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The Last Slave: An Exodus Novel
In the land of Egypt, the Hebrews are multiplying at an alarming rate. Hate is mounting. Fear is rising. And Pharaoh is determined to destroy them. The Hebrews are bound in shackles. Their babies thrown into the Nile. But inside the palace walls, there are secrets. For not everyone is bent on their destruction. Tia, an Egyptian aristocrat, loyal maidservant to Princess Basya, is a traitor to the throne. And she is not the only one. But secrets cannot be kept forever, and in a world filled with lies and hate, treachery comes at a terrifying cost. This gripping historical novel is a searing tale of survival and courage in the darkest of times. Based entirely on Torah sources, The Last Slave takes the reader on an epic journey from Pharaoh’s palace to the pit of Ramses to the ultimate redemption from Egypt. Endure the heartache of slavery. Live through the awe-inspiring miracles. Feel as if you left Egypt in this poignant and immersive novel from despair to deliverance. Intended for a mature audience due to the graphic description of slavery.
- GenresJewish
408 pages, Hardcover
Published March 1, 2022
3 people are currently reading
37 people want to read
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March 26, 2023The Last Slave hit our bookshelves last year and blew readers away. With emotional depth, sophisticated characters, and subtly woven themes of emunah, it excavates the familiar terrain of galus mitzrayim and brings it alive with fast-paced emotional and psychological drama that is surprisingly inspirational.
As we’re increasingly surrounded by the gut-wrenching tragedy of our own generation, it becomes harder to relate to those from the past, stories we’re so familiar with, in a vivid way that can make an impact. We improvise. We internalize the churban through personal holocaust accounts that let us see the pain from a different perspective. These human accounts stimulate our empathy when we recognize the underlying inner workings that mirror our own and finally feel what the numbers could never say. Yehudis Kormornick set out to accomplish the same for your understanding of galus mitzrayim.
Tia is coming of age within her aristocratic family and is a beloved lady-in-waiting to Princess Basya. As she struggles to internalize the hate that surrounds her, the consequences of her skepticism become increasingly dangerous. When she takes the leap and follows her beliefs, she’ll live with the repercussions forever until she acquires hate in a form she least expected.
Since Naomi’s child was cruelly snatched from her arms, she faces her worst fears every day while continuing to raise her surviving children. She sees the blood of her dead child in the face of her newborn and hears shrieks in her children’s laughter. As she somehow pulls through each day, she is desperate for something to hope for but hardly dares to think of a better future without threatening the equilibrium she’s managed.
Far from a linear plot marching neatly toward a happy resolution, the plot diverges from the phases of geulah that make up the external conflict when characters find themselves in a new kind of despair. The expectation, and then unfolding, of the anticipated geulah brings them to a shocking standstill; while they’d been hoping for physical salvation, it will take much more than that to ever dream again.
Deep emotional threads blanket the familiar setting and awaken a resonance and relatability in the reader. From the central themes of hope, hatred, and connection to the small nuances hidden throughout the story for the discerning reader, relatable emotion lays the groundwork of it all. Tia’s logical struggles are powerfully juxtaposed with Naomi’s battle against despair for a story that touches all parts of us. The human experience that transcends the millennium passed and connects us to generations past makes it easy to see ourselves as if we have left mitzrayim.
Satisfying in entertainment, pure literature quality, and inspiration, you’ll get the most out of The Last Slave if you read (or reread) it before Pesach. Note that the intense emotions may not be appropriate for all ages, and some violent scenes are described graphically.
I had a fascinating conversation with Yehudis, read it here
As we’re increasingly surrounded by the gut-wrenching tragedy of our own generation, it becomes harder to relate to those from the past, stories we’re so familiar with, in a vivid way that can make an impact. We improvise. We internalize the churban through personal holocaust accounts that let us see the pain from a different perspective. These human accounts stimulate our empathy when we recognize the underlying inner workings that mirror our own and finally feel what the numbers could never say. Yehudis Kormornick set out to accomplish the same for your understanding of galus mitzrayim.
“You learned to hate. You will learn to love.”
Tia is coming of age within her aristocratic family and is a beloved lady-in-waiting to Princess Basya. As she struggles to internalize the hate that surrounds her, the consequences of her skepticism become increasingly dangerous. When she takes the leap and follows her beliefs, she’ll live with the repercussions forever until she acquires hate in a form she least expected.
Since Naomi’s child was cruelly snatched from her arms, she faces her worst fears every day while continuing to raise her surviving children. She sees the blood of her dead child in the face of her newborn and hears shrieks in her children’s laughter. As she somehow pulls through each day, she is desperate for something to hope for but hardly dares to think of a better future without threatening the equilibrium she’s managed.
“Hope is a spark that could burn us alive if it goes up in flames.”
Far from a linear plot marching neatly toward a happy resolution, the plot diverges from the phases of geulah that make up the external conflict when characters find themselves in a new kind of despair. The expectation, and then unfolding, of the anticipated geulah brings them to a shocking standstill; while they’d been hoping for physical salvation, it will take much more than that to ever dream again.
“Even as we stand on the brink of salvation, and even though the sting of suffering has lost its deathly bite, it cannot ease the pain; the immense sorrow that weighs like an ache on our aching, broken hearts.”
Deep emotional threads blanket the familiar setting and awaken a resonance and relatability in the reader. From the central themes of hope, hatred, and connection to the small nuances hidden throughout the story for the discerning reader, relatable emotion lays the groundwork of it all. Tia’s logical struggles are powerfully juxtaposed with Naomi’s battle against despair for a story that touches all parts of us. The human experience that transcends the millennium passed and connects us to generations past makes it easy to see ourselves as if we have left mitzrayim.
Satisfying in entertainment, pure literature quality, and inspiration, you’ll get the most out of The Last Slave if you read (or reread) it before Pesach. Note that the intense emotions may not be appropriate for all ages, and some violent scenes are described graphically.
I had a fascinating conversation with Yehudis, read it here
August 29, 2023
Amazing book! Helps feel the story of mitzrayim. Not suited for young children.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews