Review of The Legacy of Job's Wife

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Lene Lena
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Review of The Legacy of Job's Wife

Post by Lene Lena »

[Following is a volunteer review of "The Legacy of Job's Wife" by Cynthia Koelker.]
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5 out of 5 stars
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Ever heard or read the story of Job from the Bible? Job is a righteous man who loses everything and even goes through much suffering because of temptation by Satan, an experience God allows. His friends join the people in unjustly blaming him and saying that the suffering has to be due to sin. Job stays steadfast; he has done no wrong and does not understand why God is punishing him. It reaches a point where his wife tells him to “curse God and die,” because Job’s suffering continued to increase with his body having painful sores from head to toe, causing distress and immense physical suffering throughout his trials. Job’s wife is known and often crucified as Satan's instrument, an embittered woman trying to lead Job away from his faith, for uttering such words. Would you like to understand Job’s wife’s perspective? Read “The Legacy of Job’s Wife” by Cynthia J. Koelker to gain a fresh perspective on the biblical story of Job.

In her novel, Cynthia J. Koelker focuses on Job’s wife, who is now given a name, Ix’ises, to offer a different angle on this historical tale. She explores the themes of suffering, faith, love, doubt, and perseverance as viewed from the perspective of a character that societies’ conventional interpretations would exclude. Koelker offers us a channel for engaging with our own learning of sorrow and receptiveness to hope by examining Ix’ises’ emotional journey.

The story starts with the description of Ix’ises and Job’s beautiful lives, emphasizing their deep bond and respect for one another, from the moment Job holds and sets his eyes on her after birth to naming her, becoming childhood friends, and eventually marrying each other. Job is portrayed as a good-hearted, generous man, while Ix’ises depicts the difficulties most people have thinking about divine purpose in suffering. The plot of the story changes drastically when calamity hits Job, and his wealth, health, and children are all taken away from him. This is the turning point that leads to conflict between Ix’ises’ faith and her husband’s absolute faith in God. While Job assures his wife that their children’s death is the will of God, she tells him that “God has nothing to do with it,” and that she hated him if he did.

I like how Koelker excels in creating characters, especially Ix’ises. The author allowed me to feel her emotional turmoil, as she changes from a state of ecstasy and hope to hopelessness and anger toward God. Again, I witnessed her transform from a devoted and faithful wife to a woman who has doubts about the reality of faith and justice. This is such a timely exploration, most especially for anyone who has experienced the loss of a loved one or gone through some terrible ordeal.

Job maintains his virtue throughout the story, exhibiting patience and everlasting faith as he endures the trials. His portrayal creates a powerful interaction between belief and skepticism by serving as both an anchor for Ix'ises and a counterbalance to her doubt, which felt quite profound to me.

I also like how Koelker does not hesitate to paint Ix’ises' rage towards God for taking her children, a genuine feeling that may resonate with many. The book raises profound questions about divine justice: What is the main cause of suffering? What should one do with the suffering? Why do good people experience horrible things? These inquiries are interleaved in the stories, which made me start thinking about my own beliefs. I also enjoyed reading about the romantic love between Job and Ix’ises and their family bonds, portraying love as a source of vulnerability but also strength during their darkest tribulations. For instance, when Ix’ises felt like she had no reason to continue living after her children perished and her lifeless body lay on the ground, it was Job’s love for her that revived her.

Koelker’s writing style is poetic and immersive, but not overly so, as she expounds the idea about emotions expertly without overwhelming readers with religious teaching. The book's pacing is well-managed, it is professionally edited, and I did not find typographical and grammatical errors. While there is nothing to dislike about this book, standardizing the chapter length could be good for improved chapter flow. For example, there are chapters covering two to three pages while others are longer, up to over ten pages. However, despite the mentioned flaw, I rate this book 5 out of 5 because of the above reasons and the valuable lessons it offers.

I would recommend this book not only to those interested in religious literature but also to anyone seeking inspiration through challenging times and those who enjoy a good romance novel.

