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The Silent Years #1
Egypt's Sister: A Novel of Cleopatra
Five decades before the birth of Christ, Chava, daughter of the royal tutor, grows up with Urbi, a princess in Alexandria's royal palace. When Urbi becomes Queen Cleopatra, Chava vows to be a faithful friend no matter what--but after she and Cleopatra have an argument, she finds herself imprisoned and sold into slavery.
Torn from her family, her community, and her elevated place in Alexandrian society, Chava finds herself cast off and alone in Rome. Forced to learn difficult lessons, she struggles to trust a promise HaShem has given her. After experiencing the best and worst of Roman society, Chava must choose between love and honor, between her own desires and God's will for her life.
Torn from her family, her community, and her elevated place in Alexandrian society, Chava finds herself cast off and alone in Rome. Forced to learn difficult lessons, she struggles to trust a promise HaShem has given her. After experiencing the best and worst of Roman society, Chava must choose between love and honor, between her own desires and God's will for her life.
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First published July 4, 2017
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About the author
Angela Elwell Hunt
271 books1,972 followersChristy-Award winner Angela Hunt writes for readers who have learned to expect the unexpected in novels from this versatile author. With nearly six million copies of her books sold worldwide, she is the best-selling author of more than 165 works ranging from picture books (The Tale of Three Trees) to novels.
Now that her two children are grown, Angie and her husband live in Florida with Very Big Dogs (a direct result of watching Turner and Hooch and Sandlot too many times). This affinity for mastiffs has not been without its rewards--one of their dogs was featured on Live with Regis and Kelly as the second-largest canine in America. Their dog received this dubious honor after an all-expenses-paid trip to Manhattan for the dog and the Hunts, complete with VIP air travel and a stretch limo in which they toured New York City.
Afterward, the dog gave out pawtographs at the airport.
Angela admits to being fascinated by animals, medicine, psychology, unexplained phenomena, and “just about everything” except sports. Books, she says, have always shaped her life— in the fifth grade she learned how to flirt from reading Gone with the Wind.
Her books have won the coveted Christy Award, several Angel Awards from Excellence in Media, and the Gold and Silver Medallions from Foreword Magazine’s Book of the Year Award. In 2007, her novel The Note was featured as a Christmas movie on the Hallmark channel. Romantic Times Book Club presented her with a Lifetime Achievement Award in 2006, and American Christian Fiction Writers bestowed the same award in 2019.
In 2006, Angela completed her Master of Biblical Studies in Theology degree and completed her second doctorate in 2015. When she’s not home reading or writing, Angie often travels to teach writing workshops at schools and writers’ conferences. And to talk about her dogs, of course.
Now that her two children are grown, Angie and her husband live in Florida with Very Big Dogs (a direct result of watching Turner and Hooch and Sandlot too many times). This affinity for mastiffs has not been without its rewards--one of their dogs was featured on Live with Regis and Kelly as the second-largest canine in America. Their dog received this dubious honor after an all-expenses-paid trip to Manhattan for the dog and the Hunts, complete with VIP air travel and a stretch limo in which they toured New York City.
Afterward, the dog gave out pawtographs at the airport.
Angela admits to being fascinated by animals, medicine, psychology, unexplained phenomena, and “just about everything” except sports. Books, she says, have always shaped her life— in the fifth grade she learned how to flirt from reading Gone with the Wind.
Her books have won the coveted Christy Award, several Angel Awards from Excellence in Media, and the Gold and Silver Medallions from Foreword Magazine’s Book of the Year Award. In 2007, her novel The Note was featured as a Christmas movie on the Hallmark channel. Romantic Times Book Club presented her with a Lifetime Achievement Award in 2006, and American Christian Fiction Writers bestowed the same award in 2019.
In 2006, Angela completed her Master of Biblical Studies in Theology degree and completed her second doctorate in 2015. When she’s not home reading or writing, Angie often travels to teach writing workshops at schools and writers’ conferences. And to talk about her dogs, of course.
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August 19, 2017
Egypt’s Sister is not the first book that I’ve read by Angela Hunt. It is the first book of hers that I didn’t love. It’s important for me to mention that because I do think she’s a gifted writer. This book just fell flat to me.
First off, Chava, good gravy, I wanted to love this girl but she was obsessed with Cleopatra. It was borderline stalker like obsession. I felt like I was reading Pretty Little Liars set in 30 BC.
Additionally, I’m convinced that Chava is a sim. What is a sim? Well, a sim is a fictional person in Electronic Art’s life simulation game, The Sims. So, what makes Chava a sim? Well, the chick managed to become a midwife after reading a scroll and one impromptu birth. I mean, she was good enough to train another midwife at this point! I sure wish real life were that easy!
Last, Chava heard God tell her that she would be with Cleopatra on her best day and her last. Okay, she was there for the last, I’ll give her that. But, I never saw the first part of this promise fulfilled.
Cleopatra was portrayed to be vindictive and murderous. I admit that I do not know much about Cleopatra, so this may be historically accurate. But with such a portrayal, I had a hard time understanding Chava’s infatuation with her.
In the end, there was no measure of true reconciliation for Cleopatra and Chava. She seemed to benefit nothing from having been Chava’s friend.
Likewise, Chava seems to have squandered her life based on a promise that was never fulfilled.
The fillers and lack of character building left me feeling unsatisfied and frustrated.
I would have liked to have seen more spiritual content in this book as a whole. Chava never seemed to have a great impact with her life and her promise from God seemed null.
Honestly, I’m not sure if I’ll finish this series. It was lackluster and I was so disappointed. The cover is great but the story didn’t deliver.
A complimentary copy of this book was provided by Bethany House Bloggers, Netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review, and have not been compensated for this. All opinions are my own.
This review originally posted to A Simply Enchanted Life
First off, Chava, good gravy, I wanted to love this girl but she was obsessed with Cleopatra. It was borderline stalker like obsession. I felt like I was reading Pretty Little Liars set in 30 BC.
Additionally, I’m convinced that Chava is a sim. What is a sim? Well, a sim is a fictional person in Electronic Art’s life simulation game, The Sims. So, what makes Chava a sim? Well, the chick managed to become a midwife after reading a scroll and one impromptu birth. I mean, she was good enough to train another midwife at this point! I sure wish real life were that easy!
Last, Chava heard God tell her that she would be with Cleopatra on her best day and her last. Okay, she was there for the last, I’ll give her that. But, I never saw the first part of this promise fulfilled.
Cleopatra was portrayed to be vindictive and murderous. I admit that I do not know much about Cleopatra, so this may be historically accurate. But with such a portrayal, I had a hard time understanding Chava’s infatuation with her.
In the end, there was no measure of true reconciliation for Cleopatra and Chava. She seemed to benefit nothing from having been Chava’s friend.
Likewise, Chava seems to have squandered her life based on a promise that was never fulfilled.
The fillers and lack of character building left me feeling unsatisfied and frustrated.
I would have liked to have seen more spiritual content in this book as a whole. Chava never seemed to have a great impact with her life and her promise from God seemed null.
Honestly, I’m not sure if I’ll finish this series. It was lackluster and I was so disappointed. The cover is great but the story didn’t deliver.
A complimentary copy of this book was provided by Bethany House Bloggers, Netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review, and have not been compensated for this. All opinions are my own.
This review originally posted to A Simply Enchanted Life
July 21, 2017
**Many thanks to Bethany House and Netgalley for providing me with an ARC for this book!**
The Silent Years. They passed between the days of Malachi and the first Christmas. Every Jew longed to hear God's voice, but he did not speak. At least not through the prophets.
Chava and her father, Daniel and brother, Asher, live in Alexandra, Egypt, during its glory days. Egypt is as prosperous as its ever been, and Daniel has work at the royal palace, tutoring princes and princesses. Even for Jews in Egypt, not a great position to be in, they're content.
Especially Chava, who's lucky enough to be friends with Urbi, the second princess of Egypt. One day Chava seems to hear YHVH's voice, telling her that she and Urbi will be together on Urbi's happiest and last days. For a while Chava is content to dwell like this, her life given to serve her best friend who will one day rule as the queen of Egypt.
But then political tensions rise as Julius Caesar and others vie for dominion of the Roman Republic. Chava finds herself caught in the middle- and when she is sold into slavery, it will take all her resilience and faith to escape- and survive.
