Esther

by Rebecca Kanner

From the award-winning author of Sinners and the Sea comes a breathtaking new look into the timeless tale of Queen Esther.

A glittering Persian king has a vast empire that reaches farther than where the sun meets the horizon. He is bathed in riches and commands a frightening military force. He possesses power beyond any other mortal man and rules his kingdom as a god. Anything he desires, he has. Any woman he wants, he possesses. Thousands of them. Young virgins from all across his many lands.

A Jewish girl is ripped from her hut by the king’s brutish warriors and forced to march across blistering, scorched earth to the capitol city. Trapped for months in the splendid cage of the king’s palace, she must avoid the ire of the king’s concubines and eunuchs all while preparing for her one night with the king. Soon the fated night arrives, and she does everything in her power to captivate the king and become his queen.

But wearing the crown brings with it a new set of dangers. When a ruthless man plies the king’s ear with whispers of genocide, it is up to the young queen to prevent the extermination of the Jews. She must find the strength within to violate the king’s law, risk her life, and save her people.

This is a story of finding hidden depths of courage within one’s self. Of risking it all to stand up for what is right.

This is the story of Queen Esther.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Biblical Fiction, Fiction, Historical, Biblical, Christian, Christian Fiction

381 pages, Hardcover

First published September 1, 2015

About the author

Hi there—so glad you found your way to my little corner of Goodreads! I’m Rebecca Kanner, and I write dark, twisty fiction that dives into the messiest corners of human nature. My debut psychological thriller, Last One Seen, releases on September 23, 2025 and features a narrator who’s either deeply unreliable—or so gaslit by her classmates that she no longer trusts her own mind. What happens when you start to question everything, including your own mind?

I’m drawn to morally complex characters, tangled relationships, and stories that keep you turning pages way past your bedtime. I love narratives that ask uncomfortable questions, blur the line between victim and villain, and explore what people are capable of when pushed to their limits. When I’m not writing, you can usually find me reading psychological suspense, wandering through the woods listening to an audiobook, or trying to figure out how to write a chilling final chapter without giving myself goosebumps. I believe in giving characters space to be messy, flawed, and real—and I write for readers who aren’t afraid to follow them into the dark.

Reviews

[Victoria Edwards · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rating: 4.5/5 stars

Review: Confession–I’ve never read a book about a character of the Bible. But this book has me interested in reading more.

The story of Esther is one many Christians know by heart. The virgin Jewish girl is captured for King Xerxes to either become his wife or become his concubine. She manages to win his heart and secure her place on the throne while keeping her Jewish heritage a secret. Her cousin, the king’s accountant, reveals to her that Xerxes’ adviser, Haman, has convinced Xerxes to sign an edict to kill and plunder from all Jews–men, women, and children alike. Esther must choose to either speak up for her people at the risk of her own life or remain quiet and allow her people to be slaughtered.

Not only did Rebecca Kanner do the research for this novel; she also managed to bring the characters to life.

To become queen to a man like Xerxes, I believe Esther must have been one of the most intelligent, independent women in the Bible. She had to fight other concubines for the throne, earn the king’s favor enough to also earn his ear, and be wise enough to turn the king against one of the men he favored most–all as a woman who took the place of Queen Vashti, who was dethroned because she “disobeyed” her husband.

Kanner paints Esther not only as the cunning woman I believe she was, but also as someone who could march beside a target without flinching from the arrows. Someone who could keep moving forward in the face of tragedy. Someone who could watch men be tortured. Kanner’s Esther has a ferocity which rivals her beauty–a trait I believe puts this interpretation above all others.

Though I’ve known this tale since early elementary school (thanks, VeggieTales), the plot felt new to me. Kanner added suspense not only through Esther’s fiery personality, but also in her strained relationship with her husband, her attraction to one of the king’s most loyal soldiers, and her conflicts with other girls in the harem.

One of the most interesting traits of this book is that it actually had sex scenes. I expected Kanner to do as most Christian authors do and leave off at the bedroom door, but she went a little further. She wasn’t graphic or obscene; she simply wrote what she thought may have happened between the king and the woman he made his wife. And really, why shouldn’t Christian fiction have simple sex scenes? Too often Christian fiction authors shy away from the subject. I understand if they’re uncomfortable with writing it, but God created sex to be a good thing, under the right circumstances. Heck, Song of Songs is about sex, and it’s in the Bible! But I digress. Don’t worry about the book being too scandalous; if it were a movie, it’d be PG-13.

The reason why I withhold half a star from my rating is because–despite the plot holding my attention–certain sections felt too long. The walk Esther is forced on at the novel’s start drew on a little too long for my liking, as did the part where Esther decides to train in self-defense. Moreover, the ending felt too happy. Perhaps Kanner was just trying to show that God rewards those who serve Him? Or perhaps I am used to novels that end on more of a low note.

Recommendation: I’d recommend this book for those ages 18 and up who are interested in Biblical adaptations or even just interested in historical fiction with a strong female lead.

For more reviews like this, check out my blog at toriphelps.wordpress.com

This eBook was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Katie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have read several adaptations of the story of Esther and was hesitant going into this book. However, Kanner was able to infuse a freshness to the story. It is the most gritty version I have read, but that added depth and realism to the story. From Esther being kidnapped to the harem fights and cliques I was drawn into the story in a deeper way.
It is written for a more mature audience, but the real story would have gritty and ugly and intense.
I recommend this for fans of biblical fiction and those interested in the story of Esther.

Thanks to Netgalley and Publishers for letting me read this book in exchange for my honest review.

[Penmouse · Rating 5 out of 5]

Esther by Rebecca Kanner brings to life the famous story of Esther who saved her people by becoming Queen of Persia. Her writing gives insight into what life may have been like during Biblical times, and shows how a young girl can do anything through God. The pacing for Kanner's book is reasonably good as when the big moment arrived it arrived when it would provide the most impact. To me the writing was a bit simplistic but some may like the ease of reading.

[Diane Moyle · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved Ms. Kanner’s interpretation of Esther’s story from the Bible. It is gutsy and the characters are real. Although Esther is still a virgin that is ripped from her home in the dead of night, she does not go quietly as a silent victim. Because of her beauty, she has to fight for her place in the harem and protect herself from the jealous girls who wish to harm her. She does make friends in the palace who help her achieve her goal to become queen and save her people.

Esther is presented in a completely different light than in other versions of this story that I read which makes this very entertaining. There are other characters that Ms. Kanner has added that make the story well rounded. From Erez, the immortal that kidnaps Esther but treats her with kindness that begins a lifelong bond between them, to Hegai, the head eunuch who recognizes Esther’s beauty and pushes her into the arms of King Xerxes. Haman and his sons are portrayed even more evil than in the Bible.

Don’t let the idea that this is a story about a woman from the Bible stop you from picking up this book. It is well written and a completely different version of what Esther’s life may have been like. You will be glad you read it.

[Kristin · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. This is the second book I have read on Queen Esther, in fact, I have yet to read the actual story in the Bible. The story is pretty much the same, which is to be expected, but this book was much longer. It had much more detail, and at times, it was those details that bogged down the story and made it difficult to continue to read. However, at the same time, it really lent an air of realism to the story that other stories may lack. In the Bible, the book of Esther is 10 chapters long, probably 10-15 pages in the Bible, give or take. This book is 400 pages, so 390ish pages of pure detail. If you want to really get into the scenes, and characters, and emotions, then this book is for you. The characters are all well-written. I believe the only one that isn’t truly fleshed out well is Mordecai. I would have liked to see more about him, as the uncle, then as much as I read. I really enjoyed Esther as a character, finding her to be empathetic and deeply written. She was easy to connect to, though some of the other characters were not so easily remembered. Overall, this will be a good rendering of the story of Queen Esther, but I don’t think it will be considered the absolute best.

[Sonja Arlow · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was an easy read on a well-known biblical figure. The writing style reminded me a bit of Kate Quinn all though this story was even lighter than Kate’s normal fair.

The storyline: A Jewish girl is ripped from her hut by the king’s brutish warriors and forced to march across blistering, scorched earth to the capitol city. Trapped for months in the splendid cage of the king’s palace, she must avoid the ire of the king’s concubines and eunuchs all while preparing for her one night with the king.

The only other book I have read about life in a harem is The Fourth Queen and initially I liked this story more. Life in the harem is a treacherous place with rivals trying to damage the virgins before they have their chance with the King. The eunuchs ply the girls with food, wine and opium to keep them pliable and the politics in the harem is comparable to the most devious English Courts.

Unfortunately after the halfway mark the dialogue started feeling a little repetitive and flat with the same issues rehashed again and again.

I think if you love the bible story of Esther you will also love this but if you are interested in historical fiction set in biblical times without necessarily needing any religious knowledge beforehand I would rather recommend The Red Tent or The Dovekeepers

ARC Netgalley

[Lydia Howe · Rating 2 out of 5]

Warning: Slight Spoilers!!!

Let me start out by saying: The storytelling in this book is superb.

I choose to read this book because Esther's account in the Bible is one of my favorites. I've read the book of Esther so many times and find it intriguing, encouraging, inspiring, and downright amazing. (As well as baffling at times.)

Obviously coming into this novel I figured there would be scenes I would skip, because it's about Esther after all. And I was correct - I did skip scenes and skim-read other parts. That alone was enough to make me knock off a star and not recommend it.

Unfortunately there were a few other things that brought down my rating of the book.... Particularly the fact that I felt like the author took some liberties with the account in the Bible that I didn't agree with. (This isn't something that was hugely serious to me, because I know that I could just be seeing the various things in a different way - it's not like the author said anything outright different from the Bible.)

The biggest things I didn't like were that Esther fell in love with one of her guards and continued to think about him inappropriately even after she was married to the king. Now, I realize this is kinda crazy to pick a fuss with since the king obviously had hundreds of concubines, but I don't think that the real Esther would have allowed her thoughts to be displeasing to God like the Esther in the story did. And, that's where my second biggest problem came in: Esther and Mordecai neither one had a good relationship with God. So yeah, that was my biggest issue.

Overall, the storytelling was captivating and amazing, but the storyline? Well, I had trouble with that....