******
The Legacy of Job's Wife
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Post by Bethel Saint Bright »

I am a Christian and grew up reading Bible stories. I fondly remember the story of Job, especially the part where his wife asked him to curse God and die. Well, as I grew much older and started experiencing life, I now have empathy for Job's wife. I believe that is what this book is about. Well done for this amazing review.
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Post by Anu Anand »

I’ve read this book too, and I totally agree with your thoughts. Ix'ises' journey through doubt and grief really touched me. You’ve done a great job explaining her character and the story’s deeper meaning! Great review.
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Post by Neha Panikar »

I'm quite surprised, as this is not the book I thought it was. I believed it was more suitable for those of Christian religion. Your review is very informative and I'm now excited to pick up this book. Thankyou for the excellent review!
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Post by Gerry Steen »

Lene Lena wrote: 23 Dec 2024, 12:44 [Following is a volunteer review of "The Legacy of Job's Wife" by Cynthia Koelker.]
Book Cover
5 out of 5 stars
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Ever heard or read the story of Job from the Bible? Job is a righteous man who loses everything and even goes through much suffering because of temptation by Satan, an experience God allows. His friends join the people in unjustly blaming him and saying that the suffering has to be due to sin. Job stays steadfast; he has done no wrong and does not understand why God is punishing him. It reaches a point where his wife tells him to “curse God and die,” because Job’s suffering continued to increase with his body having painful sores from head to toe, causing distress and immense physical suffering throughout his trials. Job’s wife is known and often crucified as Satan's instrument, an embittered woman trying to lead Job away from his faith, for uttering such words. Would you like to understand Job’s wife’s perspective? Read “The Legacy of Job’s Wife” by Cynthia J. Koelker to gain a fresh perspective on the biblical story of Job.

In her novel, Cynthia J. Koelker focuses on Job’s wife, who is now given a name, Ix’ises, to offer a different angle on this historical tale. She explores the themes of suffering, faith, love, doubt, and perseverance as viewed from the perspective of a character that societies’ conventional interpretations would exclude. Koelker offers us a channel for engaging with our own learning of sorrow and receptiveness to hope by examining Ix’ises’ emotional journey.

The story starts with the description of Ix’ises and Job’s beautiful lives, emphasizing their deep bond and respect for one another, from the moment Job holds and sets his eyes on her after birth to naming her, becoming childhood friends, and eventually marrying each other. Job is portrayed as a good-hearted, generous man, while Ix’ises depicts the difficulties most people have thinking about divine purpose in suffering. The plot of the story changes drastically when calamity hits Job, and his wealth, health, and children are all taken away from him. This is the turning point that leads to conflict between Ix’ises’ faith and her husband’s absolute faith in God. While Job assures his wife that their children’s death is the will of God, she tells him that “God has nothing to do with it,” and that she hated him if he did.

I like how Koelker excels in creating characters, especially Ix’ises. The author allowed me to feel her emotional turmoil, as she changes from a state of ecstasy and hope to hopelessness and anger toward God. Again, I witnessed her transform from a devoted and faithful wife to a woman who has doubts about the reality of faith and justice. This is such a timely exploration, most especially for anyone who has experienced the loss of a loved one or gone through some terrible ordeal.

Job maintains his virtue throughout the story, exhibiting patience and everlasting faith as he endures the trials. His portrayal creates a powerful interaction between belief and skepticism by serving as both an anchor for Ix'ises and a counterbalance to her doubt, which felt quite profound to me.

I also like how Koelker does not hesitate to paint Ix’ises' rage towards God for taking her children, a genuine feeling that may resonate with many. The book raises profound questions about divine justice: What is the main cause of suffering? What should one do with the suffering? Why do good people experience horrible things? These inquiries are interleaved in the stories, which made me start thinking about my own beliefs. I also enjoyed reading about the romantic love between Job and Ix’ises and their family bonds, portraying love as a source of vulnerability but also strength during their darkest tribulations. For instance, when Ix’ises felt like she had no reason to continue living after her children perished and her lifeless body lay on the ground, it was Job’s love for her that revived her.

Koelker’s writing style is poetic and immersive, but not overly so, as she expounds the idea about emotions expertly without overwhelming readers with religious teaching. The book's pacing is well-managed, it is professionally edited, and I did not find typographical and grammatical errors. While there is nothing to dislike about this book, standardizing the chapter length could be good for improved chapter flow. For example, there are chapters covering two to three pages while others are longer, up to over ten pages. However, despite the mentioned flaw, I rate this book 5 out of 5 because of the above reasons and the valuable lessons it offers.