Likes:
-This was a genuinely well-written Christian book. It was all about the Silent Years, a period which fascinates many, and managed to weave Cleopatra and Mark Antony, Octavian and Julius, into the story of a small Jewish family. The writing was lush and descriptive, and it had the feel of a lovely mainstream book with great editors.
-The characters make mistakes. Hallelujah, a Christian book where not everyone is a saint!
-I was constantly guessing about what would happen next, although some of the foreshadowing got a little obvious. More on that later.
-I thought the romance was genuinely well done and did not dominate the story at all. While the book never really talked about a call to singleness, it did incorporate that into the story, and it was well-done.
-All the clever references to things that I know are true about Jewish life. Things like the name of God and the stories about the Septuagint. It felt very authentic.
-Cleopatra was a real person, and truly made sense. Her figure was tragic, but still very human.
Dislikes:
-The Chekhov's guns were frequent, and it got a little bit predictable.
-I didn't feel like Chava was all that well-developed at first, but that got better as the story progressed.
Content warnings:
-LANGUAGE: none
-SEX: the story takes place in Rome, and many of the main characters are female slaves. The sexual aspect is not glossed over, but it is never depicted either with any kind of detail, and the main character is never taken advantage of. A few characters are pregnant, there is some talk of mistresses, and much of the later story deals with being a midwife.
-VIOLENCE: While there are massacres and revolts mentioned, no violence is really straight-up depicted. A baby is still-born, a mother dies in labor, a character is found with throat slit. Another character commits suicide.
This was a good book, and I enjoyed it. Thanks again to Bethany for the ARC.
The Silent Years. They passed between the days of Malachi and the first Christmas. Every Jew longed to hear God's voice, but he did not speak. At least not through the prophets.
Chava and her father, Daniel and brother, Asher, live in Alexandra, Egypt, during its glory days. Egypt is as prosperous as its ever been, and Daniel has work at the royal palace, tutoring princes and princesses. Even for Jews in Egypt, not a great position to be in, they're content.
Especially Chava, who's lucky enough to be friends with Urbi, the second princess of Egypt. One day Chava seems to hear YHVH's voice, telling her that she and Urbi will be together on Urbi's happiest and last days. For a while Chava is content to dwell like this, her life given to serve her best friend who will one day rule as the queen of Egypt.
But then political tensions rise as Julius Caesar and others vie for dominion of the Roman Republic. Chava finds herself caught in the middle- and when she is sold into slavery, it will take all her resilience and faith to escape- and survive.
Likes:
-This was a genuinely well-written Christian book. It was all about the Silent Years, a period which fascinates many, and managed to weave Cleopatra and Mark Antony, Octavian and Julius, into the story of a small Jewish family. The writing was lush and descriptive, and it had the feel of a lovely mainstream book with great editors.
-The characters make mistakes. Hallelujah, a Christian book where not everyone is a saint!
-I was constantly guessing about what would happen next, although some of the foreshadowing got a little obvious. More on that later.
-I thought the romance was genuinely well done and did not dominate the story at all. While the book never really talked about a call to singleness, it did incorporate that into the story, and it was well-done.
-All the clever references to things that I know are true about Jewish life. Things like the name of God and the stories about the Septuagint. It felt very authentic.
-Cleopatra was a real person, and truly made sense. Her figure was tragic, but still very human.
Dislikes:
-The Chekhov's guns were frequent, and it got a little bit predictable.
-I didn't feel like Chava was all that well-developed at first, but that got better as the story progressed.
Content warnings:
-LANGUAGE: none
-SEX: the story takes place in Rome, and many of the main characters are female slaves. The sexual aspect is not glossed over, but it is never depicted either with any kind of detail, and the main character is never taken advantage of. A few characters are pregnant, there is some talk of mistresses, and much of the later story deals with being a midwife.
-VIOLENCE: While there are massacres and revolts mentioned, no violence is really straight-up depicted. A baby is still-born, a mother dies in labor, a character is found with throat slit. Another character commits suicide.
This was a good book, and I enjoyed it. Thanks again to Bethany for the ARC.
May 14, 2022
I really enjoyed reading this book set between the old and new testaments, and finding out more about the life of Cleopatra. I found the story gripping I stayed up late and woke up early to finish. There was a lot more action and drama in it than I had imagined from just looking at the cover, and it was nice to read about a different period in history.
July 31, 2017
I absolutely love Angela Hunt's biblical fiction. This one is a little different because it takes place during the 400 years between the last book of the Old Testament and the first books of the New Testament. The "Silent Years." Cleopatra is a secondary but pivotal character in the story, and I felt myself steeped in history (in the very best sense) as I read it. Perhaps my favorite part of the book was watching Chava (the protagonist, childhood friend of Cleopatra and daughter of a Jewish scholar/tutor) mature, both in life and in faith. I don't know if Chava's story will continue in another book, but if so, I will buy it the instant it is available.
June 22, 2018
This is an incredible story that combined fiction and nonfiction. It is the story of Cleopatra as told by an imaginary friend. Chava was a Jewish girl who was close to the Princess. Unfortunately when Cleopatra is queen she becomes offended at Chava and sells her into slavery. What follows is Chava's struggle to adapt to her new life. She learns that Adonai is always with her and keeps His promises.
March 24, 2023
I'm so glad I finally enjoyed a book I got from my local library!! It wasn't a romance, though. As I said in one of my latest reviews, I don't know if I can trust traditionally published romance anymore. But I still enjoy reading trad published (regular) books like historical fiction. I don't think historical fiction is so big in self-published fiction, and it's probably better to have a whole team making sure the story is historically accurate (or historically accurate enough).
I really enjoyed this book. It flew by like a breeze and was an easy read too. I would have finished it last night had I not had work early this morning. And I started it late on Tuesday night, so I read this book so quickly! I would have given it five stars if it also had a good romance to boot. This book made me crave reading really good HR, but not so much the regency or medieval era. If anyone knows any good ancient Greek, Roman, or Egyptian romances, please send them my way.
I felt like Chava's "real" life wasn't really going to begin until Cleopatra died. Then she could finally lose her virginity (at like age 29) and marry Yosef and have kids. It's sad her best friend died so young, but her life was so entwined with Cleopatra, she had to be free to Cleopatra to live her best life. I think Cleopatra got much more out of the friendship than Chava and was almost leeching off of Chava. All Chava got was a friend, not even a good one, and the prestige (and danger) of being so intimately acquainted with someone so famous, powerful, and important.
The ending made me tear up a little bit. I can intuit what happened, but I would have liked some more closure with Yosef. By the end of the book, I still didn't understand what Chava saw in Cleopatra & why she said, "she was the most remarkable woman I've ever met". I got the sense that Chava didn't meet many women. Also, times were different then, and it was hard for a woman to shine in the way that a man did (unless she was queen).
Only the beginning & the end is Chava's life very entwined with Cleopatra. The middle is her own "story", but then when the book ended, I found out that she wasn't a real person. I felt like why did I read this then, but I realized how I was entertained & I learned something, so I am glad this book was written.
I really liked the author's style and how respectfully she presented Jews in the book. I learned more about Judaism, which was surprising. I'm open to reading more of her books in the future even if Biblical fiction isn't really my genre.
I really enjoyed this book. It flew by like a breeze and was an easy read too. I would have finished it last night had I not had work early this morning. And I started it late on Tuesday night, so I read this book so quickly! I would have given it five stars if it also had a good romance to boot. This book made me crave reading really good HR, but not so much the regency or medieval era. If anyone knows any good ancient Greek, Roman, or Egyptian romances, please send them my way.
I felt like Chava's "real" life wasn't really going to begin until Cleopatra died. Then she could finally lose her virginity (at like age 29) and marry Yosef and have kids. It's sad her best friend died so young, but her life was so entwined with Cleopatra, she had to be free to Cleopatra to live her best life. I think Cleopatra got much more out of the friendship than Chava and was almost leeching off of Chava. All Chava got was a friend, not even a good one, and the prestige (and danger) of being so intimately acquainted with someone so famous, powerful, and important.