[Heather Anastasiu · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow. Wow wow wow. This book, holy crap, this book, you guys! This is Queen Esther like you’ve never heard it told before—i.e., what it might have REALLY been like. When you hear Bible stories, they’re always wrapped up so prettily. Oh sure, there’s mention of how all these virgins are grabbed up and all the concubines of the king, but that’s all brushed over because… GOD. God was doing His stuff, yo! God saves His people again! Oh yeah, through this chick called Esther, but...God! It’s all so nice and sanitized, just like our pretty Sunday School dresses.

So you know, little details of what it must have been like living among the backstabbing harem and all the politics of palace life and the positioning that must have been necessary to keep Esther alive, not to mention the sex that was happening, cause you know—harem of concubines!—none of that was ever part of the story. But Kanner brings Esther-the-woman alive. From a terrified (but always strong) girl being stolen from her bed to the wise and canny queen, Esther always feels real. Getting to take the journey from her perspective is thrilling. I couldn’t put the book down, as in literally, I read it in a single day.

What I didn’t expect going in was the almost Game of Thrones-esque palace intrigues. Esther has her team of insiders and informants, but Haman is an insidious adversary as good as any Lannister. Sometimes Esther outsmarts Haman, sometimes she doesn’t and the battle between them for the easily swayed King can get bloody. All in all, a thrilling novel that’s by turns heart-breaking, hopeful, and one that will ultimately change the way you think about this legendary woman forever. Five stars.

[Lisa B. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Young Esther is only 14years old when she is kidnapped to become part of a Perian king’s harem. Hiding that she is Jewish is one of the many hardships that she must bear. There are numerous political maneuvers she must make if she is to survive living in the harem and make it to the one night she will spend with the king to convince him she should be his queen. On top of this, she learns early on that the fate of the Jewish people rests on her shoulders. Does young Esther have the strength to carry such burdens?

I have never read a story based on a character from the bible. Lucky me that this was my first. The author made reading about Esther very interesting. Not knowing the outcome, it was almost like a suspense novel. With every turn, someone wants to bring this young girl down. Even after she becomes queen, she is still not safe.

I really wanted to pull out a Bible to do a quick read about Esther. But the author’s writing was so well done that I decided to finish the book before doing any other reading. What a wonderful way to be introduced to a Bible story. Oh that the rest of the Bible could be written in such a way as to make it readable. Ms. Kanner shows us the power of Esther’s faith in believing that she was chosen for a special task, even if it was not one she would have chosen for herself. A powerful story. Ms.Kanner definitely goes on my list of author’s to follow.

My thanks to Howard Books, via Netgalley, for allowing me to read this in exchange for an unbiased. review.

[Olivia Ard · Rating 5 out of 5]

I approached reading this book with both caution and delight. Fictionalization of Biblical accounts often make me wary--I worry about the author having one agenda or another. But the story of Esther is one of my favorites in the Old Testament, and really in the Bible as a whole, so I was willing to give this a shot. I was glad that I did. Kanner's prose is absolutely beautiful. The tone was similar to that used in the Biblical narrative, and there are very few (if any) distracting linguistic anachronisms, which is one of my pet peeves in historical fiction. I came to both loathe and care for her characterization of Xerxes, and I was saddened when I reached the end. Something else I appreciated was how Ms. Kanner pointed out where she took artistic license and deviated from the historical/Biblical accounts. I definitely recommend this book, and I look forward to future works from this author.

I received a free copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for my honest opinion.

[Please Pass the Books · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book up until just after Esther became queen. The descriptions were fantastic, the narrative and dialogue were smooth, and there was a lot of intrigue. After her show of strength before the soldiers among flying arrows (which was brilliant), I got bored. I stopped reading at Chapter 38, Dagger Training, because at that point the story just became stale. I know the author is working with a story that already exists, but it just stopped feeling original at that point. The book is good overall, its inability to hold my attention was simply because I lost interest in a story I have heard retold a dozen times.

I'd like to thank the publisher Howard Books and Net Galley, who furnished an ARC of this book for my honest opinion, which this certainly is.

[Melia · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a really lovely exploration of Esther's character based on what we know of her from the Bible. The primary things Kanner chooses to highlight is her tenacity of spirit to maintain individuality during what is essentially captivity, her loyalty, and her skill at ingratiating herself.

The author's note at the end provides an interesting insight when it comes to Biblical literature. She notices how, in scripture, when God has given a task, he often chooses deeply imperfect people from settings we wouldn't expect. I notice this is particularly true with women. Jericho itself wouldn't have been founded without the assistance of a prostitute. For the issue of Esther, Kanner doesn't shy away from what her life would have been, and what she would have to become in order to grow so close and dear to Xerxes (not exactly a King David) instead of presenting her as a perfect saint bearing this indignity, we do see a powerful queen who kept loyalty to her people. It's a nuanced depiction that I appreciate.

[Lillian · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an eARC of this book via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Many Christians (especially women) know the story of brave Hadassah, entering the throne room of the king unannounced to save her people. She is an icon in biblical history, a legend passed down through the generations. In Esther by Rebecca Kanner, she is seen in a new light. She is given more than just a pretty face. She is given free will, stubbornness, and a fighter’s courage. She is both brave and frightened at the power she wields, but wield it she does in this beautiful retelling of the biblical Queen Esther and her mark on history.

