What do you think?
Rate this book
Touch of the Golden Scepter
1983. No edition remarks. 144 pages. Paperback book with pictorial cover. Clean pages with mild tanning and foxing throughout. Tightly bound with faint thumb-marking throughout. Paper cover has mild edge wear with mild corner curling.
- GenresFiction
144 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1983
29 people want to read
About the author
Lois T. Henderson
16 books30 followersLois T. Henderson is an American author of Christian novels, many of which are dramatizations of Biblical narratives about women.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
June 28, 2015
This is one of three books, along with Cheaper by The Dozen and The Family Nobody Wanted, that I checked out repeatedly from our church's lending library as a kid. From the ages of 9-16, I read these three books six or seven times each year.
It is super cool being an adult and being able to track down books that meant so much to you. On the other hand, it's kind of scary when you realize just how problematic that thing that shaped you really is.
Upon re-reading, it became clear to me that Touch of the Golden Scepter really shaped how I viewed marital relationships and the role of women for many years. I love the story of Esther and I still have a soft spot for this book, but not only do I not want the kind of male/female power dynamics modeled in this book for myself, I don't want them for anyone else.
Yes, I do understand that the gender roles portrayed are 'authentic' to the time and place. The issue in my life was that I was raised in a Fundamentalist church that believes that the Bible is not only the literal truth but also a 'roadmap' by which modern Christians are to live their lives. Therefore, it was very easy for me to internalize the male-centric views espoused in books like Scepter, and it was not until recently that I really began challenging such views.
There is so much more to life than standing behind a man to make him 'great.' I just hope that Ms. Henderson found that out for herself as well.
It is super cool being an adult and being able to track down books that meant so much to you. On the other hand, it's kind of scary when you realize just how problematic that thing that shaped you really is.
Upon re-reading, it became clear to me that Touch of the Golden Scepter really shaped how I viewed marital relationships and the role of women for many years. I love the story of Esther and I still have a soft spot for this book, but not only do I not want the kind of male/female power dynamics modeled in this book for myself, I don't want them for anyone else.
Yes, I do understand that the gender roles portrayed are 'authentic' to the time and place. The issue in my life was that I was raised in a Fundamentalist church that believes that the Bible is not only the literal truth but also a 'roadmap' by which modern Christians are to live their lives. Therefore, it was very easy for me to internalize the male-centric views espoused in books like Scepter, and it was not until recently that I really began challenging such views.
There is so much more to life than standing behind a man to make him 'great.' I just hope that Ms. Henderson found that out for herself as well.
November 7, 2010
This is a short novel based on the life of the Biblical heroine Esther, written for the older children/teenage market.
The story is told very well, enlarging - naturally - on the Biblical account, and beginning with a scenario that gives a possible reason for Esther having been an orphan. We see her slowly maturing from a young, frightened girl into a competent, intelligent teenager, who is a natural choice when the King wants to meet a selection of young women for a potential bride.
Even knowing the basic story, I found the account fascinating and believable. The book is well-written and while much depends on the imagination of the author, it blends in very well with the Biblical narrative. Since it's intended for young teenagers (and was published nearly thirty years ago) it glosses entirely over the function of a harem - which is where Esther was first taken - but that doesn't detract at all from the story.
Long out of print, but worth a read by anyone who comes across it who's interested in teenage historical fiction.
The story is told very well, enlarging - naturally - on the Biblical account, and beginning with a scenario that gives a possible reason for Esther having been an orphan. We see her slowly maturing from a young, frightened girl into a competent, intelligent teenager, who is a natural choice when the King wants to meet a selection of young women for a potential bride.
Even knowing the basic story, I found the account fascinating and believable. The book is well-written and while much depends on the imagination of the author, it blends in very well with the Biblical narrative. Since it's intended for young teenagers (and was published nearly thirty years ago) it glosses entirely over the function of a harem - which is where Esther was first taken - but that doesn't detract at all from the story.
Long out of print, but worth a read by anyone who comes across it who's interested in teenage historical fiction.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews