Esther: Royal Beauty by Angela Hunt

Esther: Royal Beauty by Angela Hunt is written in the first person by two individuals, Hadassah (aka Esther) and a eunuch named Harbonah.  This is their account of Queen Esther's life.

This story was a fresh look at the classic Bible story and brought new insight to how Esther may have felt about her situation.  I appreciated the "humanness"  of her character and how this was not a fairy tale romance or a story of her charmed life as the chosen second Queen of King Xerxes of Persia.  Believably, Esther was portrayed as a humble, yet beautiful young woman whose wisdom was uncommon with someone of her age.

Harbonah, the eunuch, shed light on what it may have been like working in the court of the King.  He made me think about what his life might have been like as a captured and castrated young boy, and the challenges of having his life's most basic choices taken from him.  He was a trusted friend of both Esther and her uncle, Mordecai.

Although I really enjoyed this book, I do wish that the author had included the personal stories of at least the King and Haman.  Although it would have made for a longer read, I think it would have made for a more well-rounded story.

All in all, I would highly recommend it and appreciated that the author kept true to the Biblical account.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I was provided a free copy of this book by Bethany House Publishers in exchange for my honest opinion.