The author does something fantastic with this book that I’m not sure I can describe. She weaves the biblical account with what is known in history. This is done so seamlessly that the book flows and gives a beauty to the characters and their world. Does she take some liberties? Absolutely! But none so great that it alters the meaning of Esther’s story or her contribution to history. In the author’s note, she says:

Becoming queen is no easy task. I’ve never been satisfied with the assumption that many come away with after reading the Book of Esther: the king made Esther queen because she was beautiful. With hundreds of beautiful girls for the king to choose from, a girl would have been foolish to rely solely on her beauty. Esther is smart enough to quickly win the favor of Hegai, and smart enough to listen to him.

The author humanizes Esther in a way that makes her both real and relatable. At the tender age of 14, she is stolen from her home by the king’s Immortals and taken to the palace to be either the king’s new wife or one of many concubines. She had no hope for herself, save that she did not want to be just another concubine. She does what she must to survive the harem during the one year purification. Then wisely listens to Hegai as he instructs her on how to behave during her night with the king. Her emotions are raw, as any girl her age would be. She’s rash in her decisions, but quick to learn from not just her mistakes but the mistakes of those she counts as friends. Esther is fierce, loyal, and devoted.

In addition to Esther, the author creates an amazing cast of characters. Some are mentioned in the biblical account, others are fiction. These characters come to life in a way that is sorely lacking in other books I’ve read. I could hear the anguished cries of virgins their first night in the harem. I could picture the leer from Ammon during Esther’s first meeting with him. I could hear the plea in Erez’s voice for forgiveness for what he has done. These are not characters I will forget anytime soon!

But perhaps my favorite character aside from Esther herself was the king, Xerxes. Xerxes is depicted as a very lonely man, grieving for his queen, and placing his trust in the wrong men. My heart broke for this king as does Esther’s. He is harsh and can be cruel, but he can also be gentle and kind, even loving in his care for her. Can you tell I fell in love?! My heart broke time and time again for him and Esther, for their differences, for their misunderstandings, but ultimately for the love that neither dared say to the other.

The plot follows the plot of the biblical account. Ammon orders the destruction of the Jews and it is up to Esther to stop it. I loved the build up to this. I knew it was coming as I have read the Book of Esther many times, but the story isn’t just about this main plot. It really focuses on Esther, who she is and what molds her into the queen of legend. When she questions her ability to fulfill the task God has given her, her servant Ruti says:

God chooses cowards to be brave, barren women to give birth to prophets, passionate men to be patient, and a man who stutters to command his people through the desert.

Overall Esther is one of the best books I’ve read this year. The author depicts the characters in such a relatable manner that it is hard not to fall in love with them. Her ability to weave the Book of Esther with historical facts while still remaining true to the original is no easy task and she does it beautifully! If you enjoy historical fiction, romance, and intrigue, than this is the book for you.

[Kara · Rating 2 out of 5]

There tend to be two ways to tell the story of Esther – either she is dealing with the adorkable Ahasuerus or staring down the tyrannical Xerxes.

Historians, theologians and mythologists all agree you have a good case for using either name for the king in the biblical story, but which name is used varies depending on what type of version is being told. If the emperor is named Ahasuerus, you’re going to get someone a bit oblivious, but basically decent, but if the name used is Xerxes, well, you quickly get into apologetic territory as the writer is forced to tap dance around why Esther doesn’t just stage a palace coup rather than going through all the fuss of winning the king’s heart.

So. Here we have Esther and Xerxes.

Uh oh.

And chapter one is about how she and hundreds of other young girls are savagely kidnapped to be forced marched to the palace, with death and / or gang rape the fate for anyone who can’t keep up.

Yikes.

So, yeah, I get that’s a thing that has happened (I really hate humans sometimes) but 1, it’s a stretch to interpret that where the original text says women were “brought” to the palace to mean “kidnapped” and 2, if a man is an emperor and anything short of grotesque and sends out a casting call for a new wife, the soldiers would be beating back the hordes of wannabe empresses rather than having to kidnap potential contestants.

But, this is a book written very much in the 21st century, so 300 and G.R.R. Martin have a bigger influence than 1,001 Arabian Nights and Lotte Reiniger.

So, Esther is dragged to the palace, not without a fight, but dragged in nonetheless, and the year of beauty treatments start, but the whole thing turns into Orange is the New Black: Persian Edition as alliances and enemies form, maiming and murder attempts are made, and all the women in the harem turn on each other in an insulting show of what happens when you forget who the real enemy is.

Esther rises to the top of the pack, as much by tooth and nail as by wisdom and beauty. As she becomes the clear front runner in the race for the crown, it morphs from prison time to The Real House Wives of Babylon, given the amount of wine and make up and cattiness.

Which is sad, really, to reduce the harem to a western fantasy / stereotype. A harem often functioned as a safe place for all women of all ages in an extended family to be themselves, to socialize away from the male gaze and to go about their business. A harem of just hot young girls lounging around drinking is the rare exception, not the rule, and it cheapens the story for Kanner to indulge in fanfiction rather than attempting to research and show a more nuanced portrait of the past.

Speaking of fanfiction, when we (finally) meet Xerxes himself, it is…. very obvious that 300 was her source material for the physical description of the king with just a little less body modification.

And then, damnit, there’s an AMAZING scene that forced me to recalibrate all my feelings on the book. There’s an assassination attempt on Esther soon after she’s crowned queen, so she marches out to the training ground to stand directly in front of about 1,000 armed soldiers and screams at them to either murder me here and now in broad daylight and do me the courtesy of looking me in the eye instead of sneaking in to try and do it in the middle of the night or get down on your goddamned knees right now and worship me as your rightful queen.

You go girl!

I would have been right there on my knees along with all the thoroughly chastised soldiers. It’s a scene of epic portions. Again – clear Game of Thrones influence, but still awesome.

And then the plot drags on with Esther vacillating between worrying about fertility issues and crushing on one of the soldiers. The big show down with Haman feels hastily tacked on just to add some excitement before an even more dragged out dénouement. And, despite a lot of filler at the end, there are quite a few plot threads left dangling, which was frustrating.

Overall it wasn’t great, but there were some good pieces to it here and there.

[Amphitrite · Rating 5 out of 5]

What I liked: Esther is a tale about one of the overlooked figures in the Bible. Queen of Persia, wife of Xerxes, Esther was born a peasant, and carved out a life of greatness that often doesn’t get told about. This story shows us how much work it took Esther to not only become Queen of Persia, but to save the Jews. It tells the story of a young girl who wanted t be normal, and how she became a powerful Queen. Esther was a compelling and captivating story, one that kept my attention so readily that I scarcely wanted to put it down. As for the characters, I found that each of them were characters who reached out of the book and came to life. Esther grew so much over the course of the book, from stubborn peasant to regal queen she changed the way she acted, but she also was a character who I came to hope for. Erez himself was a character who I questioned, though for the most part I accepted and wished the best for. He was complex, a character who I didn’t entirely understand even by the end, but he was a character who, without him, the story wouldn’t have been the same. He drove his own place in the story, but at the same time he also had a place that one could not forget. Mordecai, Esther’s cousin, was a character who we saw very little of during the book, but who’s part in the story was just as important as Hegai, Ruti, and even Esther’s. The cadence of the story is enrapturing, and there were very few places in the story that I found dull. It was wonderful to see how Esther learned to move through the palace of Xerxes, how she learned how to be Queen of Persia despite all that ended up happening to her during her time as Xerxes wife.

What I didn’t like: Despite its points that captured me and kept me glued to the pages, there were places where the story lacked in the beauty most of it had. Plus, the one character that was supposed to make me fear for Esther more than anyone else, Halanna, just didn’t seem to have much of an impact on me because she was just so unseen that she didn’t feel like she had much weight to the story.

Overall Review: With such a vividly written story that appealed to my love of a great tale, Esther is more than I had expected from a Book of the Bible that was so short. It was a story that I will reread again, and it is a book that I will buy because the story upon its pages is one that I enjoyed so thoroughly that I can imagine being reminded of the story it holds each time I see the book itself, and of the adventure that awaits within, of characters who were very human, who were flawed in the best of ways that came to show how even flaws can help a person gain what they most desire. Esther is a tale that for me will be hard to forget.

Recommend?: Even now, after having finished such a vivid tale of Queen Esther, I can still imagine the beauty of Shushan’s palace and all that was described within. This is a story that I will not forget any time soon. I definitely recommend it for those who wish to read a story of a heroine who saves her people without igniting a revolution, a story where a woman’s bravery is underscored time and time again only for her to continue to rise even when all seems lost.

[Donna Trump · Rating 5 out of 5]

In an "Author's Note" at the end of her absorbing new novel, "Esther," Rebecca Kanner briefly explores a few personal inclinations that made her want to write this book. I loved "Esther" (and Esther, too) already, probably by page 25, but here on page 380 Kanner confirms one of many reasons why:

I've never been satisfied with the assumption that many come away with after reading the Book of Esther: the king made Esther queen because she was beautiful. With hundreds of beautiful girls for the king to choose from, a girl would have been foolish to rely solely on her beauty.

That Esther is beautiful is something the reader never doubts. Kanner does an amazing job at all of her physical descriptions: Esther's beauty and how it only increases as she gains weight and curves during the near-to-year she is "prepared" for King Xerxes; the fantastically claustrophobic world of the harem, replete with wild animals, supposedly "tamed" eunuchs, and so many, many pretty, hopeful, powerless, alcohol- and drug-addled teenaged girls; images of violence and stunning cruelty; the brief, conflicted encounters Esther has with the King, and with others, too.

One thing I always hope for in fiction: to be removed to another world. In "Esther," I journeyed not only back in time but into the heart and mind of a woman who (and now is when you know the novelist really has succeeded) could have been me.

Well, maybe except for the exceptional beauty part.

Because while Esther is beautiful, she (like many of the Old Testament's chosen people, says Kanner) is not perfect. She is called out, repeatedly, for being angry, rash and reckless. She drinks too much and skips her prayers. Esther very quickly and cleverly reads people, decides (sometimes incorrectly) whom to trust, and begins to grow and wield her power before she controls it. She is warned, with good reason, by her platonic love (one of Xerxes' most valued soldiers) Erez,

You cannot be dangerous to someone else without also being dangerous to yourself.

Unwittingly, Esther is instrumental in, if not responsible for, the torture, maiming and death of many, some of whom are innocents. She also saves a lot of people, including herself, her King, and the Jewish people.