I would recommend this book not only to those interested in religious literature but also to anyone seeking inspiration through challenging times and those who enjoy a good romance novel.

******
The Legacy of Job's Wife
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
This review gives a good summary of the main ideas presented in this story. I like Ix’ises' passion and strong emotions. These are relatable to anyone who has experienced deep suffering. I admire Job's resilience and faith. They must have been quite a couple. Their romance sounds beautiful!
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Post by Elizabeth-Tush4Christ »

This book is not as overly religious as the cover made it seem, which might be a deciding factor for many readers. I like that your review captures the true essence of the book. It examines the entire scenario from a different perspective, giving a wide range of readers a clear idea of what the book is about and why they should consider picking it up—especially if someone is struggling with a difficult "life happens" moment. I read and reviewed this book myself and was amazed at how well you presented the story in such a compelling write-up. :tiphat:
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Post by Lene Lena »

Elizabeth-Tush4Christ wrote: 08 Jan 2025, 01:02 This book is not as overly religious as the cover made it seem, which might be a deciding factor for many readers. I like that your review captures the true essence of the book. It examines the entire scenario from a different perspective, giving a wide range of readers a clear idea of what the book is about and why they should consider picking it up—especially if someone is struggling with a difficult "life happens" moment. I read and reviewed this book myself and was amazed at how well you presented the story in such a compelling write-up. :tiphat:
Thanks Elizabeth for your kind words. Agreed, the cover may mislead many thinking it contains mostly religious literature but it has a good love story, that's why it's under romance novel.
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Post by Lene Lena »

Neha Panikar wrote: 07 Jan 2025, 12:19 I'm quite surprised, as this is not the book I thought it was. I believed it was more suitable for those of Christian religion. Your review is very informative and I'm now excited to pick up this book. Thankyou for the excellent review!
Thank you Neha! The cover page might be misleading but it's under romance novel. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.
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Post by Lene Lena »

Gerry Steen wrote: 07 Jan 2025, 14:51
Lene Lena wrote: 23 Dec 2024, 12:44 [Following is a volunteer review of "The Legacy of Job's Wife" by Cynthia Koelker.]
Book Cover
5 out of 5 stars
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Ever heard or read the story of Job from the Bible? Job is a righteous man who loses everything and even goes through much suffering because of temptation by Satan, an experience God allows. His friends join the people in unjustly blaming him and saying that the suffering has to be due to sin. Job stays steadfast; he has done no wrong and does not understand why God is punishing him. It reaches a point where his wife tells him to “curse God and die,” because Job’s suffering continued to increase with his body having painful sores from head to toe, causing distress and immense physical suffering throughout his trials. Job’s wife is known and often crucified as Satan's instrument, an embittered woman trying to lead Job away from his faith, for uttering such words. Would you like to understand Job’s wife’s perspective? Read “The Legacy of Job’s Wife” by Cynthia J. Koelker to gain a fresh perspective on the biblical story of Job.

In her novel, Cynthia J. Koelker focuses on Job’s wife, who is now given a name, Ix’ises, to offer a different angle on this historical tale. She explores the themes of suffering, faith, love, doubt, and perseverance as viewed from the perspective of a character that societies’ conventional interpretations would exclude. Koelker offers us a channel for engaging with our own learning of sorrow and receptiveness to hope by examining Ix’ises’ emotional journey.

The story starts with the description of Ix’ises and Job’s beautiful lives, emphasizing their deep bond and respect for one another, from the moment Job holds and sets his eyes on her after birth to naming her, becoming childhood friends, and eventually marrying each other. Job is portrayed as a good-hearted, generous man, while Ix’ises depicts the difficulties most people have thinking about divine purpose in suffering. The plot of the story changes drastically when calamity hits Job, and his wealth, health, and children are all taken away from him. This is the turning point that leads to conflict between Ix’ises’ faith and her husband’s absolute faith in God. While Job assures his wife that their children’s death is the will of God, she tells him that “God has nothing to do with it,” and that she hated him if he did.

