The Ark Builder's Wife: Zarah's Story

Ordinary Women of the Bible

by Tracy L. Higley

Zarah’s Husband, Noah, has been preaching about the coming destruction of the world for years, as he builds a monstrous ship in the middle of his grain field. But Zarah, Noah’s wife and mother to their three sons, does not hear from God the way Noah does. Her hidden past, as a captive in a pagan temple, has led her to believe she is dam-aged and unworthy. Why would God speak to her? But then, son Shem’s wife, Salbeth, is abducted by the same cult of the pagan moon-god that Zarah once belonged to, and only she can find a way to bring the girl back home.

Can Zarah prove her worth to her family by confronting and con-fessing the dark secrets of her past and rescuing Salbeth before the rain begins, and the world as they know it comes to an end?

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

252 pages, Kindle Edition

Published February 1, 2020

About the author

Tracy Higley has been attempting to time travel through the pages of books since she was a child. She started her first story at the age of eight, and has since authored nearly twenty books, including the acclaimed Seven Wonders Series, and the Time Travel Journals of Sahara Aldridge. She earned a Master’s Degree in Ancient and Classical History, and has traveled to Egypt, Greece, Jordan, Israel, Italy, and Turkey, researching her books and falling into adventures. Peruse her travel journals and learn more fascinating history at www.tracyhigley.com.

Reviews

[Lilly Guirguis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh man!

I wanted to cry! It was amazing and hopeful!

Read if you love biblical fiction and some historical references by the author near the end.

Be aware of triggers:

Father who sells daughter to the temple, some implications of sexual behavior to please a man, physical violence. Insults between family members, and sexism and possible sexual abuse towards young women.

Best quotes:
“She would not be afraid. This was God's plan, and she was only called to simple and faithful obedience with what she had been given.
No one was too old, too broken, or too far gone for redemption, and no one was worthless in God's eyes. He was willing to use ordinary and even damaged people, those willing to take dramatic, faith-filled, and courageous steps forward.“

"All these years, building this ark. I have needed much faith to trust in the words of the One God who told me to build it." He looked around their family circle. "And you have needed faith, in both the One God and in me." He squeezed Zarah's hand. "But now, now is the time that our faith is truly tested. Even though we have seen what God warned has come to pass—is coming to pass—we now must trust that His ways are good. That despite the destruction, He is just. That although we are all who will soon be left, He is merciful."
Zarah nodded and took a deep breath. "His ways are not our ways.
But He will always make a way."
Noah pulled her close and kissed her cheek.
He smelled of bread and wine, and somehow the moment felt sacred.
"Yes," he said. "He will always make a way."

“Here in this moment, it seemed so clear. So simple.
Run.
Had the word come from her own mind, or was it the Voice she had grown to love
Zarah threw the heated wine into Dagon's eyes, and she ran.“

[Sarah · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was a huge disappointment. I have loved much of Higley's earlier work, but this one not only lacked the depth of her other books but lacked the likable characters.
This book pictured everyone in Noah's family, including his wife, resenting the ark, resenting the project, and resenting that God had talked to Noah and not them. While they worked on the project, none of them really believed either. There was so much squabbling it made me roll my eyes and wonder how they had managed to get anything done.
I don't mind conflict or doubt, but I found this book a letdown.
If you want a story about Noah, might I recommend one of my all-time favorite novels The Heavens Before or another very good novel Blood of Adam I felt both of these books captured the challenges well, but showed a family working (imperfectly at times) together to build the ark and believe God.

[Gayle · Rating 1 out of 5]

This is third book in the series Ordinary Women of the Bible. I enjoyed the first two, Jochebed-Moses Mom-that was her name. Although Tikva, the hemorraghing woman, is not specifically named, this is a true stories in the bible and those women are mentioned, however I did not care for this one. I understand this is fiction, however, there are other women in the bible that are significant. N0where could I find Noah's wife's name listed in the bible. It mentions Noah and his three sons, no wife's name or his sons wife's names. The first two women have stories in the bible, this one does not.

According to Bible.info: "So Noah, with his sons, his wife, and his sons’ wives, went into the ark because of the waters of the flood." "The Bible does not give her name, however, according to Jewish tradition her name is Naamah - the sister of Tubal-cain, a descendant of Cain, the son of Adam and Eve (see Genesis 4:22). Why Tubal-cain's sister (a daughter of Lamech by his wife Zillah) should be specifically mentioned is unknown. Jewish tradition made her Noah's wife."

Yes, Noah built an ark but his wife is not mentioned in the bible and I did not like the way the author portrayed her fictional character.

I'll see what the next book brings before I decide if I want to continue this series.

[Courtney · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this much more than I thought I would. It’s so interesting to think about how these were real people with real emotions. I especially enjoyed the piece in the back that gave the facts behind the fiction elements of the story.

[Sandralena Hanley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Entertaining read about the world on the verge of the Great Deluge and the building of the ark.

Zarah, Noah's wife, and her family are well drawn characters with real life flaws. Salbeth is my favorite daughter in law.

For all the gravity of the time period, the story is light reading. She portrays Noah's sorrow for those doomed very well, but hardly portrays the earth's inhabitants as more than petty, mean-spirited bullies.

I think the people of the cities of Kish and Tivok are not portrayed as evil enough. Seeing how wicked our world is today, it must have been as bad as this or worse! I understand that as a Christian writer Higley would not want to go into detail of prostitution or homosexuality, but it must have been prevalent before the great flood. She hardly alludes to evil acts in the Temple of the Moon.

Overall, a quick read about a momentous event that even teens could read.

[Lynn's · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve been a fan of Tracy Higley for a long time. When I first heard she was going to write about Noah, I couldn’t wait for “The Ark Builders Wife” to be released. Noah’s Ark is one of my favorite Bible stories and having your favorite author write a novel about it is like a dream come true!

This novel is published through Guideposts as the third book in their “Ordinary Women of the Bible” series. As a part of Guideposts, there are certain criteria a novel must meet to be published with them. So if you’re used to an author’s writing style and see something different in their Guideposts book, that’s probably why. I saw this a little in “The Ark Builders Wife.” The book had a great plot and some suspense, but it was a little more chill and less intense than Higley’s regular books.

The two things that made this novel a five star read for me were 1) characters and 2) theme. There were some things I expected and was pleased that the book gave the same vibes I feel from the Biblical story, but then, there were some unexpected topics that surprised me and gave me so much more appreciation for the novel and Biblical story.

First of all, the characters were amazing. Some of them broke my heart and others made me smile, but at the end of the day, you felt like you were reading about a family. (And all the drama that comes along with kin!) I felt Noah had a fair representation, I adored Zarah and sometimes felt at odds with the attitudes of their three sons. (lol) Then there was Methuselah. I absolutely loved him! The way Higley wrote this character is the exact way I’ve always imagined him. He was one of my favorite characters from this story.

The second thing that blew me away was the theme of persecution. Now, there is no greater time to write about persecution than now. We’re seeing it more and more, but I didn’t expect to find it woven through a book that’s traditionally about a big ship and animals. Yet, there it was. The way that Higley described the persecution inflicted on Noah and his family was written so masterfully, it has completely changed the way I understand this story. It’s so easy to think Noah obeyed God by building the Ark and everyone else was evil and disobeyed God. Good for Noah for doing what was right! Right? But there’s so much more to it if you think about it. If dark and light don’t mix and the world was as evil as the Bible said it was, then Noah suffered because of his obedience to God. And that’s why this novel made such an impact on me. This topic is so needed for our day. We need to understand how to stand up under persecution for our faith and how to do it well. For me, that’s the strongest takeaway from this novel and I think everyone would learn something from “The Ark Builders Wife!”

Conclusion: I love reading Biblical Fiction because of the insight you get into Biblical events. I’m sure like me, you’ve read Bible stories over and over and sometimes, feel like there isn’t anything new or exciting to consider. Then, there are stories like Noah and the Ark - which poses a million questions. You wonder, “Just how did that go down?” In these instances, any insight is welcome. This is one of those books! I’ve read a few novels with Noah at the helm, but I must say that this one is the one that’s helped answer some of my questions and ponderings behind this ancient, Biblical event. Thank you, Tracy Higely, for giving me some peace and answers about a few things surrounding this story!

[Stephanie Mccall · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read The Ark Builder's Wife for the first time shortly before reading Jill Eileen Smith's The Ark and the Dove. They both center on the story of Noah's ark and both have Noah's wife as a protagonist. Both even name her Zarah. However, I caution you, do not get the two mixed up. I wouldn't necessarily call one "better" than the other. However, Tracy Higley's version does have a few elements Jill Eileen Smith's did not, and that I "got into" more. (By the same token, Jill's version had elements I wish this one did, but you can see my review of The Ark and the Dove for those).

I think because of the novella's length, Tracy wisely spent more time on Zarah and her character development. I remember identifying with her because I, too, have felt like the one my family wanted and needed the least. But just as Zarah did, I felt conviction over that while reading the story, and I'm learning to reshape my place in my family and my wider circles. I appreciate how Tracy let Zarah do this through her interactions with not only Noah and her family, but the people around her.

In fact, I am struck all over again with what a great job Tracy did capturing "the days of Noah" in The Ark Builder's Wife. Yes, it is easy to compare those days to now and say we're not too far off. In reality though, the days of Noah were still so much worse, both for their time and ours. The callousness of humanity displayed here is both heartbreaking and uncomfortably relatable. Even if you have never treated someone so coldly as Zarah, Noah, his sons, and his daughters-in-law were treated, I am willing to say we've all had our smaller moments. And while the consequences may not be as far-reaching as an apocalyptic flood--whew, yeah. Confronting that side of yourself, even via fiction, can be tough.

Fortunately, while The Ark Builder's Wife has plenty to say about depravity, it has just as much to say about mercy. This is one of those Ordinary Women installments where the spiritual threads are impossible to separate from the fictional plot, and they're done great. Noah's story of the sheep thief, for instance, hit me right where it hurts--but it was the good kind of pain. Noah's wrenching determination to keep preaching repentance hit me as well. I admit, even knowing the outcome since Sunday school--and I mean, little bitty Sunday school classes--a part of me kept hoping someone might at least consider getting on that ark.

Beyond, and tying into, those threads, Tracy added some "bonus material" that lines up with what Scripture gives us, but adds a unique literary twist or two. Her focus on the moon god Sin, for instance, struck me as too timely for coincidence. Not to spoil anything, but there's also a short, powerful scene before the ark "sets sail" that's positively Hitchcockian. I admit a rueful, yet quirky smile as its clever, poetic justice.

Finally, the climactic scenes are of course another part I can't spoil. But without getting in too deep, the climax and particularly Zarah and Salbeth's part in it, is just brilliant. I may be in the minority here, but I was reminded of the plight of a lot of modern girls and young women, both in my country and abroad. Thus, the climax took on new depth and urgency for me, and I indulged in "louder" inner applause when the story ended.

The tragedy of the flood is one of the most sobering accounts in the Bible. The wrath of God, which pushed Him to regret creating us, should always make us think. Yet I applaud Tracy Higley for uniting that with a subtle focus on redemption in The Ark Builder's Wife. It's a difficult read, but well worth the investment. You don't have to read these books in any order, but I do recommend putting this one early on your list if possible.

[Lori · Rating 3 out of 5]

Hard To Reconcile

I love biblical fiction for the simple pleasure of opening my mind to the possibilities. Sometimes this works for me and others, it doesn't. This particular book didn't work so well with me but it was not a complete and total loss. The storyline involves a lot of difficulties faced by Noah and his family in the building of the ark, which I'm sure there were many. For me, the ones presented seemed less likely to be a reality. That isn't to say that it couldn't have happened. Wouldn't have happened or didn't happen. It's just it's not something that my mind went towards when reading the actual biblical account. Now. Granted there isn't much in the way of a Biblical narrative of hardship faced and overcome. That part is left more to the imagination. Therefore, without really knowing what a world so corrupted would be like, what obstacles would have been presented by a world, so totally corrupt that God wanted to destroy it and all life on it, there are actually limitless possibilities.

Like I said, for me, this particular variation did not work. However. I did love how the variations presented in this story led to a level of Faith that would have been needed but probably wasn't present at the beginning of this endeavor. The problem I had is that the troubles they faced were within the last few weeks of completing the ark.

I wasn't there. I'm not proclaiming to know. It just didn't fit with the description God had given to Noah and his family or with the sovereignty of God that I hold close to my heart. This isn't to say that God doesn't allow bad things to happen to good people. Because we all know that's not true. Bad things happen to good people. I just have a hard time believing that something that he ordained, sanctioned, and ordered to be done would have had these types of obstacles.

I did enjoy the story. I enjoyed the characters. Mostly. There were things that just grated me in an uncomfortable way. But I know that God likes to make His people uncomfortable. So, you can take this with a grain of salt because it's probably less valuable than that.

[Loraine · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a definite twist on the story of the Ark as Higley focuses on Noah's wife rather than Noah. After many years of work, Noah's family is not only tired of the continuing work on the ark and wondering if what Noah had heard from god was truly going to happen. They are being made fun of by all the residents of their town. When Zarah's owner from her young life who is an important man in his God forsaken town wants her back, will the family fight to get her return with only a few days left until God's promise is fulfilled?

This was very interesting looking at Noah's command from god from not only Zarah's point of view but also the views of his sons and their wives. It was definitely an enjoyable read.

[Lauraine Marcus · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Ark Builder's Wife is a Biblical fiction about the wife and Family of Noah. It is a story of redemption and provision; God's promise to preserve His people from destruction. It tells of loving and forgiving others, wanting what is best for them and sometimes making mistakes when only good is intended. I enjoyed the interaction between the family members because it was believable and human. I heartily recommend this book.

[Drew · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story was a good surprise. It also surprises me that all those animals could fit into Noah's ark. Maybe Noah and his family were also surprised. This book illustrates how surprising God's ways are.

[A. Ranger · Rating 5 out of 5]

My favorite Women of the Bible book! Absolutely loved it.

[Stephanie Butler · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved reading this book. It was so interesting to get a sense behind the story. Zarah's story was so heartwarming and fun to read.

[Kath · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed the book more than I thought I would. I appreciate Higley‘s characters and the whole plot line background. I think she was creative in developing this possible storyline for Noah’s wife.

[Beth · Rating 5 out of 5]

No one knows the name of Noah's wife, nor anything about her life, but using data from various sources, the author has fashioned a flawed yet kind and loving character and given her the name Zarah. She has given Zarah a shady past that Zarah has rejected and desires to forget - impossible for her - or at least, focus on her new life and put the past, w0ith its mistakes, behind her. Zarah is now a loving wife and mother to 3 sons and their wives, and helps Noah nwith the ark, from preparing the food for long term storage, working with her daughters-in-law to keep the house and feed the men, to making and selling jewelry to help support the family.
Looking to the history of idol worship shown by archeological finds in the region, she has fashioned the world of idol worship and how quickly the people turned from the One God to worship the works of their hands, and any misfortune they suffer is blamed
- by the priests - on the big boat being built in Noah's field by Noah and his family. Soon, no one will trade with them, and even Noah's brothers want nothing to do with him.
Methusaleh is featured and is a comfort to Zarah especially, guiding her gently to confess her sins to the One God and receive His forgiveness and accept His love. Zarah's feelings of unworthiness hold her back, though.
The book follows Zarah through the trials and joys of serving the One God, first through serving Noah and her family, then on her own. The book puts flesh and bone to the story of Noah's attempts to build the ark, though it is wise to keep in mind that this is a work of foction. based on historical fact and the Bible to make it as true as possible.
An excellent read and very enjoyable.

[Audrey · Rating 3 out of 5]

Noah has been working on the ark for years. His wife, Zarah wants to help but it seems like whatever she does causes trouble and strife for the family. It doesn't help that they face a lot of ridicule, persecution, and danger from their. Zarah eventually learns that she completely trust the One God for their protection.

[patricia · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a work of fiction. The name of Noah's wife is not recorded, and nothing is really known about her. Tracey L. Higley wrote The Ark Builder's Wife from her prospective. Zarah feels she is unworthy, and her husband is distracted. He does not know of her past as a priestess in the temple of the moon god Sin. Zarah learns to trust the One God, trust He will carry out His word and care for them. She learns in Noah's God eyes she is a person of value and deserving of love, respect and care.

[Nyla Kay · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Ark Builder’s Wife: Zarah’s Story is part of the Ordinary Women of the Bible Series. This unique Biblical Fiction is written by Tracy Higley. It is based on scripture but has taken creative liberties to expand upon the story.

Zarah, Noah’s wife, is portrayed as a strong, faithful woman. She leads her sons and daughters-in-law into the ark and shares in the jobs and workload. Her past is jaded, but she has worked to overcome it.

This is a very different perspective on Noah and his family. I enjoyed his grandfather, Methuselah. I highly recommend this novel. It gets a 4 star rating.

[Kathleen · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is an imaginative take on the beloved Noah's Ark story from the Bible. In the days immediately prior to the devastating global deluge, many obstacles come up that seem to keep the ark from being completed. Moving through all the trials thrown their way, Noah's wife, Zarah, journeys from unbelief to a joyful, full belief in the one true God. I don't draw all the same conclusions that the author does, but this is nevertheless a very entertaining and enjoyable read.

[Flea Zombie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I personally found this book to be bang on right down to Ararat and the southern caucus mountains.... the story was great too and I. would recommend this to everyone who will listen.
this story follows zarah. there are other things in this book that make in great but I am afraid of spoilers and ruining for others.....great book.

[Melba · Rating 5 out of 5]

For me, this was a truly interesting book, that made a fiction story out of a true event from the Bible. I like that the author kept the biblical details; however, the story line added gave a new look at what other events could have transpired during the preparation.

[Diane Wallace · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book made me think about what Noah and his family would have faced with the evil around them. I also never thought about how Noah would have obtained the animals and I liked how the author had them arrive via the hands of God.

[Bethany Greene · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love Guideposts!

The Ordinary Women of the Bible is a fantastic series, always a great story by an accomplished author. Some of my favorite authors, and I've found new favorites as well!

[Paula White · Rating 4 out of 5]

These Guidepost books about ordinary women of the Bible are speaking to my life. Worth the investment.

[Mary Reed · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very interesting story. I really enjoyed this book. Even though some of it is fiction, I really could picture some of the events happening.

[Danelle · Rating 1 out of 5]

I give this a 4 star rating but it won't let me give more than 1 star.

[Carol & Russell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesome

[SUSAN SKOGLUND · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great Biblical historical fiction! It makes the story come alive. Lots of creative license which makes it very interesting & plausible.