And along the way she suffers. Suffers the loss of many pregnancies, perhaps at the hand of her nemesis, Halannah, King Xerxes' favorite concubine. Suffers King Xerxes' desire for said favorite concubine. Suffers, and enjoys, King Xerxes. What I hate most is how she is made to suffer indignity of any kind, and in Esther's life there are many indignities. Because when it comes down to it, she is powerless, like all women were (and some still are) powerless. A world of men (or perhaps, ultimately, one man)--men who are often not as intelligent as Esther, who are weak, cruel, and sometimes cowardly--keep her, decidedly, in her place.

Except when they don't.

This is what I love most about Esther, and Esther. The eunuch Hegai says to her, early on in the story,

You will have to learn to appear fierce and submissive at the same time. That is the task of womanhood, and you must master it while you are still a girl.

Esther does what she needs to do. And writes, literally (in the novel) and otherwise, her own history.

[Kathleen (Kat) Smith · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have to begin this review with saying the Biblical fictions are one of my favorites. We know the stories we read about in the books of the Bible don't contain every little piece of what happened but more of a synopis or summary of the book instead. I've read quite a few on the Book of Esther and was really looking forward to Rebecca Kanner's take on the story as well. While it may be based on the idea and concept of the story of Esther, the woman who would be queen, that is about all the Biblical aspects you will get from it aside from a quote from the Bible out of the book of Esther randomly at the beginning of certain chapters.

Now keep in mind, we don't know the detailed extent to what happened from the time of Esther's capture until she is accepted as the replacement queen for Vashti under the rule of King Xerxes. I had hoped to see the same biblical themes carried through the story but was more of an afterthought than anything. The plot from Haman and his family was a subtly that didn't move the story in the direction it should have with more jealousy being placed on Halannah, not finding favor as Queen over Esther. While we know it would have been important to save her faith while living in the palace, in this story, Esther maintains possession of an object given to her by one of the soldiers she develops feelings for and would have been considered a pagan object by those of the Jewish faith whom Esther was raised firm to believe in and understand.

The entire story was woven from what Esther does and who rallies behind her to help her rather than having faith in God to bring her to the place He ultimately has in store for her. If you take the Bible's story of Esther and this one, you can see there is quite the division between the two. I would have a really difficult time labeling this one a Christian based story since this one also deals with a lot of adult based themes more such as Esther's preparation to be queen and the night she must spend together with the King winning him over. There is a sexual undertone that you can't miss throughout this book. That being said, if you want a book that takes the concept of Esther, a young girl kidnapped to become queen your story, than this one is perfect. I would not recommend this to someone thinking it is a biblical version of the same story because it is not.

I received Esther: A Novel by Rebecca Kanner compliments of Howard Books, a division of Simon and Schuster Publishers for my honest review. I did not receive any monetary compensation, aside from a free copy of this book, in exchange for my honest review. As I stated above, this is not the biblical version of Esther but a more adult and modern version of the story over what the Bible clearly points out. While it does contain some scripture it is not to help guide or educate the reader along the way with the purpose behind the story of how a Jewish woman would rely on her faith in God to save the Jewish people and win the heart of the King in the process, not through seduction, but on her godly character and morals. I give this book a 3 out of 5 stars in my opinion.

[Tamara✨ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Esther has always been one of the more badass biblical babes that I liked as a kid, and I really loathed sunday school. So I thought, Hey why not request this from Net Galley? It wasn’t printed by a Christian publisher and the author acknowledges that she is Jewish so what the hell, let’s give it a whirl.

This book was surprisingly addicting!! I say surprising because I honestly did not expect to get sucked into what essentially is a Fan Fiction of a bible story. And as far as I can remember, it sticks pretty closely to the original story too. Then again the original is still pretty dang juicy as far as bible stories go so I don’t think it needed that much padding anyway. Not that this novel did!

It’s also really visual in that the descriptions are really well done and really allow you to immerse yourself as much as possible. All the minor characters, at least in my opinions, are really fleshed out too. The main characters aren’t too out of place either. Definitely worthwhile for a lover of historical fiction.

WARNING: There is a sex scene a little more than half way through (55%) and about 3/4s through (72%) and thankfully neither are too graphic. I kinda dislike reading sex scenes because they are almost always so corny and just make me laugh and ruin the tone of the story for me. On top of that, they are unnecessary!

Honestly this book was such a surprise to me. I did not expect to enjoy it as much as I did. I mean, it is a biblical retelling and the only other one I have ever liked was The Prince of Egypt!! And the Rugrats Special.

But still! This was so fun to read and so engaging!! It had consistent dialogue and it wasn’t too out of character or out of place either. I mean as much as you can for a story set in 770 BC in Ancient Persia. I totally thought the side plot would end predictably and even though it kinda did, it wasn’t as illustrated as I thought it would be. Which I feel was much better!! Better as it was part of the story, it wasn’t entirely necessary so to fully illustrate it would have been excessive, in my opinion.

I’m giving this book a 4 not a 5 rating because I can’t see myself re-reading it or being like, HEY YOU! YEAH YOU CROSSING THE STREET! YOU NEED TO READ THIS! But it’s definitely a book I’d recommend to fans of historical fiction or someone who enjoys reading about famous historical people (that have artistic liberties taken with them). Also other Jews like myself who are tired of reading about stories set in 1912 – 1945 that are super tragic, ya feel me???