I like how Koelker excels in creating characters, especially Ix’ises. The author allowed me to feel her emotional turmoil, as she changes from a state of ecstasy and hope to hopelessness and anger toward God. Again, I witnessed her transform from a devoted and faithful wife to a woman who has doubts about the reality of faith and justice. This is such a timely exploration, most especially for anyone who has experienced the loss of a loved one or gone through some terrible ordeal.

Job maintains his virtue throughout the story, exhibiting patience and everlasting faith as he endures the trials. His portrayal creates a powerful interaction between belief and skepticism by serving as both an anchor for Ix'ises and a counterbalance to her doubt, which felt quite profound to me.

I also like how Koelker does not hesitate to paint Ix’ises' rage towards God for taking her children, a genuine feeling that may resonate with many. The book raises profound questions about divine justice: What is the main cause of suffering? What should one do with the suffering? Why do good people experience horrible things? These inquiries are interleaved in the stories, which made me start thinking about my own beliefs. I also enjoyed reading about the romantic love between Job and Ix’ises and their family bonds, portraying love as a source of vulnerability but also strength during their darkest tribulations. For instance, when Ix’ises felt like she had no reason to continue living after her children perished and her lifeless body lay on the ground, it was Job’s love for her that revived her.

Koelker’s writing style is poetic and immersive, but not overly so, as she expounds the idea about emotions expertly without overwhelming readers with religious teaching. The book's pacing is well-managed, it is professionally edited, and I did not find typographical and grammatical errors. While there is nothing to dislike about this book, standardizing the chapter length could be good for improved chapter flow. For example, there are chapters covering two to three pages while others are longer, up to over ten pages. However, despite the mentioned flaw, I rate this book 5 out of 5 because of the above reasons and the valuable lessons it offers.

I would recommend this book not only to those interested in religious literature but also to anyone seeking inspiration through challenging times and those who enjoy a good romance novel.

******
The Legacy of Job's Wife
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
This review gives a good summary of the main ideas presented in this story. I like Ix’ises' passion and strong emotions. These are relatable to anyone who has experienced deep suffering. I admire Job's resilience and faith. They must have been quite a couple. Their romance sounds beautiful!
Thank you Gerry! Their romance is truly beautiful as they navigate life challenges together. Very relatable to many for sure.
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Post by Lene Lena »

Anu Anand wrote: 07 Jan 2025, 05:06 I’ve read this book too, and I totally agree with your thoughts. Ix'ises' journey through doubt and grief really touched me. You’ve done a great job explaining her character and the story’s deeper meaning! Great review.
Thank you Anu! I’m glad you read the book and connected with Ix’ises’ journey. Many don't understand her grief in the Biblical literature.
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Post by Lene Lena »

Bethel Saint Bright wrote: 07 Jan 2025, 01:59 I am a Christian and grew up reading Bible stories. I fondly remember the story of Job, especially the part where his wife asked him to curse God and die. Well, as I grew much older and started experiencing life, I now have empathy for Job's wife. I believe that is what this book is about. Well done for this amazing review.
Thank you Bethel! Many remember Job's wife as a figure of despair, urging Job to abandon his faith. However, her plea reflects profound human suffering and vulnerability. As we grow and face life’s challenges, empathy for her perspective deepens.
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Post by Priya Murugesan »

Fantastic review! I was not aware of Job's story. But your review got me interested in it. Will surely pick this book if I get a chance.
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Post by Creole »

Job's wife has always been portrayed as a villainess, but I deeply empathise with her. Let us not be too quick to judge her. Her faith was not as strong as Job's. Great review!
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Post by Seetha E »

This book has been on my mind for a long time. Your review does a great job of helping readers understand what to expect from it. I have added this emotionally charged read to my list. Amazing work with the synopsis Lena.
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Post by Lene Lena »

Seetha E wrote: 08 Jan 2025, 23:35 This book has been on my mind for a long time. Your review does a great job of helping readers understand what to expect from it. I have added this emotionally charged read to my list. Amazing work with the synopsis Lena.
Thank you, Seetha. I'm glad my review persuaded you to pick this book. I hope you enjoy reading it when you get a chance.
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