Reign

by Ginger Garrett
David C. Cook

Beyond the Drama, Her Heart Was Real.

From the moment her marriage to prince Ahab thrusts her into the intrigues of palace life, Jezebel’s exotic beauty opens doors and her will breaks down walls. Torn from her homeland and wed to power in a strange country, Jezebel vows to create a legacy and power all her own. Some might call her a manipulative schemer, bent on having her way. But they don’t know the whole story, and she was much, much worse.

As she moves through the halls of power, her heart struggles between devotion to the gods she worships, the prince who loves her, and her thirst for revenge. She sparks a battle between her strangely powerless gods and the God of palace administrator Obadiah—a God who confronts her with surprising might. She will fight, though victory may cost her everything.

My Review:

Jezebel is a woman that will forever live in infamy. While we don't talk a lot about the men in her life, we know for a fact that she caused them a lot of grief. She is well known for her wickedness, and she has become a legend because of her actions. But underneath all the notoriety and disgrace that come with her name, Jezebel was as a real as person as you and I. Given to a marriage in a strange land, she was destined to become more than just a name in the past, but a woman of power, wickedness, and evil. 

One of my favorite things about Biblical fiction is the depiction of the times. Too many times the truth of the past is sugar coated because it's too graphic, too descriptive, and too detailed in it's representation. I, for one, enjoy all the details, because it just brings to light how deep God's mercy really is, and how He has forgiven His people over and over again throughout the centuries. Actions bring consequences, but until we fully understand the sin, we cannot adequately see how unfathomable the mercy of God extends. Garrett beautifully tells the story of Jezebel, fleshes her out as a real person, and gives us an honest look at what life was in the courts of King Ahab. She brings Jezebel down to human terms, and gives us an understanding of the times and the people with a gifted and masterful pen.   

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