observations while reading this book.

Blessings - Julie