What do you think?
Rate this book
A Week in the Life
A Week in the Life of a Greco-Roman Woman
In first-century Ephesus, life is not easy for women. A young wife meets her daily struggles with equanimity and courage. She holds poverty and hunger at bay, fights to keep her child healthy and strong, and navigates the unpredictability of her husband's temperament. But into the midst of her daily fears and worries, a new hope appears: a teaching that challenges her society's most basic assumption. What is this new teaching? And what will it demand of her? In this gripping novel, Holly Beers introduces us to the first-century setting where the apostle Paul first proclaimed the gospel. Illuminated by historical images and explanatory sidebars, this lively story not only shows us the rich tapestry of life in a thriving Greco-Roman city, it also foregrounds the interior life of one courageous woman--and the radical new freedom the gospel promised her.
176 pages, Paperback
Published December 3, 2019
30 people are currently reading
349 people want to read
About the author
Holly Beers
11 books5 followersHolly Beers (PhD, London School of Theology) is associate professor of religious studies at Westmont College in Santa Barbara, California. She is the author of The Followers of Jesus as the Servant: Luke's Model from Isaiah for the Disciples in Luke-Acts.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 57 reviews
August 26, 2019
A Week in the Life of a Greco-Roman Woman by Holly Beers brings the ancient city of Ephesus to life for modern readers. As a preacher, it is my job to attempt to bring the scripture to life every Sunday. It is always my goal to make the first century world that Jesus walked come to life for my congregation; however, this takes a great deal of time and study. That is why I am so grateful for books like this one.
Beers, an associate professor of religious studies at Westmont College in Santa Barbara, California, does a fabulous job of helping the reader to imagine what life was really liked during the time that St. Paul was preaching and teaching. The majority of the book is a fictional account of the daily life of a woman named Anthia who lived in Ephesus. Although Anthia and her story are imaginary, the challenges she faces were are all too real for the majority of women in the ancient world. She deals with an abusive husband, the dangers of childbirth, unsanitary living conditions, and the gnawing hunger of a subsistence diet. Anthia's life seems truly bleak until one day she encounters a man named Paul. Soon, she meets other followers of The Way and is exposed to ideas that make her question everything she has ever known.
My favorite part of this book were the realistic and gritty details. Beers does not shy away from exploring the many real dangers and tragedies that people faced in ancient Greco-Roman society. I also appreciated the side bars interspersed throughout the text. These sidebars included diverse information about everything from cosmetics, superstitions surrounding childbirth, and slavery.
The only gentle criticism I have about this book is that Anthia's story felt rather incomplete. I would have preferred a more solid ending. Nevertheless, I'm certain that I will reference this book in the future when I am preparing sermons, especially sermons based on Paul's epistles.
Beers, an associate professor of religious studies at Westmont College in Santa Barbara, California, does a fabulous job of helping the reader to imagine what life was really liked during the time that St. Paul was preaching and teaching. The majority of the book is a fictional account of the daily life of a woman named Anthia who lived in Ephesus. Although Anthia and her story are imaginary, the challenges she faces were are all too real for the majority of women in the ancient world. She deals with an abusive husband, the dangers of childbirth, unsanitary living conditions, and the gnawing hunger of a subsistence diet. Anthia's life seems truly bleak until one day she encounters a man named Paul. Soon, she meets other followers of The Way and is exposed to ideas that make her question everything she has ever known.
My favorite part of this book were the realistic and gritty details. Beers does not shy away from exploring the many real dangers and tragedies that people faced in ancient Greco-Roman society. I also appreciated the side bars interspersed throughout the text. These sidebars included diverse information about everything from cosmetics, superstitions surrounding childbirth, and slavery.
The only gentle criticism I have about this book is that Anthia's story felt rather incomplete. I would have preferred a more solid ending. Nevertheless, I'm certain that I will reference this book in the future when I am preparing sermons, especially sermons based on Paul's epistles.
January 23, 2020
Summary: A creative rendering of what life was like for a woman from the lower free classes in Ephesus during the period when Paul was preaching in the city.