READ THE FULL REVIEW HERE: https://hercommonplaceblog.wordpress....

[Victor Gentile · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rebecca Kanner in her new book, “Esther” published by Howard Books takes us into the life of Esther.

From the Inside Jacket Cover: From the award-winning author of Sinners and the Sea comes a breathtaking new look into the timeless tale of Queen Esther.

A glittering Persian king has a vast empire that reaches farther than where the sun meets the horizon. He is bathed in riches and commands a frightening military force. He possesses power beyond any other mortal man and rules his kingdom as a god. Anything he desires, he has. Any woman he wants, he possesses. Thousands of them. Young virgins from all across his many lands.

A Jewish girl is ripped from her hut by the king’s brutish warriors and forced to march across blistering, scorched earth to the capital city. Trapped for months in the splendid cage of the king’s palace, she must avoid the ire of the king’s concubines and eunuchs all while preparing for her one night with the king. Soon the fated night arrives, and she does everything in her power to captivate the king and become his queen.

But wearing the crown brings with it a new set of dangers. When a ruthless man plies the king’s ear with whispers of genocide, it is up to the young queen to prevent the extermination of the Jews. She must find the strength within to violate the king’s law, risk her life, and save her people.

This is a story of finding hidden depths of courage within one’s self. Of risking it all to stand up for what is right.

Esther, the young Jewish girl who becomes Queen of Persia. There is even a whole book of The Bible named after her. Here Ms. Kanner goes into great depth and detail regarding Esther’s relationship with king Xerxes of Persia. Then there is the complication that Haman wants to eliminate all of the Jews and it is possible for hi to succeed. The only one standing in his way is Esther and if she fails Xerxes will have her executed. “Esther” has real drama in it and wonderful characters, not just Esther, Xerxes and Haman the other secondary characters that play a huge part in this story. There is also romance. Rebecca Kanner has done more than give us a fictionalized retelling of Biblical events she has given us some real depth of history and faith in God. It is a marvelous story.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Howard Books for this review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

[Jeanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

God chooses cowards to be brave, barren women to give birth to prophets, passionate men to be patient, and a man who stutters to command his people through the desert. Conflicted people..

Such a riveting historical fiction that I would recommend to all historical fiction lovers. I know some are wary of biblical historical fiction but I think those that are would find appreciation in the telling of Esther. A brief summary of the Book of Esther in the Old Testament. What is so striking about the book of Esther is that God's name is not mentioned once. However, with all that took place, you see God's hand in saving the Jewish people from another Hitler. Esther was taken to the King's Harem to be chosen as Queen among many beautiful women. After a year of preparing for the night for the King, she is chosen. Her true identity is not revealed as a Jewish young girl until she confronts the King with a plot from the King's advisor to kill all the Jewish people in the kingdom.

In this narrative the emphasis was on how Esther was taken from her home to the palace to be chosen as queen for the most powerful man during this time King Xerxes. The relationship that developed between Esther and her captor and once at the palace; her relationship with the other women who desire to be Queen as well. The fight for survival and how would one set herself apart from all other women that the King would be captivated. The assumption of the narrative is that the survival for the Jews was that Esther would find a place in the kings heart. However, she could not do this alone, she must first win the hearts of those who had the most influence with the king. In establishing these relationships is what makes this a compelling read. Esther was a woman of confidence in a world that very insecure.

A Special Thank You to Howard Books and Netgalley for the ARC and the opportunity to post an honest review.

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to the publisher for a review copy of this from Netgalley,

Rebecca Kanner's story of Esther takes us to different sides of Esther than I think we have seen before. We see her as a concubine, a woman, a friend, a protector, we dig deeper into who Esther was and who she becomes. Esther has always been one of my favorite stories in the bible, a woman who is chosen to be the savior of her people at the moment when they needed one. She becomes queen to the most powerful man during the time in which she lived.

I love Kanner's look inside the months before Esther marries the king. She delves into the harem, where the story has never really gone before. We see Esther's rivals, her friends. We find ourselves cheering on a maid in an act of bravery that befits a king. We look at the others in a different light, how maybe they have more to do with Esther than thought before.

Of course the villain is disliked, if ever there was a villain I found easy to dislike, it was Haman.

However now we get to dislike Haman's sons as well, which just adds to the story.

We have a different sort of love story in this version of Esther, it was this one point where I found I didn't know how to feel. I can see why the author did it, but I can not say if I entirely liked it. Esther has always seemed to be a devoted and loyal person, to her people and to her king. This veering of character, it seems out of place, yet even though that is, I do not think it takes away from the story.

Esther is a wonderful character to read in the first place. I hope you find the time to pick up this book especially if you love strong female characters.

[Meg - A Bookish Affair · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Esther" is the second book by Rebecca Kanner. I really enjoyed her first book, "Sinners and the Sea" so I was anxious to read this book. As you may have guessed by the title, in this book Kanner takes on Queen Esther. I really did not know much about her before reading this book. She is a fascinating woman who started out being dragged off to King Xerxes' court where she will be a part of her harem and perhaps more. Kanner creates a really interesting character that will keep you reading!