The ending made me tear up a little bit. I can intuit what happened, but I would have liked some more closure with Yosef. By the end of the book, I still didn't understand what Chava saw in Cleopatra & why she said, "she was the most remarkable woman I've ever met". I got the sense that Chava didn't meet many women. Also, times were different then, and it was hard for a woman to shine in the way that a man did (unless she was queen).
Only the beginning & the end is Chava's life very entwined with Cleopatra. The middle is her own "story", but then when the book ended, I found out that she wasn't a real person. I felt like why did I read this then, but I realized how I was entertained & I learned something, so I am glad this book was written.
I really liked the author's style and how respectfully she presented Jews in the book. I learned more about Judaism, which was surprising. I'm open to reading more of her books in the future even if Biblical fiction isn't really my genre.
April 8, 2018
Egypts sister. 4⭐️
There is so much detail and i felt like i was in their time and following them around the palace. It was beautiful but it took a while to read. Because the writing was descriptive the stroy was deep and the story continued to grow and everything molds together i really had to think. So after each chapter or so I needed a lighter read so i felt like i was making progress.
But the story was wonderful and i cant wait to read more by Hunt.
There is so much detail and i felt like i was in their time and following them around the palace. It was beautiful but it took a while to read. Because the writing was descriptive the stroy was deep and the story continued to grow and everything molds together i really had to think. So after each chapter or so I needed a lighter read so i felt like i was making progress.
But the story was wonderful and i cant wait to read more by Hunt.
June 13, 2022
The Silent Years are those years between the end of the Old Testament and the beginning of the New Testament approximately 430 BC until 6 BC. In this period, is the story of Cleopatra. As always, Angela brings the events of life of Cleopatra to life. The story is told by a childhood friend, Chava, whose friendship with Cleopatra continues into adulthood.
Hunt fills this novel with excellently researched historical details including the politics of the time period. The story is rich with the involvement of God's role in our lives. Chava faces so much heartache and danger in her life, but she always leans upon Yahweh and waits for His word. This was a captivating read through a time period that fell between the minor prophets and the appearance of John the Baptist. Well done Angela Elwell Hunt, and I look forward to the next book in this new series from Angela.
Hunt fills this novel with excellently researched historical details including the politics of the time period. The story is rich with the involvement of God's role in our lives. Chava faces so much heartache and danger in her life, but she always leans upon Yahweh and waits for His word. This was a captivating read through a time period that fell between the minor prophets and the appearance of John the Baptist. Well done Angela Elwell Hunt, and I look forward to the next book in this new series from Angela.
August 8, 2017
Okay, so, I am going to get straight to the point. I simply could not get over the fact that this is a real “historical” fiction. Cleopatra is a real person, and Angela Hunt wrote a fictional story about it. I don’t mind stories that are set in a historical time period but unfortunately not stories that have real life people as main (ish) characters. As much as I give the author kudos for writing a story about a historical character, I just don’t like the fact that they are making up a story about them. Cleopatra, for example, (since this book is kind of about Cleopatra,) is a real life person. She already has her own story. As much as we can imagine, we do not know what the true story is. Everybody has their own theories about some things but we do not know for sure.
Unfortunately, that is why I have to give this book a low rating. I am not going to say that you should never read any of her books again; I just would not recommend this book if you don’t like books about real life people as main characters. Angela is a wonderful writer and author.
The cover is pretty. It is perfect for an Egyptian story. I am going to give it 3 stars.
As for the book, I don’t want to give it a bad rating but I have to be honest. I am going to give it 2 stars. Okay, so for anyone who enjoys reading true historical fiction about real people, you would totally enjoy this book. But for those who don’t, you will probably agree with my first paragraph. I hope that when I read another one of Angela’s books, I will enjoy it more than this one.
Title: Egypt’s Sister
Author: Angela Elwell Hunt
Authors’ Website: http://www.angelahuntbooks.com/
I received this book from the Bethany House Publishing of the Baker Publishing Group for this review.
This review is written in my own opinions and words.
Unfortunately, that is why I have to give this book a low rating. I am not going to say that you should never read any of her books again; I just would not recommend this book if you don’t like books about real life people as main characters. Angela is a wonderful writer and author.
The cover is pretty. It is perfect for an Egyptian story. I am going to give it 3 stars.
As for the book, I don’t want to give it a bad rating but I have to be honest. I am going to give it 2 stars. Okay, so for anyone who enjoys reading true historical fiction about real people, you would totally enjoy this book. But for those who don’t, you will probably agree with my first paragraph. I hope that when I read another one of Angela’s books, I will enjoy it more than this one.
Title: Egypt’s Sister
Author: Angela Elwell Hunt
Authors’ Website: http://www.angelahuntbooks.com/
I received this book from the Bethany House Publishing of the Baker Publishing Group for this review.
This review is written in my own opinions and words.
July 7, 2017
Read in one setting, even while cooking and eating dinner. I will pre-order the next book as soon as it is available on kindle.
May 25, 2020
As a fan of Biblical and historical fiction, I'm always looking for Biblical/historical fiction that is unique. This series caught my eye because it is set during the silent period, which is a time period that I haven't seen many Christians writers set there books in.
Because of that, I thought this story was unique, as well as informative.
This book follows the character main character Chava, a jewish woman, who grew up being friends with Cleopatra, the Cleopatra made famous in the Shakespeare play "Anthony and Cleopatra". I found Chava to be a wonderful heroine. Through the trails she faces at the hands of her once dear friend, Chava goes through a lot of character growth. At first Chava was a stubborn, spoiled, and carefree young woman. When she experiences hardships, she began to question her faith and how she had been living her life. In the end, Chava learns that God does see her and cares about her and as a result she becomes a strong and brave woman of faith.
The story is well written and kept my attention. It is full of plot twists, action, and both joyful and sad moments. I actually read this in two days, which is rare for me. (It usually takes me 1-3 weeks to read a book). The only time my attention wavered is when the author would pause in the story to explain historical events. I think the author had good intent when she did that, but I usually found her explanations to be long, confusing and not exactly relative to the storyline. In these moments I felt like the author was "telling" more than "showing" (This is just my opinion of course).
This negative is what keeps me from giving this book a 5 star read. It isn't, however, going to stop me from reading the next book soon! I want to know what happens next with Chava!
My rating: 4 out of 5 stars
Because of that, I thought this story was unique, as well as informative.
This book follows the character main character Chava, a jewish woman, who grew up being friends with Cleopatra, the Cleopatra made famous in the Shakespeare play "Anthony and Cleopatra". I found Chava to be a wonderful heroine. Through the trails she faces at the hands of her once dear friend, Chava goes through a lot of character growth. At first Chava was a stubborn, spoiled, and carefree young woman. When she experiences hardships, she began to question her faith and how she had been living her life. In the end, Chava learns that God does see her and cares about her and as a result she becomes a strong and brave woman of faith.
The story is well written and kept my attention. It is full of plot twists, action, and both joyful and sad moments. I actually read this in two days, which is rare for me. (It usually takes me 1-3 weeks to read a book). The only time my attention wavered is when the author would pause in the story to explain historical events. I think the author had good intent when she did that, but I usually found her explanations to be long, confusing and not exactly relative to the storyline. In these moments I felt like the author was "telling" more than "showing" (This is just my opinion of course).
This negative is what keeps me from giving this book a 5 star read. It isn't, however, going to stop me from reading the next book soon! I want to know what happens next with Chava!
My rating: 4 out of 5 stars
May 19, 2021
Genul meu favorit, ficțiune creștină istorică! Prima întâlnire cu această autoare, cu siguranță nu va fi ultima.
July 23, 2017
Angela Hunt is a well known name in Christian fiction and she is no stranger to biblical fiction either. In fact, the first Christian fiction book I read as a teenager was a book based on the Genesis account of Joseph written by Hunt. Since then, Hunt has continued to write in a variety of Christian fiction genres and she has recently returned to biblical fiction with her Dangerous Beauty series and now the Silent Years series. The Silent Years refer to the time between the end of the Old Testament and the beginning of the New.
Although Egypt's Sister began a little slow, the writing style in first person and the historical detail woven into the plot kept me reading and interested. The premise is that Chava, a Jew living in Alexandria Egypt, is close friends with Princess Urbi - the future Queen Cleopatra we all know. Chava's father is tutor to the royal children and Chava enjoys the privileges of being close to the royal family. She is naive and innocent of the turmoil in the Ptolomy family line until Urbi is suddenly queen and does not act like the childhood friend Chava loves. When Cleopatra does the unthinkable, Chava finds herself stripped of her home, family, and status. She is suddenly a slave with no rights - the lowest rung on the Roman ladder.
But years earlier, Chava 'heard' God tell her she would bless Urbi and be with her on her final day. After surviving the boat voyage to Rome and finding herself working a farm for a noble Roman family, any future with Urbi seems impossible. But God has amazing ways of working, even in the impossible.
I've always loved Egyptian history and all the myths surrounding Cleopatra. Hunt did an amazing job of weaving fact and fiction together. And telling the story from Chava's point of view was especially interesting. Without doing a history book dump every fifty pages, Hunt let the reader know what was going on politically, socially, and culturally in Rome and Alexandria. I found the storyline of Chava's midwife exploits interesting and unexpected.
One thing that kept coming to my mind is how similar ancient Rome is to our modern day society. We might not have the strict social classes but we devalue human life through abortions, we judge others at a glance, immorality is completely acceptable and sometimes expected. But I believe the main theme of Egypt's Sister is that God works when we don't see it. When things crumble and we can't see how His Name would ever be glorified, we need to step back, rest in Him, and continue following what we know He commands. It's not always easy or popular but God knows what is to come and He is never surprised by the evils of man. Our role as Christians is to follow Him and trust Him with our lives.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher for review purposes. The opinions and review are my own thoughts and words and were not influenced in any way by other factors.
Although Egypt's Sister began a little slow, the writing style in first person and the historical detail woven into the plot kept me reading and interested. The premise is that Chava, a Jew living in Alexandria Egypt, is close friends with Princess Urbi - the future Queen Cleopatra we all know. Chava's father is tutor to the royal children and Chava enjoys the privileges of being close to the royal family. She is naive and innocent of the turmoil in the Ptolomy family line until Urbi is suddenly queen and does not act like the childhood friend Chava loves. When Cleopatra does the unthinkable, Chava finds herself stripped of her home, family, and status. She is suddenly a slave with no rights - the lowest rung on the Roman ladder.
But years earlier, Chava 'heard' God tell her she would bless Urbi and be with her on her final day. After surviving the boat voyage to Rome and finding herself working a farm for a noble Roman family, any future with Urbi seems impossible. But God has amazing ways of working, even in the impossible.
I've always loved Egyptian history and all the myths surrounding Cleopatra. Hunt did an amazing job of weaving fact and fiction together. And telling the story from Chava's point of view was especially interesting. Without doing a history book dump every fifty pages, Hunt let the reader know what was going on politically, socially, and culturally in Rome and Alexandria. I found the storyline of Chava's midwife exploits interesting and unexpected.
One thing that kept coming to my mind is how similar ancient Rome is to our modern day society. We might not have the strict social classes but we devalue human life through abortions, we judge others at a glance, immorality is completely acceptable and sometimes expected. But I believe the main theme of Egypt's Sister is that God works when we don't see it. When things crumble and we can't see how His Name would ever be glorified, we need to step back, rest in Him, and continue following what we know He commands. It's not always easy or popular but God knows what is to come and He is never surprised by the evils of man. Our role as Christians is to follow Him and trust Him with our lives.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher for review purposes. The opinions and review are my own thoughts and words and were not influenced in any way by other factors.
July 4, 2020
Review was originally posted on The Writer's Inkwell
Over the past few years, I've read several of Angela Hunt's novels and I found myself enthralled despite the fact it had a religious fiction background. This is probably the first book that I didn't enjoy at all. I'm honestly confused by the addition of this story as part of the silent years. Cleopatra had nothing to do with the silent years. Chava, is a fictionalized character whose personality is paper thin. Honestly, Chava is just a narrator to tell the reader what is happening to Cleopatra during her reign.
I wish Chava had been one of Cleopatra's trusted servants. Perhaps that experience would have made all of this more interesting for the reader. Or perhaps, the author could have just made a fictionalized book based on Cleopatra without the Jewish tie-in.
Chava's experiences as a slave were probably the most interesting part of this book. But even those fail to enthrall the reader because she's a powerless woman who is unable to stop anything. Most of the women in Angela Hunt's novels are strong women who have faith and a journey. Chava's story is so tightly round around worrying about Cleopatra, that she's not a standalone character. She should be the star of this book or Cleopatra should be. The way the plot unfolds, neither character is the true focus and a lot of the storyline is muddied with drama between the two women. This is ironic since Chava spends more than three quarters of the book away from Cleopatra.
Either way, this book does not belong to this series. It's not a good read. I can recommend several of Angela Hunt's novels, but I can't recommend this one. Thankfully I've read books that were published after this one, so I know this is a fluke.
Over the past few years, I've read several of Angela Hunt's novels and I found myself enthralled despite the fact it had a religious fiction background. This is probably the first book that I didn't enjoy at all. I'm honestly confused by the addition of this story as part of the silent years. Cleopatra had nothing to do with the silent years. Chava, is a fictionalized character whose personality is paper thin. Honestly, Chava is just a narrator to tell the reader what is happening to Cleopatra during her reign.
I wish Chava had been one of Cleopatra's trusted servants. Perhaps that experience would have made all of this more interesting for the reader. Or perhaps, the author could have just made a fictionalized book based on Cleopatra without the Jewish tie-in.
Chava's experiences as a slave were probably the most interesting part of this book. But even those fail to enthrall the reader because she's a powerless woman who is unable to stop anything. Most of the women in Angela Hunt's novels are strong women who have faith and a journey. Chava's story is so tightly round around worrying about Cleopatra, that she's not a standalone character. She should be the star of this book or Cleopatra should be. The way the plot unfolds, neither character is the true focus and a lot of the storyline is muddied with drama between the two women. This is ironic since Chava spends more than three quarters of the book away from Cleopatra.
Either way, this book does not belong to this series. It's not a good read. I can recommend several of Angela Hunt's novels, but I can't recommend this one. Thankfully I've read books that were published after this one, so I know this is a fluke.
July 21, 2017
As the Jewish daughter of a royal tutor, Chava grows up close to palace life in Alexandria. She’s sure that she’ll not be parted from her girlhood friend, the princess Urbi, not even when Urbi ascends to the throne and becomes Queen Cleopatra. But when a crushing betrayal lands Chava in slavery, she wonders what will become of her life and a promise God once spoke to her in Egypt’s Sister, a novel by author Angela Hunt.
I’ve enjoyed Biblical Fiction by this author before and was intrigued to hear that she’d be writing a series about the biblical “Silent Years.” My favorite aspect of this novel is the fact that Chava hears God during this period when He’s supposedly silent. (Yeah—I don’t believe God goes mute so much as we go deaf, but I won’t get into that.)
Now, there were some things in the novel that didn’t make complete sense to me. The process of Chava’s enslavement, for one, didn’t seem to make logical business sense. Aside from that, while this book is called A Novel of Cleopatra, the queen is off screen for most of it. She’s out there living her (now notorious) life, while Chava is left to pine and obsess over her. Eventually, Chava herself alludes to “obsessing over Urbi” for years.
I also found the extent of Chava’s naiveté to be unbelievable at times. Although she’s done some growing by the later chapters, it’s hard for me to be super-enthused about a story when I only feel so-so about the main character.
Still, the ending of the novel has put me in anticipation of the next one in The Silent Years series.
___________
Bethany House provided me with a complimentary copy of this book for an honest review.
I’ve enjoyed Biblical Fiction by this author before and was intrigued to hear that she’d be writing a series about the biblical “Silent Years.” My favorite aspect of this novel is the fact that Chava hears God during this period when He’s supposedly silent. (Yeah—I don’t believe God goes mute so much as we go deaf, but I won’t get into that.)
Now, there were some things in the novel that didn’t make complete sense to me. The process of Chava’s enslavement, for one, didn’t seem to make logical business sense. Aside from that, while this book is called A Novel of Cleopatra, the queen is off screen for most of it. She’s out there living her (now notorious) life, while Chava is left to pine and obsess over her. Eventually, Chava herself alludes to “obsessing over Urbi” for years.
I also found the extent of Chava’s naiveté to be unbelievable at times. Although she’s done some growing by the later chapters, it’s hard for me to be super-enthused about a story when I only feel so-so about the main character.
Still, the ending of the novel has put me in anticipation of the next one in The Silent Years series.
___________
Bethany House provided me with a complimentary copy of this book for an honest review.
January 18, 2022
There were some points that were unbelievable and most of the historical context seemed like just a textbook of facts. Chava was hard for me to understand or like. I liked learning the different names of YHVH!
October 6, 2017
Could she not comprehend that our faith was an elemental part of who were? A dart of guilt pierced my soul. Had I hidden the essence of my beliefs so completely that she could not see how different we really were?
I am a big fan of Angela Hunt's writing and her gift of narration. She is poignant with her pen and her words are poetic to the heart. She does well in getting to the heart and bringing humanity to far off places and times such as this time in the reign of Cleopatra. She has taken actual history and weaved in a story of a young Jewish woman who grew up in the palace with Cleopatra. Chava's father being a tutor of the royal family gave Chava opportunity to develop a friendship with Cleopatra and what that might look like coming from different cultures.
When the Lord gives Chava a word "Your friendship with the queen lies in my hands. You will be with her on her happiest day and her last", Chava's fate is sealed. You are now taken to Cleopatra fears, insecurities, and her wit in the eyes of a faithful friend. However, the friendship takes a pivotal turn and now the evils of slavery and the fight for survival are Chava's way of life. Chava never looses faith of God's word and remembers from her father's teaching the names of God and places her faith in his promises.
Chava's story becomes a great history lesson of the reign of Cleopatra and her struggle to survive in the manipulation of powerful men. It is also a story of faith when circumstances turn from plenty to nothing. How can you trust God in those circumstances? Chava lives what she believes and rests in those promises. A great reminder for us in our turbulent times.
A Special Thank You to Bethany House and Netgalley for the ARC and the opportunity to post an honest review.
I am a big fan of Angela Hunt's writing and her gift of narration. She is poignant with her pen and her words are poetic to the heart. She does well in getting to the heart and bringing humanity to far off places and times such as this time in the reign of Cleopatra. She has taken actual history and weaved in a story of a young Jewish woman who grew up in the palace with Cleopatra. Chava's father being a tutor of the royal family gave Chava opportunity to develop a friendship with Cleopatra and what that might look like coming from different cultures.
When the Lord gives Chava a word "Your friendship with the queen lies in my hands. You will be with her on her happiest day and her last", Chava's fate is sealed. You are now taken to Cleopatra fears, insecurities, and her wit in the eyes of a faithful friend. However, the friendship takes a pivotal turn and now the evils of slavery and the fight for survival are Chava's way of life. Chava never looses faith of God's word and remembers from her father's teaching the names of God and places her faith in his promises.
Chava's story becomes a great history lesson of the reign of Cleopatra and her struggle to survive in the manipulation of powerful men. It is also a story of faith when circumstances turn from plenty to nothing. How can you trust God in those circumstances? Chava lives what she believes and rests in those promises. A great reminder for us in our turbulent times.
A Special Thank You to Bethany House and Netgalley for the ARC and the opportunity to post an honest review.
July 31, 2017
I received a copy of this e-book from NetGalley, free of charge. Thank you!
I requested this book as soon as I saw it deals with the period of Cleopatra, Caesar, and Mark Anthony. What I didn't realize is that Angela Hunt is a renowned author of Bible fiction, with many books under her belt. It's certainly visible from her writing style, about which I have no complaints. The setting was depicted faithfully, and the original characters developed very well. The historical figures, in my opinion, suffered from the telling-instead-of-showing syndrome - some parts slightly felt like reading a textbook.
Connected to my previous point, for a book that I thought would centre on Cleopatra, the novel dealt with Cleopatra remarkably scarcely. We follow around Chava (only when I read the Author's Note did I realize I had been pronouncing the protagonist's name wrongly) as she grows up as Cleopatra's friend, only to be sold into slavery as a result of an unfortunate event. From there, a new horizon opens up for Chava (and Cleopatra, Caesar's murder, marriage to Mark Anthony, etc.) is only fleetingly referenced, until some last 30 pages.
The prospect of having a Jewish childhood friend of an Egyptian queen as a narrator is one of the things that drew me into this book, but, as illustrated above, it has its drawbacks. There is a big part of the novel that deals with nothing but describing Chava's life as a farm slave, and is not very tumultuous, so you might want to be aware of this before picking this book up in hopes of finding an intrigue-filled historical fiction novel about the Alexandrian war and the demise of the Roman Republic.
I requested this book as soon as I saw it deals with the period of Cleopatra, Caesar, and Mark Anthony. What I didn't realize is that Angela Hunt is a renowned author of Bible fiction, with many books under her belt. It's certainly visible from her writing style, about which I have no complaints. The setting was depicted faithfully, and the original characters developed very well. The historical figures, in my opinion, suffered from the telling-instead-of-showing syndrome - some parts slightly felt like reading a textbook.
Connected to my previous point, for a book that I thought would centre on Cleopatra, the novel dealt with Cleopatra remarkably scarcely. We follow around Chava (only when I read the Author's Note did I realize I had been pronouncing the protagonist's name wrongly) as she grows up as Cleopatra's friend, only to be sold into slavery as a result of an unfortunate event. From there, a new horizon opens up for Chava (and Cleopatra, Caesar's murder, marriage to Mark Anthony, etc.) is only fleetingly referenced, until some last 30 pages.
The prospect of having a Jewish childhood friend of an Egyptian queen as a narrator is one of the things that drew me into this book, but, as illustrated above, it has its drawbacks. There is a big part of the novel that deals with nothing but describing Chava's life as a farm slave, and is not very tumultuous, so you might want to be aware of this before picking this book up in hopes of finding an intrigue-filled historical fiction novel about the Alexandrian war and the demise of the Roman Republic.
June 14, 2017
I am always excited when one of my favorite authors comes out with a new book. I have been reading Angela Hunt's books for years, and I am never disappointed. She writes in historical and contemporary genres, and I enjoy both of them. However, her Biblical fiction is my favorite. In this newest series, she is tackling the "silent years" between the Old and New Testament. Egypt's Sister is a fictionalized account of Cleopatra's rise to power told thru the eyes of her closest friend, Chava.
I loved the character development of Chava through out this book. She begins as a pampered, shallow girl who wants nothing more than to spend all of her time with her friend, the princess. Her relationship with Cleopatra boarders on obsessive. Eventually she is betrayed by her friend and she learns to rely on God. By the end of the book, she is a mature women who knows her own mind.
Another wonderful aspect of this book is the historical detail. I learned so much about the day to day lives of the Egyptians and Romans of that time. It also put the timeline leading up to the birth of Christ into perspective. The scope and detail reminded of the Mark of the Lion series by Francine Rivers.
If you enjoy historical fiction with a lot of detail and strong female characters, I would definitely recommend this book. I cannot wait for the next book in the series to come out so I can learn more about this fascinating time in history.
I received this book for free for the purpose of review.
December 13, 2017
😭😭😭❤️❤️❤️❤️ I loved it! Beautiful, moving, immersive story with an ending that brought tears to my eyes. It's one book to which I was sad to say goodbye.
September 17, 2018
Egypt's Sister is a tour-de-force from Angela Hunt, a novel of stunning craftsmanship from start to finish. While I was left surprisingly disappointed by
Judah's Wife
and failed to ever really connect with the characters or the narrative, here Hunt is true to form and had me hooked from the opening pages. This is a fascinating glimpse not only into the "Silent Years" during the intertestamental period for the Jewish people, but an eye-witness account to the life of one of the most famed women of the ancient world, Queen Cleopatra. Hunt marries the history of Cleopatra's tumultuous reign with the history of of the once vibrant and scholarly Jewish community in Alexandria, positioning her heroine, Chava, as Cleopatra's childhood best friend.
The history packed within the pages of this novel is fascinating, resulting in a wholly immersive experience. Hunt at her best excels at crafting pitch-perfect narratives and well-crafted characters that are at once both engaging and in manner and attitude wholly of the time in which they lived. But beyond that, this is a story of female friendship and all of the intricacies and nuances contained therein -- where the blessing found one day can, if not carefully guarded against, can turn as fervently toxic. This is a hard truth, for as women it is all too easy to tear one another down than support, nourish, and protect our fellow sisters.
Early in the novel, Chava quite frankly drove me nuts, for although sweet and well-intentioned, she is at times very nearly unbearably foolish and naive. But it is easy to view a character such as hers through the twin lenses of age and experience, for in her naivete, what Chava fails to fully appreciate until it is too late is just how blessed and privileged she really is -- and who among us, if we allow ourselves to be brutally honest, can say they have never succumbed to that temptation? When tragedy strikes, Chava is thrust upon a journey of identity and hardship that forces her to confront not only who she is but who she wants to be. When Chava is stripped of everything she once held dear -- family, possessions, and Cleopatra's friendship -- she is faced with a choice. She can turn from God and His promises, and embrace bitterness and vengeance, or lean ever more into her faith in God and His provision. Her story is a symbol, a microcosm, of God's faithfulness to His people no matter how far they may stray or in how far-flung a land they might find themselves.
Egypt's Sister is easily the best novel featuring the intersection of Jewish and Roman culture and a new favorite since A Voice in the Wind by Francine Rivers. This book is a page-turning, thought-provoking, suspense-filled epic in every sense of that term. There is a dash of romance, but that is not the novel's focus (though Agrippa border on swoon-worthy on more than once occasion). Within these pages Hunt delivers not just one but two compelling female leads. Chava, being raised in the shadow of a famously glamorous queen, comes into her own --- from the splendor of Alexandria's royal palace to the squalor and horror of a slaver's ship, learning to navigate the world as a Roman slave and in losing her freedom, finding herself. Egypt's Sister is a fascinating story of sisterhood, power, and faith. And while I know that every novel in this "Silent Years" series is conceived and executed as a standalone, if any Hunt novel begs a sequel its this one. I NEED to know how the next chapter of Chava's story plays out!
The history packed within the pages of this novel is fascinating, resulting in a wholly immersive experience. Hunt at her best excels at crafting pitch-perfect narratives and well-crafted characters that are at once both engaging and in manner and attitude wholly of the time in which they lived. But beyond that, this is a story of female friendship and all of the intricacies and nuances contained therein -- where the blessing found one day can, if not carefully guarded against, can turn as fervently toxic. This is a hard truth, for as women it is all too easy to tear one another down than support, nourish, and protect our fellow sisters.
Early in the novel, Chava quite frankly drove me nuts, for although sweet and well-intentioned, she is at times very nearly unbearably foolish and naive. But it is easy to view a character such as hers through the twin lenses of age and experience, for in her naivete, what Chava fails to fully appreciate until it is too late is just how blessed and privileged she really is -- and who among us, if we allow ourselves to be brutally honest, can say they have never succumbed to that temptation? When tragedy strikes, Chava is thrust upon a journey of identity and hardship that forces her to confront not only who she is but who she wants to be. When Chava is stripped of everything she once held dear -- family, possessions, and Cleopatra's friendship -- she is faced with a choice. She can turn from God and His promises, and embrace bitterness and vengeance, or lean ever more into her faith in God and His provision. Her story is a symbol, a microcosm, of God's faithfulness to His people no matter how far they may stray or in how far-flung a land they might find themselves.
Egypt's Sister is easily the best novel featuring the intersection of Jewish and Roman culture and a new favorite since A Voice in the Wind by Francine Rivers. This book is a page-turning, thought-provoking, suspense-filled epic in every sense of that term. There is a dash of romance, but that is not the novel's focus (though Agrippa border on swoon-worthy on more than once occasion). Within these pages Hunt delivers not just one but two compelling female leads. Chava, being raised in the shadow of a famously glamorous queen, comes into her own --- from the splendor of Alexandria's royal palace to the squalor and horror of a slaver's ship, learning to navigate the world as a Roman slave and in losing her freedom, finding herself. Egypt's Sister is a fascinating story of sisterhood, power, and faith. And while I know that every novel in this "Silent Years" series is conceived and executed as a standalone, if any Hunt novel begs a sequel its this one. I NEED to know how the next chapter of Chava's story plays out!
March 10, 2022
Giving this a 4.5 star rating after taking some time to think this through. After fininshing this book I feel intrigued by the silent years between the OT and NT and learning more about those times and how the people of God pushed in those years. Going into this I was expecting a slow-burn romance and lots of historical points, but it delivered on the historical points of Egypt and Rome for sure. The romance was there but so VERY slow and I didn't get that "happy ending" for Chava romantically as I wanted.
The book follows a young woman named Chava and her friendship with Urbi, her Egyptian princess friend who ascends to the throne as Cleopatra. Story is set in Alexandria in Egypy during the time of Ptolemy, Ceaser and Augustus. We get to see a mix of Egyptian, Roman and Greek culture. Jewish culture is shared, but not as heavily as the others.
Chava was the main protagonist and she was a spitfire woman. She was headstrong and determined to fulfull God’s will, but overlooked life around her. She tried to fit an image of what she believed God wanted for her life instead of trusting Him to see it through.
Urbi was Chava best-friend, but she was an Egyptian princess. As a girl she was amazing, but when she ascended to the throne she became pigheaded. Yes, she had a tough role to fill, but she constantly found a means to demean her friend. She only thought about herself and nothing more.
The writing was well done. On a scale of 1-10, with 10 being the best I give this a 10. I enjoyed the hebrew words and definitions shared. I enjoyed the flow of the story and how seamless we jumped from scene to scene and year to year. I do wish at the beginning of a new year within the story there was a header, but the first line always made it clear how much time passed. The pacing was slow sometimes, but considering the time historically it made sense. This was easy to read and listen to.
Some themes that stood out to me are:
- unequally yoked friendships
- trusting God in the midst of betrayal
- not being consumed in God’s Word more than trusting Him
- parents being jealous of children
Overall, this was an excellent read for me. Truly enjoyed the process of getting through this book. I was intrigued from beginning to end and invested in Chava as a character. I would definitely recommend this story to others and I look forward to reading books three (Jerusalem's Queen: A Novel of Salome Alexandra) and four (King's Shadow: A Novel of King Herod's Court) in the series.
Check out my review of book 2, Judah's Wife: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
The book follows a young woman named Chava and her friendship with Urbi, her Egyptian princess friend who ascends to the throne as Cleopatra. Story is set in Alexandria in Egypy during the time of Ptolemy, Ceaser and Augustus. We get to see a mix of Egyptian, Roman and Greek culture. Jewish culture is shared, but not as heavily as the others.
Chava was the main protagonist and she was a spitfire woman. She was headstrong and determined to fulfull God’s will, but overlooked life around her. She tried to fit an image of what she believed God wanted for her life instead of trusting Him to see it through.
Urbi was Chava best-friend, but she was an Egyptian princess. As a girl she was amazing, but when she ascended to the throne she became pigheaded. Yes, she had a tough role to fill, but she constantly found a means to demean her friend. She only thought about herself and nothing more.
The writing was well done. On a scale of 1-10, with 10 being the best I give this a 10. I enjoyed the hebrew words and definitions shared. I enjoyed the flow of the story and how seamless we jumped from scene to scene and year to year. I do wish at the beginning of a new year within the story there was a header, but the first line always made it clear how much time passed. The pacing was slow sometimes, but considering the time historically it made sense. This was easy to read and listen to.
Some themes that stood out to me are:
- unequally yoked friendships
- trusting God in the midst of betrayal
- not being consumed in God’s Word more than trusting Him
- parents being jealous of children
Overall, this was an excellent read for me. Truly enjoyed the process of getting through this book. I was intrigued from beginning to end and invested in Chava as a character. I would definitely recommend this story to others and I look forward to reading books three (Jerusalem's Queen: A Novel of Salome Alexandra) and four (King's Shadow: A Novel of King Herod's Court) in the series.
Check out my review of book 2, Judah's Wife: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
August 13, 2017
This book is so hard to review right now. When I saw it come across the available titles at Bethany House and NetGalley it captured my attention and I HAD to read it. Biblical fiction is a favorite genre of mine (well, lets face it there's so few genres that aren't a favorite!). While not exactly Biblical the synopsis definitely fits into the genre. There's the added bonus of Angela Hunt who is just amazing. However, the execution didn't quite hit the expectation, at least for me. Set during the 'Silent Years', this book tells the story of a young Jewish girl, Chava, who is raised with and envisions a lifelong friendship with Cleopatra VII. The appearances of Cleopatra were few, which was disappointing in a book about her, but Chava's story had potential to be interesting.
There are several things, if you haven't figured out yet, that fell flat for me with this book. I felt like I was reading a historical text as opposed to a novel about the lives of two historical women, one of which is quite famous as the subject of books, movies and documentaries. There was so much historical 'filler' that took away from the story. Just an example, referencing that the battle with Caesar in Alexandria would become known as the Alexandrian War seems out of place for a character to reference something that would come later, most likely after her time. With all the extra research filler the story tended to drag along. It read quickly but the story was sluggish. I don't to pick about everything but another thing that struck me as beyond odd was how quickly Chava became a midwife and trained another midwife. It felt like 'hey look at me, I successfully delivered a baby and read a scroll, put me in coach!'. There were a few things that just didn't add up or were just too much that brought this down for me.
It wasn't all drawbacks and sluggishness. Honestly, my favorite portrayal was of Agrippa. He was a gentleman, kind, honest and accommodating. He didn't just look at for number one but for all those he cared about. Chava, when she was simply telling of her life was engaging. When the story slipped into research mode that was lost but she kept me in the story. I promise I didn't totally fall flat on the book. It left a lot to be desired for me but I love the premise, I adore the author and I think in the right hands this book will be a blessing and become well loved.
I was provided a complimentary copy of this book by Bethany House and NetGalley. I was not compensated for this review and all thoughts and opinions expressed are my own. I was not required to write a positive review.
Originally published at https://fizzypopcollection.blogspot.c....
There are several things, if you haven't figured out yet, that fell flat for me with this book. I felt like I was reading a historical text as opposed to a novel about the lives of two historical women, one of which is quite famous as the subject of books, movies and documentaries. There was so much historical 'filler' that took away from the story. Just an example, referencing that the battle with Caesar in Alexandria would become known as the Alexandrian War seems out of place for a character to reference something that would come later, most likely after her time. With all the extra research filler the story tended to drag along. It read quickly but the story was sluggish. I don't to pick about everything but another thing that struck me as beyond odd was how quickly Chava became a midwife and trained another midwife. It felt like 'hey look at me, I successfully delivered a baby and read a scroll, put me in coach!'. There were a few things that just didn't add up or were just too much that brought this down for me.
It wasn't all drawbacks and sluggishness. Honestly, my favorite portrayal was of Agrippa. He was a gentleman, kind, honest and accommodating. He didn't just look at for number one but for all those he cared about. Chava, when she was simply telling of her life was engaging. When the story slipped into research mode that was lost but she kept me in the story. I promise I didn't totally fall flat on the book. It left a lot to be desired for me but I love the premise, I adore the author and I think in the right hands this book will be a blessing and become well loved.
I was provided a complimentary copy of this book by Bethany House and NetGalley. I was not compensated for this review and all thoughts and opinions expressed are my own. I was not required to write a positive review.
Originally published at https://fizzypopcollection.blogspot.c....
August 2, 2017
3.5 STARS ~ This was one of those books that commanded my attention while I was reading it, yet somehow left me a little disappointed at the same time. I love reading historical fiction based around actual historical figures—particularly political or military leaders who have played a huge role in shaping history. I don’t even mind when the story invents (or fleshes out) an unknown companion as a narrator, such as Chava in this story, but in this case I thought it was a little misleading to label the book ‘A Novel of Cleopatra’. Despite Cleopatra’s influence in Chava’s life, she remains little more than a background character in the novel.
The novel begins in Urbi and Chava’s childhood, capturing the essence of their developing friendship from the age of eleven, when they swear to be forever friends, through to Urbi’s rise to the throne as an eighteen-year-old and the early years of her reign as she shares the throne with her ten-year-old brother. Throughout this time, Chava holds fast to the words she believes HaShem (God) spoke to her one night: Your friendship with the queen lies in my hands. You will be with her on her happiest day and her last. And you, daughter of Israel, will know yourself, and you will bless her. As a result, Chava refuses to marry, believing her place is beside Cleopatra, and she waits patiently for the time when Cleopatra will finally call her to the palace to be her lady-in-waiting.
My attention began to wane during this first part of the story because it felt as though the real story was happening to Urbi, and Chava was simply relating what she could see from the sidelines. But then things drastically changed for Chava, and not in a good way. From here, the story became more engaging, because it really was Chava’s story, rather than Chava waiting to take her place in Urbi’s story. But a word to sensitive readers: The first century BC was a brutal world. There were a few events in Chava’s journey that turned my stomach, and while the story didn’t dwell on them, simply knowing they took place was unsettling enough.
From a historical point of view, the novel was well researched, and I found myself wishing I could visit the Alexandria described in these pages, but Chava’s story felt less compelling than the political figures in whose shadows she stood, and I couldn't help wanting more of their stories; more of the tensions between Octavian (Augustus Caesar) and Mark Antony, and more insight into Cleopatra’s motivations.
Still, it was an interesting read overall, to see the way in which Chava’s life was taken completely out of her control, but HaShem used that to fulfil the words He spoke to Chava in His own way, rather than in the way Chava had envisaged.
I received a copy of this novel from the publisher. This has not influenced the content of my review, which is my honest and unbiased opinion.
The novel begins in Urbi and Chava’s childhood, capturing the essence of their developing friendship from the age of eleven, when they swear to be forever friends, through to Urbi’s rise to the throne as an eighteen-year-old and the early years of her reign as she shares the throne with her ten-year-old brother. Throughout this time, Chava holds fast to the words she believes HaShem (God) spoke to her one night: Your friendship with the queen lies in my hands. You will be with her on her happiest day and her last. And you, daughter of Israel, will know yourself, and you will bless her. As a result, Chava refuses to marry, believing her place is beside Cleopatra, and she waits patiently for the time when Cleopatra will finally call her to the palace to be her lady-in-waiting.
My attention began to wane during this first part of the story because it felt as though the real story was happening to Urbi, and Chava was simply relating what she could see from the sidelines. But then things drastically changed for Chava, and not in a good way. From here, the story became more engaging, because it really was Chava’s story, rather than Chava waiting to take her place in Urbi’s story. But a word to sensitive readers: The first century BC was a brutal world. There were a few events in Chava’s journey that turned my stomach, and while the story didn’t dwell on them, simply knowing they took place was unsettling enough.
From a historical point of view, the novel was well researched, and I found myself wishing I could visit the Alexandria described in these pages, but Chava’s story felt less compelling than the political figures in whose shadows she stood, and I couldn't help wanting more of their stories; more of the tensions between Octavian (Augustus Caesar) and Mark Antony, and more insight into Cleopatra’s motivations.
Still, it was an interesting read overall, to see the way in which Chava’s life was taken completely out of her control, but HaShem used that to fulfil the words He spoke to Chava in His own way, rather than in the way Chava had envisaged.
I received a copy of this novel from the publisher. This has not influenced the content of my review, which is my honest and unbiased opinion.
August 24, 2017
Egypt’s Sister by author Angela Hunt is a rich historical read that we are given a front row seat to watch as the events of the rise of the Roman Empire take place. We take this journey with Chava a young Jewish woman who has grown up as the best friend of Urbi (future Cleopatra) in Alexandria the center of knowledge and education. I would say that this is a coming of age story that shows the growth and maturity of Chava, as she watches the world around her and the world that she thought she knew change so abruptly that it was frightening.
Chava is at first a very naïve and stubborn young lady in her views and her opposition to marriage that her father so wants her to do. She is also very loyal to her best friend, Cleopatra, so much so that she forgoes the whole idea of marriage to anyone so that she may be at Cleopatra’s side and her beck in call. I considered this rather foolish of her, understanding the whys but I just felt that she was very narrow minded in her conclusions. The author did an excellent job at showing her growth especially after all she had to endure. We also get a look at what being a friend to a very powerful political person would look like. There is great betrayal and hardship that Chava must endure yet she meets some of the most powerful men of that time; Julius Caesar, Octavian, Marc Antony, and Agrippa.
There was much to process as I read this book; the history I was familiar with but the author really shined a new light on the brutality of the ruling Triumvirate that was very frightening. This was a gritty, lush historical that focuses on the time of history and the set up for when the long awaited Messiah would arrive into the world. And as always, I appreciated the author’s notes on what was real and what was fiction.
A quote from the book that has really stuck with me is found on pg. 265 by Chava: “I kept thinking of something I once read from Euripides: “Those whom God wishes to destroy, he first makes mad.”
I received a copy of this novel for free from the publisher. I was not required to post a positive review and all views and opinions are my own.
http://pausefortales.blogspot.com/201...
Chava is at first a very naïve and stubborn young lady in her views and her opposition to marriage that her father so wants her to do. She is also very loyal to her best friend, Cleopatra, so much so that she forgoes the whole idea of marriage to anyone so that she may be at Cleopatra’s side and her beck in call. I considered this rather foolish of her, understanding the whys but I just felt that she was very narrow minded in her conclusions. The author did an excellent job at showing her growth especially after all she had to endure. We also get a look at what being a friend to a very powerful political person would look like. There is great betrayal and hardship that Chava must endure yet she meets some of the most powerful men of that time; Julius Caesar, Octavian, Marc Antony, and Agrippa.
There was much to process as I read this book; the history I was familiar with but the author really shined a new light on the brutality of the ruling Triumvirate that was very frightening. This was a gritty, lush historical that focuses on the time of history and the set up for when the long awaited Messiah would arrive into the world. And as always, I appreciated the author’s notes on what was real and what was fiction.
A quote from the book that has really stuck with me is found on pg. 265 by Chava: “I kept thinking of something I once read from Euripides: “Those whom God wishes to destroy, he first makes mad.”
I received a copy of this novel for free from the publisher. I was not required to post a positive review and all views and opinions are my own.
http://pausefortales.blogspot.com/201...
May 6, 2022
I know about Cleopatra's life through Shakespear's play and the movie with Elizabeth Taylor. When I found Egypt's Sister: A Novel of Cleopatra, I thought the premise remarkably interesting. Especially when Chava, the main character, is Jewish.
I think readers who enjoyed The Red Tent by Anita Diamant will enjoy Egypt's Sister: A Novel of Cleopatra.
There are so many historical details that it is almost overwhelming. There are also a lot of politics. Angela Elwell Hunt does not shy away from the horror of slavery, some of which is hard to read.
I had some trouble with the extent of Chava’s naiveté to be unbelievable at times. Although the later chapters do her some growing, it’s hard for me to be super-enthused about a story when I only feel so-so about the main character. This is the primary reason I must reduce the number of stars.
If you have trouble with Aramaic/Hebrew, I suggest listening to the audiobook.
I am looking forward to continuing with the series.
I think readers who enjoyed The Red Tent by Anita Diamant will enjoy Egypt's Sister: A Novel of Cleopatra.
There are so many historical details that it is almost overwhelming. There are also a lot of politics. Angela Elwell Hunt does not shy away from the horror of slavery, some of which is hard to read.
I had some trouble with the extent of Chava’s naiveté to be unbelievable at times. Although the later chapters do her some growing, it’s hard for me to be super-enthused about a story when I only feel so-so about the main character. This is the primary reason I must reduce the number of stars.
If you have trouble with Aramaic/Hebrew, I suggest listening to the audiobook.
I am looking forward to continuing with the series.
August 31, 2018
*some spoilers but not really*
When Chava grew up, she was best friends with Urbi, a princess of Egypt. One night, she hears from Adonai, her God. He tells her that she will be with Urbi on her happiest day and her last. However, with unexpected turn of events, Urbi suddenly ascends to the throne as Cleopatra. When they were young, they made a promise in blood, ‘blood of my blood, heart of my heart.’ However, they slowly grew apart until guards came knocking at Chava’s door, imprisoning her and her father, then selling them as slaves. Chava wishes for revenge at her childhood friend, her backstabber, her queen. However, as she experiences life as a slave, she grows in maturity, and is this really what she wants? And what about Adonai’s promise? This fiction novel based on history is descriptive and well-paced, with great characterisation and twists and turns all the way through. It is historically accurate (minus Chava and everything about her), interesting for everyone. It involves real life circumstances at that time, the good, the bad, and the questionable. It is well written with great details, and emotional moments. It is written in such a way that one can imagine themselves in that situation, feel the same feelings, be in the same room. It is definitely a great book, and although I feel that it may not interest some, it is definitely one of my favourites, and I recommend this book to any who enjoy history and an in-depth look of Egypt.
When Chava grew up, she was best friends with Urbi, a princess of Egypt. One night, she hears from Adonai, her God. He tells her that she will be with Urbi on her happiest day and her last. However, with unexpected turn of events, Urbi suddenly ascends to the throne as Cleopatra. When they were young, they made a promise in blood, ‘blood of my blood, heart of my heart.’ However, they slowly grew apart until guards came knocking at Chava’s door, imprisoning her and her father, then selling them as slaves. Chava wishes for revenge at her childhood friend, her backstabber, her queen. However, as she experiences life as a slave, she grows in maturity, and is this really what she wants? And what about Adonai’s promise? This fiction novel based on history is descriptive and well-paced, with great characterisation and twists and turns all the way through. It is historically accurate (minus Chava and everything about her), interesting for everyone. It involves real life circumstances at that time, the good, the bad, and the questionable. It is well written with great details, and emotional moments. It is written in such a way that one can imagine themselves in that situation, feel the same feelings, be in the same room. It is definitely a great book, and although I feel that it may not interest some, it is definitely one of my favourites, and I recommend this book to any who enjoy history and an in-depth look of Egypt.
August 9, 2020
I really enjoyed this! Angela Hunt is a great writer that I had never heard of before, and now I want to read everything she has ever written.
On my quest to read Cleopatra novels, she is my remarkable person of the year, Egypt's sister emerged, although with incredible similarity to The Queen's Fool by Philippa Gregory, it is told by a somewhat secretly Jewish court attendant, one who who grew up with Cleopatra and is the daughter of the Ptolemy children's tutor. As in the other book, Chava has a prophecy, and has been spoken to by God. One that links her and Cleopatra. But Egypt's sister isn't Cleopatra's story, its Chava's. And it is done so well.
Angela Hunt is a biblical scholar of the Christian descent, and yet her depictions of the Hebrew Faith is inspired and from the heart. I'm shocked this wasn't written by someone Jewish. And yet, Philippa Gregory isn't either. And women write for men and vice versa, and we write plenty of experiences that aren't ours. But she nailed it! Inspired. Loved it, and want to read the series.
On my quest to read Cleopatra novels, she is my remarkable person of the year, Egypt's sister emerged, although with incredible similarity to The Queen's Fool by Philippa Gregory, it is told by a somewhat secretly Jewish court attendant, one who who grew up with Cleopatra and is the daughter of the Ptolemy children's tutor. As in the other book, Chava has a prophecy, and has been spoken to by God. One that links her and Cleopatra. But Egypt's sister isn't Cleopatra's story, its Chava's. And it is done so well.
Angela Hunt is a biblical scholar of the Christian descent, and yet her depictions of the Hebrew Faith is inspired and from the heart. I'm shocked this wasn't written by someone Jewish. And yet, Philippa Gregory isn't either. And women write for men and vice versa, and we write plenty of experiences that aren't ours. But she nailed it! Inspired. Loved it, and want to read the series.
April 27, 2021
This is my first real reading into the life of Cleopatra (and Marc Anthony). Since it is told from the point of a Jewish girl who was virtually raised with Cleopatra, I'm sure this puts a spin on it that most books don't have. I enjoyed this book and the fact that Agrippa was one of the many famous characters brought into the story. It's a bit like seeing the movie, Titanic. You know it doesn't end well for Cleopatra, but the story is beautifully told and brings great insight to that particular time in history.
July 17, 2023
Interesting time period of the silent years between Malichi and Matthew. It kind of felt like a fiction book and textbook, and that kept taking me out of the story. The main character was obsessed with Cleopatra, and it was uncomfortable to read. The phophesy was weird and didn't make much sense to me. There were some really disturbing parts that just made me sad. Maybe I wasn't in the right headspace for this book.
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