Widowed Euodia, known to her neighbors as "the Lydian woman," seeks to make a fresh start by moving to the foreign city of Philippi. She finds new purpose after meeting Paulos, apostle to the Gentiles, who opens her eyes to helping those in need, particularly women and those who have been enslaved.
Retired Roman soldier Hector has settled in Philippi with dreams of a future filled with wealth and status, pooling his army earnings with Lucius, his fellow comrade in arms turned business partner. His hopes are dashed, however, when Paulos robs their youngest slave of her lucrative ability to foretell the future, rendering her worthless to Hector's ambition.
When Euodia becomes aware that Sabina is being mistreated, she buys Sabina from Lucius, intending to set the girl free. But when Hector claims the sale was not legitimate, he takes Sabina back and swears he will find someone to restore her valuable "gift" . . . even if he must travel to the ends of the earth to do so. Following close behind him, Euodia and her servants set out to rescue Sabina, not for gain, but to rescue and set her free forever.
In her stirring series starter, New York Times bestselling author Angela Hunt dives into the perilous days of the early church as Christians struggle to remain true to their faith amid the highest of risks in a hostile pagan culture.
Retired Roman soldier Hector has settled in Philippi with dreams of a future filled with wealth and status, pooling his army earnings with Lucius, his fellow comrade in arms turned business partner. His hopes are dashed, however, when Paulos robs their youngest slave of her lucrative ability to foretell the future, rendering her worthless to Hector's ambition.
When Euodia becomes aware that Sabina is being mistreated, she buys Sabina from Lucius, intending to set the girl free. But when Hector claims the sale was not legitimate, he takes Sabina back and swears he will find someone to restore her valuable "gift" . . . even if he must travel to the ends of the earth to do so. Following close behind him, Euodia and her servants set out to rescue Sabina, not for gain, but to rescue and set her free forever.
In her stirring series starter, New York Times bestselling author Angela Hunt dives into the perilous days of the early church as Christians struggle to remain true to their faith amid the highest of risks in a hostile pagan culture.
MY THOUGHTS.....
I love biblical fiction and I'm a fan of Angela Hunt, so I was especially anxious to read this book. The Woman from Lydia features the apostle Paul, his traveling companion Silas, and Euodia, who is mentioned in Acts 16 as Lydia, a seller of purple cloth. Much of the story is told from Euodia's point of view as she valiantly tries to free a girl from slavery after the apostle Paul casts a demon from her. Euodia's determined efforts to free Sabina from a retired Roman soldier's possession are equally matched by his intentions to use Sabina's gift of divination for his own personal gain! Will Euodia succeed in thwarting Hector's intentions?
Hunt possesses a wonderful talent for weaving facts with fiction and this book is a perfect example. I enjoyed the relationship that evolves between Euodia and her new husband Ariston, along with those that she shares with Phebe and Syntyche. I gained a new perspective on Paul's missionary journeys, and relished the explanation of slavery versus freedom, in both physical and spiritual terms. I feel that an author of Biblical fiction has succeeded when I find myself reading my Bible to verify a fact or searching a Bible commentary to learn more about a scene. I did both of these while reading this book!
This is a story that will inspire Christian readers and challenge non-believers, and I'm thrilled to have it as my church Bible group begins its study of The Book of Acts. I highly recommend The Woman from Lydia and I look forward to the next book in The Emissaries series!
I was provided an ARC courtesy of Bethany House through Interviews & Reviews and a complimentary copy from Bethany House. These are my own thoughts.
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Hunt possesses a wonderful talent for weaving facts with fiction and this book is a perfect example. I enjoyed the relationship that evolves between Euodia and her new husband Ariston, along with those that she shares with Phebe and Syntyche. I gained a new perspective on Paul's missionary journeys, and relished the explanation of slavery versus freedom, in both physical and spiritual terms. I feel that an author of Biblical fiction has succeeded when I find myself reading my Bible to verify a fact or searching a Bible commentary to learn more about a scene. I did both of these while reading this book!
This is a story that will inspire Christian readers and challenge non-believers, and I'm thrilled to have it as my church Bible group begins its study of The Book of Acts. I highly recommend The Woman from Lydia and I look forward to the next book in The Emissaries series!
I was provided an ARC courtesy of Bethany House through Interviews & Reviews and a complimentary copy from Bethany House. These are my own thoughts.
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Christy-Award winner Angela Hunt writes for readers who expect the unexpected in novels. With over five million copies of her books sold worldwide, she is the best-selling author of more than 150 works ranging from picture books (The Tale of Three Trees) to non-fiction books, to novels.
No comments:
Post a Comment