A Re-Telling: "Rachel & Leah" by Orson Scott Card
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Lotti3
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A Re-Telling: "Rachel & Leah" by Orson Scott Card
"Rachel & Leah" by Orson Scott Card is an exceptional book. It is the third of four books in the series 'Women of Genesis' and shows surprisingly new ground in both subject matter and writing style. Although Orson Scott Card is best known for his contributions to Science Fiction, this book would be better suited to be classified under historical fiction, both for the source material and the unerring details of ancient life.
This particular adaptation of the Bible is a quiet gem in the crown of Orson Scott Card's literary success. He deftly weaves very probable human dialogue around an ancient story, while simultaneously sticking very closely to the original plot-lines and casting insightful clarity on the emotions and motives that may have been at play. His accuracy in the minutiae is masterful; he displays a wealth of knowledge ranging from sheep shearing to proper tent entering etiquette to marriage and courtships customs, all without any modern attitudes that can be so jarring in historical fiction.
In addition to this, "Rachel & Leah" displays a softness in style that is very different from what most fans of Orson Scott Card have come to expect. It is a book that has a distinct lack of his typical hallmarks, there is no brutality, no violence, no disturbing images. Instead, the book is written with grace and elegance, and distinctly feminine, believable women protagonists, which is an exceptionally difficult feat for any male author.
I personally enjoyed this book very much. It was marvelously engaging, and surprisingly poignant, a new take on a very ancient story, yet it still maintained the integrity of the original text. I would highly recommend it to both Christian and secular readers on the grounds that it is a beautifully done re-telling.
This particular adaptation of the Bible is a quiet gem in the crown of Orson Scott Card's literary success. He deftly weaves very probable human dialogue around an ancient story, while simultaneously sticking very closely to the original plot-lines and casting insightful clarity on the emotions and motives that may have been at play. His accuracy in the minutiae is masterful; he displays a wealth of knowledge ranging from sheep shearing to proper tent entering etiquette to marriage and courtships customs, all without any modern attitudes that can be so jarring in historical fiction.
In addition to this, "Rachel & Leah" displays a softness in style that is very different from what most fans of Orson Scott Card have come to expect. It is a book that has a distinct lack of his typical hallmarks, there is no brutality, no violence, no disturbing images. Instead, the book is written with grace and elegance, and distinctly feminine, believable women protagonists, which is an exceptionally difficult feat for any male author.
I personally enjoyed this book very much. It was marvelously engaging, and surprisingly poignant, a new take on a very ancient story, yet it still maintained the integrity of the original text. I would highly recommend it to both Christian and secular readers on the grounds that it is a beautifully done re-telling.
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dlachance9
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Thank you for this review! I had no idea that Orson Scott Card wrote anything outside of the science fiction genre. I read The Red Tent by Anita Diamant (one of my favorite books of all time) and Listen to Her Voice: Women of the Hebrew Bible, and am fascinated by female characters in the bible, as there are so few that are portrayed as empowered. As a feminist and a Jew, I am very interested in checking out this book!
Latest Review: "Warp and Weft" by Vinay Jalla