This book grabs your attention from the very first pages as the main fictional character, a woman from the poorer laboring classes of Ephesus, Anthia, assists her friend Dorema in the perilous experience of childbirth. Something goes badly wrong, and Dorema, her best friend cannot deliver her child despite potions and prayers and the ministrations of her midwife. Dorema exhales her final breath looking blankly past Anthia.
Like other books in this series, we go through a week, in this case with Anthia. She is also pregnant with her second child. She lives a demanding routine of caring for an aging father who soils himself, lives in a crowded one room dwelling with her family (imagine intimacy!), tries to please a husband who doesn't hesitate to physically abuse her at any threat to his honor, hauls water, cooks what food there is on a coal brazier, and works in the market selling whatever fish her husband catches. The book describes emptying chamber pots and using public latrines open to both sexes. Amid all this she begins bleeding, her baby stops kicking and her pleas to the gods seem of little avail.
Then she hears of this person called Paul who is preaching. And healing. Healing comes close when a handkerchief from Paul heals the deadly fever of her neighbors son. Eventually she joins a gathering of the Way, as they call themselves, for a dinner and time of worship--a dinner where those of higher classes, lower classes, and slaves eat and worship together without distinctions--where slaves are even served by their betters. They even pray for her.
The portrayal helps us understand the confrontation between the worshipers of Artemis, the goddess of Ephesus, and the followers of Jesus, whom Paul proclaims. How will those like the silversmiths who fashion idols respond? How will Anthia's husband respond? And how will this nascent community meet the challenges?
As with other books in the series, there are images and sidebars on cultural backgrounds for things like marriage, food, pregnancy and labor, Artemis, housing, sanitation, cosmetics, honor and shame and other topics that come up in the narrative. We come to understand what embodied life at its most elemental was like in a city like Ephesus.
We also grasp what it was like for the first Christians to engage this culture with its social strata, its relations between men and women, its ideas of honor and shame, and its gods. Holly Beers helps us understand how powerful, how radically different both the message and the new community of the Way appeared to the culture, and also how strangely attractive it was in the ways it broke down barriers between classes, and men and women. Read this book to enrich your reading of Acts, Ephesians and Paul's letters to Timothy--or just to read a good story.
________________________________
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary review copy of this book from the publisher. The opinions I have expressed are my own.
This book grabs your attention from the very first pages as the main fictional character, a woman from the poorer laboring classes of Ephesus, Anthia, assists her friend Dorema in the perilous experience of childbirth. Something goes badly wrong, and Dorema, her best friend cannot deliver her child despite potions and prayers and the ministrations of her midwife. Dorema exhales her final breath looking blankly past Anthia.
Like other books in this series, we go through a week, in this case with Anthia. She is also pregnant with her second child. She lives a demanding routine of caring for an aging father who soils himself, lives in a crowded one room dwelling with her family (imagine intimacy!), tries to please a husband who doesn't hesitate to physically abuse her at any threat to his honor, hauls water, cooks what food there is on a coal brazier, and works in the market selling whatever fish her husband catches. The book describes emptying chamber pots and using public latrines open to both sexes. Amid all this she begins bleeding, her baby stops kicking and her pleas to the gods seem of little avail.
Then she hears of this person called Paul who is preaching. And healing. Healing comes close when a handkerchief from Paul heals the deadly fever of her neighbors son. Eventually she joins a gathering of the Way, as they call themselves, for a dinner and time of worship--a dinner where those of higher classes, lower classes, and slaves eat and worship together without distinctions--where slaves are even served by their betters. They even pray for her.
The portrayal helps us understand the confrontation between the worshipers of Artemis, the goddess of Ephesus, and the followers of Jesus, whom Paul proclaims. How will those like the silversmiths who fashion idols respond? How will Anthia's husband respond? And how will this nascent community meet the challenges?
As with other books in the series, there are images and sidebars on cultural backgrounds for things like marriage, food, pregnancy and labor, Artemis, housing, sanitation, cosmetics, honor and shame and other topics that come up in the narrative. We come to understand what embodied life at its most elemental was like in a city like Ephesus.
