Review by Jaclyn -- The Legacy of Job's Wife

Jaclyn · Post by **Jaclyn** » 12 Apr 2019, 07:24

[Following is a volunteer review of "The Legacy of Job's Wife" by Cynthia Koelker.]

4 out of 4 stars

Share This Review

The book The Legacy of Job's Wife written by Cynthia Koelker, is a fictional story about Job and his wife, characters based in the biblical book of Job.

It follows their interwoven life from the point they meet, as narrated by Ixises, Job's wife. At the beginning of each chapter is a glimpse of her mindset after the familiar biblical tragedy that befalls her family, before she continues her story, starting from the beginning. Though fictitious, the story feeds a gap and curiosity of who this unfavourably mentioned woman in the Bible is. The challenges of life many millenials ago, both harsh and beautiful, gets to shape and reveal Ixises' strong and musically gifted character. Later on in her life, disappointed and heart broken due to her supposedly unreturned romantic feelings for Job, she gets to travel and behold the wonders of the world even to meeting her far off Aunt she's named after. Soon Ixises and Job's lives merge again and love is rekindled, that which leads to a whirlwind marriage unity. The tragedy they experience later on, is precluded by a blessed, prosperous, happy life.

Disaster hits suddenly from all sides, leaving them utterly devastated as depression sets in over Ixises. The horrifying and overwhelming tragedy leaves them clinging to each other, even though they each deal with the aftermath differently. This leads to an understanding of Ixises' biblical comment to Job "Curse God and die". Will she trully learn to trust God as her husband does, even as she blames Him for the traumatic loss of her children?

I like most how the author weaves such a beautiful fictitious story that ends up feeling it should be the real life story, despite the tragic scenes that feel too horrifying to be true. I love the name Ixises and her character that comes out as passionate in different areas of her life. That passion that even drives the depression that comes later, deeper and also feeds her newly discovered love for learning to read and write, to ward off that depression. Her inquisitive curiosity in asking about Job's God and why He'd enjoy animal blood sacrifice and it's purpose, is an eye opener into the mindset of anyone who's never heard or known about biblical sacrificial stories. Fascinating also is Job's giving, caring character, especially towards Ixises, and the conviction he had from his young age that she would be his wife some day. His love, trust and fear of God, because of his strict religious upbringing, reveals itself time and again especially the part he played in bringing a water breakthrough in the well digging. I rejoiced along with them all. His generosity also that knows no end, that which opens up his widely known and seen prosperity, and sought after wisdom. The fact that the author does not shy off from ingraining such real life weighty issues as death, childbirth complications and miscarriages, physical disabilities and barrenness, to name but a few, makes an engrossing read. I disliked most the anticipated senseless tragedy that would befall them after I've met and enjoyed their many lovely gifted children.

I rate this book 4 out of 4 for being exceptionally flawlessly written and edited. The story being so superbly weaved and impressionable issues well researched.

This book is best suited for those wanting a good clean romance read with hardly any adult scene, and filled with continuous page turning drama goodness. Cynthia Koelker has surely written an engrossing and exceptionally flawless book, with unexpected twists and turns. It would appeal to a general audience, even those ignorant of the biblical version, cause it's an independent read on its own. I'd recommend it a read from youth age and above. Some scenes are most definitely too much for younger audiences and those sensitive to animal sacrifice and bloody scenes. An example is when Ixises father gets his hand accidentally mangled and torn from an encounter with a raging bull. The drama in the description, as Job's mother tries to save the hand, reads like an emergency room scene.

******
The Legacy of Job's Wife
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon

Like Jaclyn's review? Post a comment saying so!

Dragonsend · Post by **Dragonsend** » 14 Apr 2019, 20:20

Thank you for the review, this must have been a difficult book to write basing it loosely upon the life of Job and his wife. They suffered much tragedy however were the pillars of faith.