Review of The Legacy of Job's Wife
Posted: 06 Mar 2023, 09:03
[Following is a volunteer review of "The Legacy of Job's Wife" by Cynthia Koelker.]
The book is a story of love, loss, forgiveness and restoration. The book takes its bearing from the book of Job in the bible, though it’s a work of fiction. It tells the story of the life of Job’s wife, Ix’ises. Ix’ises had known Job all her life. He was there at her birth and he fell in love with her right from then at the age of five. Their love spans decades before it culminate in marriage when Ix’ises was on the verge of giving up on ever marrying Job. As friends, Ix’ises was introduced to Job’s religiosity even though she does not share the same faith however, she learnt to accept it as part of Job’s life and she would later be converted to the same belief. The loss of their children and properties on the same day and the sickness of Job shortly after drove her to a depth of despair that prompted the famous words attributed to her in the bible “Curse God and die”. Will she eventually find joy and restoration?
This book made me looked at the biblical story of Job again but this time through the eyes of Ix’ises, the woman that stood by him and went through the pain and heart break of losing seven children and properties all in one day. I could understand the depth of her despair and the pain of not having the husband to comfort her because of his sickness that made closeness impossible.
The book is a fast paced, easy read that grips you right from the first page. In The legacy of Job’s wife, Ix’ises takes us through her pains and her joys, her uncertainty and calm assurance birth through coming to terms with her frailty and acceptance of her dependency on the God of Job. One of the things that impressed me most about the book is the fact that she was able to relate with Job’s friends, accommodate their differences and still be certain in her heart that her preference is for Job even when he was not forthcoming. It speaks of steadfastness, a character that played out during his illness when she could have left but rather, she stayed with him.
Cynthia J. Koelker descriptions of the different characters are detailed and her sense of adventure is portrayed vividly in her scenes, towns and events that literally transport you into the plot. You literarily go through the emotional roller-coaster with Ix’ises. You empathize with her, at the same time you are spellbound, eager for the next twist or turn in the narrative. Koelker was able to bring her medical background to bear on this writing that sheds better light on both the emotional and mental state of people going through intense grief. However, towards the end, it kind of feels dragged out which is not a penalty but the round up could have been more succinctly done.
The book is well edited and I will rate it 4 out of 5 because of the ending and the one typographical error encountered. The book is best suited to those who like historical romance and human angle stories. The flow and pace greatly enhances its readability .
******
The Legacy of Job's Wife
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
The book is a story of love, loss, forgiveness and restoration. The book takes its bearing from the book of Job in the bible, though it’s a work of fiction. It tells the story of the life of Job’s wife, Ix’ises. Ix’ises had known Job all her life. He was there at her birth and he fell in love with her right from then at the age of five. Their love spans decades before it culminate in marriage when Ix’ises was on the verge of giving up on ever marrying Job. As friends, Ix’ises was introduced to Job’s religiosity even though she does not share the same faith however, she learnt to accept it as part of Job’s life and she would later be converted to the same belief. The loss of their children and properties on the same day and the sickness of Job shortly after drove her to a depth of despair that prompted the famous words attributed to her in the bible “Curse God and die”. Will she eventually find joy and restoration?
This book made me looked at the biblical story of Job again but this time through the eyes of Ix’ises, the woman that stood by him and went through the pain and heart break of losing seven children and properties all in one day. I could understand the depth of her despair and the pain of not having the husband to comfort her because of his sickness that made closeness impossible.
The book is a fast paced, easy read that grips you right from the first page. In The legacy of Job’s wife, Ix’ises takes us through her pains and her joys, her uncertainty and calm assurance birth through coming to terms with her frailty and acceptance of her dependency on the God of Job. One of the things that impressed me most about the book is the fact that she was able to relate with Job’s friends, accommodate their differences and still be certain in her heart that her preference is for Job even when he was not forthcoming. It speaks of steadfastness, a character that played out during his illness when she could have left but rather, she stayed with him.
Cynthia J. Koelker descriptions of the different characters are detailed and her sense of adventure is portrayed vividly in her scenes, towns and events that literally transport you into the plot. You literarily go through the emotional roller-coaster with Ix’ises. You empathize with her, at the same time you are spellbound, eager for the next twist or turn in the narrative. Koelker was able to bring her medical background to bear on this writing that sheds better light on both the emotional and mental state of people going through intense grief. However, towards the end, it kind of feels dragged out which is not a penalty but the round up could have been more succinctly done.
The book is well edited and I will rate it 4 out of 5 because of the ending and the one typographical error encountered. The book is best suited to those who like historical romance and human angle stories. The flow and pace greatly enhances its readability .
******
The Legacy of Job's Wife
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon