Review: "Esther" by Rebecca Kanner

Esther by Rebecca Kanner **** 08/05/15

I loved Ms. Kanner’s interpretation of Esther’s story from the Bible. It is gutsy and the characters are real. Although Esther is still a virgin that is ripped from her home in the dead of night, she does not go quietly as a silent victim. Because of her beauty, she has to fight for her place in the harem and protect herself from the jealous girls who wish to harm her. She does make friends in the palace who help her achieve her goal to become queen and save her people.

Esther is presented in a completely different light than in other versions of this story that I read which makes this very entertaining. There are other characters that Ms. Kanner has added that make the story well rounded. From Erez, the immortal that kidnaps Esther but treats her with kindness that begins a lifelong bond between them, to Hegai, the head eunuch who recognizes Esther’s beauty and pushes her into the arms of King Xerxes. Haman and his sons are portrayed even more evil than in the Bible.

Don’t let the idea that this is a story about a woman from the Bible stop you from picking up this book. It is well written and a completely different version of what Esther’s life may have been like. You will be glad you read it.