I really liked that the book was told from Esther's point of view. Kanner gives her a really fantastic personality that I loved getting to know. Not only is she beautiful enough to capture the attention of the king but she is also really sharp. I loved the way that the author was able to make Esther feel so fully formed.

I loved the setting. Aside from the biblical stories, I really have not read much set in this time and place so I really liked getting a front row seat to the King's court. The author used a lot of good detail to bring the King and his rule to life.

The writing of the book was good. There is a lot of focus on when Esther first arrives at court and when she first becomes Queen. The end of the book jumps around much more and felt rushed. I liked that the author was trying to bring some closure to the book but it felt way too crammed in. I would have liked it to slow down a little!

[Ana Beatriz Esteves · Rating 5 out of 5]

*The publisher provided this book in exchange for an honest review trough NetGalley.*
This is the story of Queen Esther from the Bible, the Jewish Persian queen that saved thousands of Jews in Persia! If you read this sentence I don't think I need to tell you anything more.
Since I was little I always was obsessed with Queen Esther or as you may call her Hadassah, her jewish name. She lived in a time when jews were persecuted and enslaved and she is has one bible book only for her and her story, which is very rare.
I have to bow down to Miss Rebecca Kanner because she took a very old bible story and a hew historical facts and she made the characthers gain life.
You can see the story roll between your eyes, just like you're in a movie; you see the fine intricate details of the castle rooms and feel the exquisit, sweet and scary feelings that the story brings.
This book made me love Queen Esther even more and made me feel empowered as a woman because it proves that even with many restrictions and danger, women are able to stand up and defend themselves or even risk their own lifes for others.
If you love passion, danger and misery all together in an epic tale then this book is for you!


http://thebewitchedreader.blogspot.pt...

[Midge Bubany · Rating 5 out of 5]

In ESTHER, Rebecca Kanner retells the biblical story of Queen Esther, the woman who prevented an anti-Semitic bloodbath while her husband, King Xerxes (486-465 B.C.) was in reign. He’d booted his first wife Vashti when she refused to promenade for his stag party, then went off on a military rampage across Asia Minor. He returned to choose a new queen and orders his soldiers to round up the beautiful virgins of the land to fill his harem and from which he wishes to choose a new queen.
The story begins when Esther, who along with many other beautiful virgins of the land, is kidnapped and forced to walk in brutal conditions the great distance to the palace. It’s then when the solider named Erez captures her heart. Kanner pulls you into her feminist version of Esther’s story as she weaves a tale fraught with danger, forbidden love, and suspense. It’s obvious Kanner did her research realistically accounting for the conditions of the times and setting, as well as, the life of harem girls. Although I would have liked to hear how the rest of Esther’s life played out, the ending was satisfying to me.

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

While this was an interesting version of the story of Queen Esther and how she came to the thrown. I really didn't like it and felt like it somewhat cheapened her story. I don't even pretend to know what kind of life she led in the Kings household but I thought the constant focus on the intrigues of the Harem and her feeling for one of the guards made this a story less about what she did for her people and about how she just did what she had to do to survive and make the most of her situation. I guess I love the bible story and the Heroine that I picture and since this didn't jive with that image it just felt wrong.

I have read a number of different Esther stories over the years and some I have enjoyed and they even helped me perhaps see the biblical story in different light. This one seemed to take a different direction and I just didn't appreciate the angle it explored.

[Becki · Rating 5 out of 5]

A riveting story which wouldn't allow me to put the book down until I reached the final word. While I have watched and read a number of retellings of the story of Esther this one was able to immediately captivate me by telling the story from Esther's point of view. Throughout the story Esther is shown to be brave and at times reckless in her pursuit to save her people and her place within the kingdom. The supporting characters are also very well fleshed out and provide insight into the kingdom and situations, which Esther cannot see because of her station. I'm sure I will revisit this book in the future and will be recommending this book to others as well.

[Tiffany Tyler · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is by far one of the best fictional accounts about Esther that I've ever read. Sure some liberties were taken from the Bible story (remember this is a work of fiction), but there were so many lessons that can still be applied to life today that it could almost be classified as a self-help book. The use of descriptive language, imagery, and the grittiness from the kidnapping to Esther's first night with the king had me captivated. Full review will be posted closer to the actual release date.

[Rachel · Rating 3 out of 5]

Illuminating the well-known story of Esther who saved the Jewish people when she became Queen, Rebecca Kanner provides readers with an insider’s view of the gritty, dangerous, and intriguing life in the Harem of King Xerxes (or Ahasuerus in the biblical Book of Esther) who ruled Person from 486 BCE until his assassination in 465 BCE. This is Kanner’s second novel; her debut Sinners and the Sea tells the story of Noah’s Ark from the perspective of the women on board.

[Linda]

The words that kept coming to mind as I was reading this were 'richly imagined' and 'lush.' Now I would also add 'luminous.'
I don't think tired adjectives can do it justice, though. It is a compelling story of a strong woman trapped in extraordinary circumstances, and how we all must work within the confines of *something* to accomplish our goals - and how our goals may be not what we thought they were.
Loved it. Excited to be working on events for this book!

[Greg Thaggard]

Loved the book. Good to get to know more about the author,, Rebecca Kanner, on Facebook.