David and Bathsheba

by Roberta Kells Dorr
River North

David and Bathsheba is a spellbinding story of a gifted king and the woman he loved but could not have. Told from Bathsheba's perspective, author Roberta Kells Dorr brings to life the passion that almost cost David his kingdom and tested a people's courage and faith in God.

David and Bathsheba is colored richly with details of Bible-era Israel-from the details of the everyday way of life to details of the Jewish religion.  Dorr brilliantly merges reality with folklore as she tells the story of two great characters of the biblical era. The book starts out with Bathsheba as a young girl and David as a strong willed rebellious military leader.  It details the way they met and follows them all the way through their difficulties. 

My Review:

I enjoyed the historical aspect of this novel, and it is full of details of Israel during the Biblical era. The descriptions about everyday life were fresh and interesting, and I enjoyed the psalms included in the book. This is my favorite story from the Old Testament, and I was pleased with the different perspective and viewpoint that Dorr brings to the table.  

My only disappointment in this book was when Dorr choose to deviate from the Biblical account with her reason on why Uriah didn't go visit Bathsheba. I understand each author has the right to change as much as they feel necessary to make their book work, but I felt it was too inconsistent and irreconcilable to portray Uriah's family relationships the way she did. 

That said, I really enjoyed reading this account, and I think it is a very profitable novel for any enthusiast of the Biblical fiction or Christian to read. I would caution, however, that it is very far from the Biblical account in some areas, and I definitely recommend knowing your Scriptures before reading this portrayal. It is fiction in every sense of the word - and while based on the Biblical story - as readers we need to remember this when we feel inclined to nitpick at the inaccuracies. 

This book was provided by the publishers for free in exchange for an honest review.