Review of The Reluctant Queen

ej_author · Post by **ej_author** » 30 Mar 2022, 10:54

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "The Reluctant Queen" by Lin Wilder.]

2 out of 4 stars

Share This Review

The Reluctant Queen by Lin Wilder relates the famous story of Esther as it’s never been told before. The reader is introduced to Esther as a smart little girl who loves to learn about her Jewish heritage. As Esther grows up, she faces many challenges, including the death of loved ones, nightmares, and intensive studies. However, everything changes when Esther stands up for a friend and is taken away to the harem of King Xerxes to become a candidate for Queen. While keeping her Jewish faith and heritage a secret, Esther is determined to stay true to herself and her God no matter what — even if it will cost her her life.

I recommend this book to those who enjoy historical fiction, especially biblical fiction. As a Christian myself, I was worried that the author would ignore the Bible and turn Esther into a different character entirely. However, as I began reading, I was pleased to find that faith was an integral part of the story. While The Reluctant Queen does contain a few deviations from the book of Esther in the Bible, I believe that people who are already fans of Esther will enjoy this closer look into her life.

There are many other things to enjoy about this book as well. I appreciate how the author takes the time to present an overview of the historical context and discuss the different kinds of sources they researched in order to write the book. I also like the beginning of the book, as it paints such a clear picture of the kind of community Esther grew up in. Some characters that are only mentioned briefly in the Bible take on much bigger roles in this story, which I find fascinating. In fact, the whole shifting cast of characters throughout the novel is quite colorful and interesting.

However, while the book has a great foundation and has been thoroughly researched, it doesn’t possess the kind of depth that fully immerses you in a novel. Much of the book is told from Esther’s point of view, but her perfectness makes it hard to connect with her or see any growth in her character. She is completely devoted to God from a very young age and never once deviates from or questions her faith. All in all, she is painted as more of a saint than a normal human being. While I acknowledge the difficulty of turning a beloved biblical figure into a character in a book, I would have liked to see Esther make some mistakes and grow as a person, making her more relatable and realistic.

Moreover, I thought that the pace of the book slowed down too much in the middle. When the point of view shifted to King Xerxes and focused on his military campaigns, my attention started to drift. I found the details of the battles and politics to be uninteresting; I was constantly hoping that the story would get back to Esther. I did want to see more of Xerxes through Esther’s eyes, however, and watch his character develop that way. I wish that the romance and friendship between Xerxes and Esther could have been explored more, as their interactions were fairly brief.

Overall, The Reluctant Queen is an entertaining historical fiction story with hints of romance and action. It has a well-founded plot, but it lacks direction and depth at certain points. Therefore, I rate it two out of four stars.

******
The Reluctant Queen
View: on Bookshelves