4 out of 4 stars
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Set in ancient times, The Legacy of Job's Wife is a tale told from the perspective of a girl named Ix'ises. Her fate is to marry and spend her life with the honourable biblical figure, Job. Bonded since her birth, the two are easy childhood friends and share a closeness carried on throughout their youth. With the adventures and responsibilities of young adulthood beckoning, Ix'ises and Job embark upon a path that they never dreamed could be possible. After tragedy strikes, devastation and fear transform not only the couple, but the community at large. Has God forsaken his humble servants, and if so, what meaning could be left in a life devoid of faith?
It was truly a pleasure to read this book. It has been carefully crafted; the author strikes a lovely balance between in-depth storytelling and movement of the plot. Her prose often reads like poetry, adding a layer of decadence to a story already rich in detail. She uses a variety of colourful vocabulary, but not so much that it is overwhelming or too challenging. Also, there is just the right amount of religious undertone, leading the characters and the reader to contemplate God without preaching that they do so. Both novice and seasoned readers have something to gain from this novel, and are sure to enjoy it.
I also enjoyed the fact that we get to witness Ix'ises' life in full. We know her in birth and we know her well into old age. She experiences a vast array of emotions throughout her years, and I thought the author accurately depicted her human nature in all of her stages of life. Seeing her complete journey allows one to view their own life more clearly, finding hope in the possibility that their suffering is not in vain.
If I have to pick out something that I didn't like about the book, it would only be that I had trouble figuring out how to pronounce the name "Ix'ises." It is not a familiar type of spelling in English, so I found it difficult to imagine how it should sound. I often stumbled over it while I was reading, but eventually settled on something like "ish-EYE-sees."
Without hesitation, I rate The Legacy of Job's Wife a full 4 out of 4 stars. It is a relatable drama that could be classified as romance, young adult fiction, Christian fiction or general fiction. Because of its many facets, I would recommend it to people of all ages, those who are curious about religion, and anyone who is struggling to get through a loss.
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The Legacy of Job's Wife
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