Review of The Legacy of Job's Wife
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Caron Burk
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Review of The Legacy of Job's Wife
[Following is a volunteer review of "The Legacy of Job's Wife" by Cynthia Koelker.]
The Legacy of Job’s Wife by Cynthia J. Koelker, M.D.
This book is told in first person from the point of view of Job’s wife who infamously told Job to “Curse God and die.” What is the mindset of the wife of a devout follower of God to say these words to her husband while he is in such physical, emotional and spiritual torment? What type of woman is she? Step into The Legacy of Job’s Wife and explore the possibility of what could have been the back story for this heartbreaking account of great love and great loss.
Ix’ises is raised surrounded by people who love her, does what she wants and are happy to make her happy. The book begins with Ix’ises asking Job to tell her again how he fell in love with her the first time he saw her as a baby. Her mother tells her that she is a special child and her father follows up with cuddles and stories. Job’s family lives nearby and both families celebrate her birthday with presents and her favorite food.
Unfortunately, there is little discipline to balance this. For example, when her mother unexpectedly goes into labor with only Ix’ises to help her, Ix’ises is so sickened by the afterbirth and umbilical cord that she runs away. Ix’ises should have helped her mother in her time of need but instead of reprimanding Ix’ises her mother doesn’t seem to mind at all. In fact, she explains to Ix’ises what these things are and how to handle them.
There is very little description of the setting and customs of the times so the full picture is lacking. For instance, in those days the entire family cared for their livestock, fields and family members. They did not have the modern conveniences we do so it was long, physically draining work. However, it is only Ix’ises’ sister who does the cooking and tends the livestock when needed. Job usually helps Ix’ises with the little amount of work she is assigned such as carrying buckets of water home from a spring so that she doesn’t hurt her back.
Job and Ix’ises marry and she rules the household. Job is happy to comply with whatever she wants. He is kind hearted and helps anyone he sees in need. God blesses him with wealth and ten children.
One day, a series of messengers arrive with horrible news for Job and Ix’ises: all of their livestock and workers are dead. Job falls to his knees and asks God how he can take care of the widows and orphans.
Another messenger arrives announcing that all of their children are dead. Although devastated, Job responds as he has been taught since childhood: “The Lord giveth and the Lord taketh away, Ix’ises. Blessed be the name of the Lord”. But Ix’ises blames God for taking her children and is inconsolable.
Then Job is struck by a gruesome illness and Ix’ises utters the blasphemous words: “Curse God and die”.
Her misery is palpable. Job will soon be dead and she will be alone. Her sheltered life has left her with no skills to handle this nightmare. She lashes out then crawls home hoping to die.
Ix’ises comes across as selfish and childish which suits the woman who makes this comment but it made her rather unlikable. I lost patience with her a few times. Such as when their friends arrive begging forgiveness for past hurtful comments and she, like a child, refuses to see them and Job has to ignore them and spend time with her instead.
The characters are one dimensional and they sound the same. One character melted into another. There are multiple tag lines identifying the speaker and describing their feelings instead of giving each character unique traits and speech patterns to show who is speaking.
Phrases and words not used then but we use today such as “girl next door”, “rascally” and “word of mouth is the ticket” pepper the book.
I am giving this 3 out of 5 because there is little depth to the characters and environment and it did not hold my interest. It was frustrating to frequently be taken out of the story when it did not ring true to the setting, speech patterns or customs of the time in which this story took place. I did not give it 2 out of 5 because I think Cynthia J. Koelker created a plausible person to make that infamous statement.
Is the outcome what Ix’ises expected? I won’t spoil that for you. You will need to read the book to find out.
I would recommend this book to anyone who wants to explore the woman behind the words that live on today and what the back story could have been.
******
The Legacy of Job's Wife
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
The Legacy of Job’s Wife by Cynthia J. Koelker, M.D.
This book is told in first person from the point of view of Job’s wife who infamously told Job to “Curse God and die.” What is the mindset of the wife of a devout follower of God to say these words to her husband while he is in such physical, emotional and spiritual torment? What type of woman is she? Step into The Legacy of Job’s Wife and explore the possibility of what could have been the back story for this heartbreaking account of great love and great loss.
Ix’ises is raised surrounded by people who love her, does what she wants and are happy to make her happy. The book begins with Ix’ises asking Job to tell her again how he fell in love with her the first time he saw her as a baby. Her mother tells her that she is a special child and her father follows up with cuddles and stories. Job’s family lives nearby and both families celebrate her birthday with presents and her favorite food.
Unfortunately, there is little discipline to balance this. For example, when her mother unexpectedly goes into labor with only Ix’ises to help her, Ix’ises is so sickened by the afterbirth and umbilical cord that she runs away. Ix’ises should have helped her mother in her time of need but instead of reprimanding Ix’ises her mother doesn’t seem to mind at all. In fact, she explains to Ix’ises what these things are and how to handle them.
There is very little description of the setting and customs of the times so the full picture is lacking. For instance, in those days the entire family cared for their livestock, fields and family members. They did not have the modern conveniences we do so it was long, physically draining work. However, it is only Ix’ises’ sister who does the cooking and tends the livestock when needed. Job usually helps Ix’ises with the little amount of work she is assigned such as carrying buckets of water home from a spring so that she doesn’t hurt her back.
Job and Ix’ises marry and she rules the household. Job is happy to comply with whatever she wants. He is kind hearted and helps anyone he sees in need. God blesses him with wealth and ten children.
One day, a series of messengers arrive with horrible news for Job and Ix’ises: all of their livestock and workers are dead. Job falls to his knees and asks God how he can take care of the widows and orphans.
Another messenger arrives announcing that all of their children are dead. Although devastated, Job responds as he has been taught since childhood: “The Lord giveth and the Lord taketh away, Ix’ises. Blessed be the name of the Lord”. But Ix’ises blames God for taking her children and is inconsolable.
Then Job is struck by a gruesome illness and Ix’ises utters the blasphemous words: “Curse God and die”.
Her misery is palpable. Job will soon be dead and she will be alone. Her sheltered life has left her with no skills to handle this nightmare. She lashes out then crawls home hoping to die.
Ix’ises comes across as selfish and childish which suits the woman who makes this comment but it made her rather unlikable. I lost patience with her a few times. Such as when their friends arrive begging forgiveness for past hurtful comments and she, like a child, refuses to see them and Job has to ignore them and spend time with her instead.
The characters are one dimensional and they sound the same. One character melted into another. There are multiple tag lines identifying the speaker and describing their feelings instead of giving each character unique traits and speech patterns to show who is speaking.
Phrases and words not used then but we use today such as “girl next door”, “rascally” and “word of mouth is the ticket” pepper the book.
I am giving this 3 out of 5 because there is little depth to the characters and environment and it did not hold my interest. It was frustrating to frequently be taken out of the story when it did not ring true to the setting, speech patterns or customs of the time in which this story took place. I did not give it 2 out of 5 because I think Cynthia J. Koelker created a plausible person to make that infamous statement.
Is the outcome what Ix’ises expected? I won’t spoil that for you. You will need to read the book to find out.
I would recommend this book to anyone who wants to explore the woman behind the words that live on today and what the back story could have been.
******
The Legacy of Job's Wife
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Latest Review: Snatched Up to Heaven! by Jemima Paul and Arvind Paul