We also grasp what it was like for the first Christians to engage this culture with its social strata, its relations between men and women, its ideas of honor and shame, and its gods. Holly Beers helps us understand how powerful, how radically different both the message and the new community of the Way appeared to the culture, and also how strangely attractive it was in the ways it broke down barriers between classes, and men and women. Read this book to enrich your reading of Acts, Ephesians and Paul's letters to Timothy--or just to read a good story.
________________________________
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary review copy of this book from the publisher. The opinions I have expressed are my own.
May 16, 2023
potentially the only book i’ll ever read while traveling europe with its author
August 25, 2019
Holly Beers gives us an insightful peek into the daily lives of women during the Greco-Roman era. Set in Ephesus, this boom explores what it would have been like for a woman of this period to hear the radical teachings of the apostle Paul. The book features side segments throughout with historical information on the society, the norms, and daily life that enrich the text.
As a former history teacher and a women’s ministry leader, I loved this book. I found it insightful and it really helped put some of the teachings of Paul into context. The story, while fictional, was written so well the main character felt real! The only negative I found with the book was that I desired a little bit more closure for her. Overall, an amazing read and I highly recommend it for those looking for a better understanding of why Christianity proves radical.
As a former history teacher and a women’s ministry leader, I loved this book. I found it insightful and it really helped put some of the teachings of Paul into context. The story, while fictional, was written so well the main character felt real! The only negative I found with the book was that I desired a little bit more closure for her. Overall, an amazing read and I highly recommend it for those looking for a better understanding of why Christianity proves radical.
March 9, 2023
I read this for a NT class, and while I appreciate the addition of fiction to our class work, I would never have read this on my own. It offers lots of excellent information about the lives of Greco-Roman women in NT times, and I certainly learned some new things. However, it is fiction written for the purpose of relaying information, and so it falls quite flat. If you ever pick up this book, read it for the info, not for a compelling work of creative fiction. That is, however, probably a good enough reason to read it.
December 30, 2020
I really enjoyed this story along with added historical context and images! I have to agree with other reviews that the ending felt abrupt and lacking closure, but I also understand that this is only a week in this woman’s life!
It was great to read Biblical accounts of stories in Ephesus side-by-side with this fictional account!
It was great to read Biblical accounts of stories in Ephesus side-by-side with this fictional account!
June 4, 2024
I love how this novel brings you into the life and the challenges they faced during the New Testament of the Christian Bible. It was an interesting read.
November 27, 2024
5✨ I loved this, it was a great blend of history and story telling. Wish it would have been longer!
October 21, 2020
I really enjoyed learning so much about the life of Greco-Roman women through this fictional recreation. It was informative but brought the realities to life in a way that a commentary or dictionary cannot.
June 30, 2021
Great and informative look at how belief in Jesus challenged and changed things for women in the Roman empire in the first century
January 8, 2022
I rushed out and bought this book after hearing an interview with Holly Beers on the "Faith Conversations" podcast (Episode 204). I finally sat down to read it at the beginning of this year. I both enjoyed it and was disappointed in it. It is one in a series of historical fiction by IVP Academic that focuses on one week in the life of various first-century characters. In this book, the main character is Anthia, an eighteen-year-old pregnant wife of Philetus, a fisherman, and mother of a 3-year-old, Nikias. The story follows her for one week as she navigates daily life in ancient Ephesus and encounters Paul and other followers of the Way.
Beers does an excellent job describing daily life of the Roman lower class and the utterly countercultural message of Christianity. That life is presented unfiltered, with the earthiness of poverty, chamber pots, marital interactions, and menstruation. There are numerous photos and side-bars giving the reader greater insight into first century Greco-Roman culture. Unfortunately, they pulled you away from the story. It is better to skip them at first then go back and read them later. Beers also includes 3 pages of references at the end for those interested in learning more about the culture and events in the story.
Where the book fell short, in my opinion, was the story itself. The one-week formula of this series worked against the author. The story lacked direction and there was not much room for character development. The ending, too, was unsatisfying. The action seemed more driven by a need to present as many different aspects of the culture than by moving the story forward. The depictions of the early Christian community were compelling but the passages where the Way was explained to Anthia and others felt preachy. Again, Beers only had 7 days in which to get that information to her readers.
I came away from the book with a more vivid picture of first century Greco-Roman and early Christian life. It was worth reading for that alone. (And that is what drew me to the book in the first place.) But I found the story-telling itself disappointing, possibly because the author was limited to only one week in Anthia's life.
Beers does an excellent job describing daily life of the Roman lower class and the utterly countercultural message of Christianity. That life is presented unfiltered, with the earthiness of poverty, chamber pots, marital interactions, and menstruation. There are numerous photos and side-bars giving the reader greater insight into first century Greco-Roman culture. Unfortunately, they pulled you away from the story. It is better to skip them at first then go back and read them later. Beers also includes 3 pages of references at the end for those interested in learning more about the culture and events in the story.
Where the book fell short, in my opinion, was the story itself. The one-week formula of this series worked against the author. The story lacked direction and there was not much room for character development. The ending, too, was unsatisfying. The action seemed more driven by a need to present as many different aspects of the culture than by moving the story forward. The depictions of the early Christian community were compelling but the passages where the Way was explained to Anthia and others felt preachy. Again, Beers only had 7 days in which to get that information to her readers.
I came away from the book with a more vivid picture of first century Greco-Roman and early Christian life. It was worth reading for that alone. (And that is what drew me to the book in the first place.) But I found the story-telling itself disappointing, possibly because the author was limited to only one week in Anthia's life.
September 11, 2019
This book is partly fiction and partly nonfiction and covered events from the point of view of a poor, married, pregnant woman in Ephesus who witnesses the events of Acts 18-20 and decides if she will follow Jesus (and no other gods). The story read like a documentary show that's primarily made up of fictional reenactments to illustrate the points. The purpose was to educate readers (in an entertaining way) about the cultural background of the first-century Greco-Roman church so that we can better understand the New Testament.
The book contained some nice black-and-white pictures of ruins and archaeological artifacts that illustrated information in the non-fiction sidebars or events in the story. A lot of educational material was worked into the story and additional information was provided in "sidebars" (which could take up whole pages) that were placed within the story.
In the fictional part, we basically followed the main character through her daily life, but with some significant encounters during that week and ending with a critical decision. I thought that the author did a good job with the educational points that she brought out. Overall, I'd recommend this book to people who aren't very familiar with the cultural background to the New Testament and who aren't interested in pure nonfiction books on the topic.
I received an ebook review copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley.
The book contained some nice black-and-white pictures of ruins and archaeological artifacts that illustrated information in the non-fiction sidebars or events in the story. A lot of educational material was worked into the story and additional information was provided in "sidebars" (which could take up whole pages) that were placed within the story.
In the fictional part, we basically followed the main character through her daily life, but with some significant encounters during that week and ending with a critical decision. I thought that the author did a good job with the educational points that she brought out. Overall, I'd recommend this book to people who aren't very familiar with the cultural background to the New Testament and who aren't interested in pure nonfiction books on the topic.
I received an ebook review copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley.
July 15, 2020
This is a fascinating book, and is a great imaginative exploration of first century life in Ephesus. This is definitely a book written from a female perspective and valuable in that. The author brings out the everyday character of Greco-Romano life, including numerous trips to the latrines and the dangers of pregnancy. She is very good at showing the attractiveness of the Christian life (are the Christians too winsome?) and the great challenge if one became a Christian (at the personal and civic levels).The narrative includes numerous cross references to NT people and events but generally has its own story. A non-believer might be surprised at how healings are very much assumed to have occurred, but that of course is the testimony of contemporary accounts.
September 27, 2019
Another great book in the series of “A Week in the Life of…” These books are a brilliant way to bring information about Biblical context in an easy to consume narrative. I particularly enjoyed reading a book from a woman’s perspective, which didn’t hold back the punches of the harsh reality of being a woman in this society. It is not often that we here the voices of woman in Greco-Roman times. Holly Beers uses a fictional story to inform us about families, culture, religion, money and health in the period the New Testament was written. I would recommend this book to anyone interested in the background of the writings of the New Testament, particularly Paul’s letters.
December 26, 2019
This well-crafted story introduces readers to a poor woman of Ephesus in the first century. Works of historical fiction like this one help us connect with the ancient world in a more memorable way. Biblical characters Paul, Priscilla, and Aquila are part of the fictional Anthia's first exposure to the way of Jesus. 'A Week in the Life of a Greco-Roman Woman' contains elements for a mature audience, including prostitution, childbirth, marital rape, domestic violence, and death, but it does so without gratuitous details. Beers does us an excellent service by introducing us to a wide range of cultural practices in such an interesting way. The story pulled me along!
December 22, 2024
I am not one for fiction. It’s generally not my thing. I am not going to cast aspersions against it; I understand the power and value which can come from expanding the imagination through fiction.
And I can definitely appreciate well made historical fiction, especially when written with a view to provide colorful background to the world of the Old and New Testaments.
A Week in the Life of a Greco-Roman Woman by Holly Beers is part of the “week in the life of” series published by Intervarsity Press (IVP) as exercises in historical imagination regarding the world of the New Testament.
We are introduced to Anthia, a free yet poor woman living in Ephesus around 58 CE. She is the wife of a fisherman and is pregnant with her second child. The book imagines her life over a given week, experiencing deep sadness and grief and the greatest joys and hope. She endures hunger and plenty. She calls upon the gods of her ancestors and her people.
But Anthia is placed in Ephesus around 58 CE for a reason: she will come across Paul of Tarsus and the Christians of Ephesus. The book chronicles her personal experiences with Paul and other Christians, sharing meals, visiting an assembly, and receiving hospitality from a Christian who is a social superior. Throughout we are invited into her thought processes as she engages and interacts with the Christians and their ideas.
Throughout the book are side notes providing historical explanations for the places Anthia goes, the situations in which Anthia finds herself, the nature of her relationships, etc., all of which intend to reinforce how whereas Anthia is fictional, we would be likely to meet a person very much like Anthia and her family and neighbors if we were to visit Ephesus in the middle of the first century CE.
The work succeeds well at its purpose: the reader walks away with a greater appreciation and understanding of what it might have been like to be in Ephesus at that time, and can better read Acts and other parts of the New Testament as a result.
And I can definitely appreciate well made historical fiction, especially when written with a view to provide colorful background to the world of the Old and New Testaments.
A Week in the Life of a Greco-Roman Woman by Holly Beers is part of the “week in the life of” series published by Intervarsity Press (IVP) as exercises in historical imagination regarding the world of the New Testament.
We are introduced to Anthia, a free yet poor woman living in Ephesus around 58 CE. She is the wife of a fisherman and is pregnant with her second child. The book imagines her life over a given week, experiencing deep sadness and grief and the greatest joys and hope. She endures hunger and plenty. She calls upon the gods of her ancestors and her people.
But Anthia is placed in Ephesus around 58 CE for a reason: she will come across Paul of Tarsus and the Christians of Ephesus. The book chronicles her personal experiences with Paul and other Christians, sharing meals, visiting an assembly, and receiving hospitality from a Christian who is a social superior. Throughout we are invited into her thought processes as she engages and interacts with the Christians and their ideas.
Throughout the book are side notes providing historical explanations for the places Anthia goes, the situations in which Anthia finds herself, the nature of her relationships, etc., all of which intend to reinforce how whereas Anthia is fictional, we would be likely to meet a person very much like Anthia and her family and neighbors if we were to visit Ephesus in the middle of the first century CE.
The work succeeds well at its purpose: the reader walks away with a greater appreciation and understanding of what it might have been like to be in Ephesus at that time, and can better read Acts and other parts of the New Testament as a result.
July 14, 2024
This is a fictional story of a first century Greco-Roman woman that it is set in the context of true life. We see her struggles and at the same time we see her battle spiritually with a new truth - Jesus. What she is hearing Paul and The Way teach is so opposite of everything she has been taught - yet she is drawn to know more. She must decide to learn more and follow or stay away .. she knows the cost of both … honor or shame … life or death … what will she choose?
This book opened my eyes to the hardship and struggle of the first century people and especially to what it must have been like to hear about Jesus in a world where only gods had been worshipped.
Understanding the culture and context of the times Scripture was written is so important in Biblical study. This is the first of the “A week in the Life of…” series that I have read and now I can’t wait to read the others.
This book opened my eyes to the hardship and struggle of the first century people and especially to what it must have been like to hear about Jesus in a world where only gods had been worshipped.
Understanding the culture and context of the times Scripture was written is so important in Biblical study. This is the first of the “A week in the Life of…” series that I have read and now I can’t wait to read the others.
March 8, 2020
Real life for those starting learning & understanding about Jesus
This was a great book, easy read, but very thought provoking book. The author did a great job of researching life back when Jesus came. The author had some snippets with Paul, the apostle written. But, the book was mainly written about a women’s life back in those days. So if you like history, real life and real people, who just starting learning about a new movement, The Way, and a man named Jesus.
This book went deep into discussing what life was life for women. We think life is hard for those who believe in Jesus nowadays, trying living back then.
This was a great book, easy read, but very thought provoking book. The author did a great job of researching life back when Jesus came. The author had some snippets with Paul, the apostle written. But, the book was mainly written about a women’s life back in those days. So if you like history, real life and real people, who just starting learning about a new movement, The Way, and a man named Jesus.
This book went deep into discussing what life was life for women. We think life is hard for those who believe in Jesus nowadays, trying living back then.
January 22, 2024
2024 re-read: this really is a remarkable book. The author does an amazing job of helping us to care about the main character, Anthia, a young wife and mother living in the first century city of Ephesus. Through her thoughts and experiences, we are shown the ways in which her life was radically different from modern life, but also we see the ways in which humans are always the same. I came away from this book with a much better understanding of the ways that faith in Jesus would have impacted the life of people (especially lower class people) in the Roman empire.
April 14, 2025
A Week in the Life of a Greco-Roman Woman is part of a series of novels meant to illustrate the ancient cultural settings of portions of the Mediterranean world. This particular book follows one specific woman who is in the late stages of a difficult pregnancy, has an abusive husband, and is navigating the oppressive world of a woman in first-century Ephesus. The story intersects with the church, Paul, and other biblical characters. The cultural information is well presented. The fictional storyline is amateurish.
July 11, 2020
A different Perspective
The Pauline epistles can be read as a sketchbook for doctrine. This book gives life to the people who read those letters and heard Paul preach. In that context his message takes fresh meaning. This book presents a compelling picture of the life of first century woman in Ephesus and by doing so gives Paul's message a practical application full of surprising insights.
The Pauline epistles can be read as a sketchbook for doctrine. This book gives life to the people who read those letters and heard Paul preach. In that context his message takes fresh meaning. This book presents a compelling picture of the life of first century woman in Ephesus and by doing so gives Paul's message a practical application full of surprising insights.
March 10, 2021
An enjoyable bite of historical fiction. I started investing in the characters and then the book ends on day 7 as the title promised. Overall, it makes me angry at the way women are treated in every culture, in every time period. I am left without knowing how the main character’s story ends. I liked the historical facts peppered throughout the pages with pictures. I do recommend it, but just be aware that it’s only 7 days in the middle of this young woman’s life.
January 23, 2023
A Week in the Life...
An imaginative, scholarly recreation of a look into the life of a lower class woman in Ephesus. Brief descriptions of different aspects of ancient life are interspersed throughout the narrative to add historical reliability to what is written. I purchased as a resource for one of my classes this semester and was unable to put it down once I started reading. I highly recommend it and any other book in the "A Week in the Life" series.
An imaginative, scholarly recreation of a look into the life of a lower class woman in Ephesus. Brief descriptions of different aspects of ancient life are interspersed throughout the narrative to add historical reliability to what is written. I purchased as a resource for one of my classes this semester and was unable to put it down once I started reading. I highly recommend it and any other book in the "A Week in the Life" series.
March 3, 2020
At first, I thought this was a non-fiction book, so the fact that it’s a novel was a pleasant surprise. The story follows Anthia, the young wife of an Ephesian fisherman for exactly one week.
Anthia has a young son, and the story starts with her losing her best friend to a difficult childbirth. As Anthia, her husband, and son walk back and forth to the market each day, they pass a public place where the Apostle Paul holds discussions with the citizens of Ephesus.
The book has many sidebars and photos filled with historical facts about the city, its citizens, the social classes, and way of life. The author also incorporates many of these into the story, as well. I read many of them with horrid fascination, and the book helped give me the historical context for many of the writings of Paul that I take umbrage with as a woman living in the 20th Century—for a man of his time, he actually espoused a very liberal, forward-thinking view of women.
This book is part of a series by different authors, and I don’t know if it follows a certain format common to all of them (fiction mixed with facts, and a rather abrupt, unresolved ending), or if it is the only one in this format.
The book leaves the reader with more questions than answers (regarding the plot), and more answers than questions (regarding life in Ephesus during that time period).
Anthia has a young son, and the story starts with her losing her best friend to a difficult childbirth. As Anthia, her husband, and son walk back and forth to the market each day, they pass a public place where the Apostle Paul holds discussions with the citizens of Ephesus.
The book has many sidebars and photos filled with historical facts about the city, its citizens, the social classes, and way of life. The author also incorporates many of these into the story, as well. I read many of them with horrid fascination, and the book helped give me the historical context for many of the writings of Paul that I take umbrage with as a woman living in the 20th Century—for a man of his time, he actually espoused a very liberal, forward-thinking view of women.
This book is part of a series by different authors, and I don’t know if it follows a certain format common to all of them (fiction mixed with facts, and a rather abrupt, unresolved ending), or if it is the only one in this format.
The book leaves the reader with more questions than answers (regarding the plot), and more answers than questions (regarding life in Ephesus during that time period).
October 18, 2020
I do love the Week in the Life series' format of a simple story of single person living in the days of the early church, interspersed with historical pictures and explanations of daily life at the time. This one was more evangelical --and scatalogical--than the others. A little more about the inconveniences of elimination than quite necessary.
December 26, 2021
Absolutely incredible.
I wasn’t sure what I was expecting, but I most certainly wasn’t expecting to not be able to put the book down! I was enthralled by this story and how it helped me better connect to Scripture! I have a newfound appreciation to how Jesus not only changed the tide in religion but the treatment of women.
This is a must read for anyone and everyone.
I wasn’t sure what I was expecting, but I most certainly wasn’t expecting to not be able to put the book down! I was enthralled by this story and how it helped me better connect to Scripture! I have a newfound appreciation to how Jesus not only changed the tide in religion but the treatment of women.
This is a must read for anyone and everyone.
February 27, 2022
i had to read this book for my New Testament class but tbh it was pretty good lolol. it was kind of every where at times because I felt like there were always new characters. overall i think it did a great job of helping its audience envision how people must’ve reacted when first hearing Paul’s stories of Jesus and I became invested in the main character’s life
June 10, 2020
This was a wonderful read. I was less impressed with the story of the day-to-day activities of the women and more wrapped in the inner conflict of what conversion to Jesus meant for this woman. In that regard, the story is less about women and more about what conversion is and what it costs.
January 22, 2021
This is a fun read. It’s mostly a historical fiction, though the interactions with Christians from the New Testament will likely strike some as corny. Anthia’s character development is subtle, believable, and compelling. This book is proof that Bible scholars can write compelling fiction too!
December 31, 2021
Engaging story of a first century Ephesian woman's daily life as a mother/wife/daughter within the cruelty of the Roman culture and where a new religion of Christianity created complexity, danger and hope.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 57 reviews