Hadassah: One Night With the King: A Novel By Tommy Tenney and Mark Andrew Olsen

Hadassah: One Night With the King: A Novel
Author: Tommy Tenney and Mark Andrew Olsen
Genre: Historical, Biblical Fiction
Publisher: Bethany House Publishers
Release Date: 2004
Pages: 368
Source: Personal Collection
Synopsis:  A POWERFUL FICTION DEBUT!

     A gripping action-adventure story,
full of political intrigue and suspense,
with a brand-new perspective on a historical figure you may think you already know!

     BOTH A PALACE THRILLER AND A JEWISH WOMAN’S MEMOIR, Hadassah brings the age-old story of Esther to life. This historically accurate novel layered with fresh insights provides a fascinating twist on a pivotal time in religious history, and readers will find it bursting with page-turning drama.

      My Review: Queen Esther has always been one of my favorite old testament heroes in the Bible. She is a Jewish girl who married a Babylonian king, and ends up saving her Jewish people. The story of Esther was written after the dispersion of the Jews from Israel, and was written as an instruction to how the Jews should retain their identity as a Jewish people. This thrilling retelling of Queen Esther also keeps the message of the Book of Esther alive by helping allow Esther to speak to us by writing her memoirs to a Jewish candidate who is competing to be a bride to the next king. The message of the book is that through faith and trusting in God, we can overcome any adversaries, even ones that seem impossible.

    The beginning of the book starts out in present day Jerusalem with a Jewish girl about to be married named Hadassah who enters the Israel Museum with her father. Her father gives her a historical document, a letter from Queen Esther that is filled with her memoirs. The rest of the book is then narrated by Esther herself. Esther is originally named Hadassah, and she is an orphan who goes to live with her uncle Mordecai. She dreams to one day go to Israel, the land of her people. But her dreams are dashed when she becomes a candidate for a wife to King Xerxes. However, her life and her destiny changes when she has one night with the king.

     Esther is portrayed as a woman faithful to her faith. She is a young girl who is pressured to hide her identity in a pagan empire, all the while trying to stay true to her identity, religion, and her faith in God. Esther is well-educated, intelligent, and determined. She knows how to pick her allies well that would help her win the competition to be queen. Esther is a strong heroine. Through her trust in God, she is both courageous and willing to sacrifice herself to save her people.

     Overall, this book is about loyalty, friendship, family, sacrifice, and faith in God. Hadassah: One Night With the King is a fast-paced thriller that is filled with court intrigue, danger, suspense, courage, and romance. It is a novel about one girl’s journey to self-discovery. The story is well-executed, and the characters are both realistic and well-developed. I recommend this book not only to people who are interested in Biblical fiction, but also to those who are looking for a novel that features a strong female protagonist.

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

This is the official movie trailer of One Night With the King that is based off of this book: