The Queen's Handmaid By Tracy L. Higley Book Review

/ / The Queen's Handmaid / /

 

Book Review Written By Madi

Book Title: The Queen's Handmaid

Author: Tracy L. Higley

Source: The Litfuse Publicity Group

Genre: Christian Fiction/Egyptian Fiction

Number Of Pages: 390

ISBN: 978-1-4016-8684-0

Publisher: Thomas Nelson

Year Of Publication: 2014

Rating: Five Out Of Five Stars

 

/ / Book Description / /

 

From the servant halls of Cleopatra’s Egyptian palace to the courts of Herod the Great, Lydia will serve two queens to see prophecy fulfilled.

Alexandria, Egypt 39 BC

Orphaned at birth, Lydia was raised as a servant in Cleopatra's palace, working hard to please while keeping everyone at arm's length. She's been rejected and left with a broken heart too many times in her short life.

But then her dying mentor entrusts her with secret writings of the prophet Daniel and charges her to deliver this vital information to those watching for the promised King of Israel. Lydia must leave the nearest thing she’s had to family and flee to Jerusalem. Once in the Holy City, she attaches herself to the newly appointed king, Herod the Great, as handmaid to Queen Mariamme.

Trapped among the scheming women of Herod’s political family—his sister, his wife, and their mothers—and forced to serve in the palace to protect her treasure, Lydia must deliver the scrolls before dark forces warring against the truth destroy all hope of the coming Messiah.

 

/ / Book Review / /

 

 When I started this book, I honestly wasn't sure if I was gonna like it or not.  I had never read anything by this author, and I don't remember hearing much about her, but it turns out that Tracy L. Higley is a force to be reckoned with! This book was marvelous! I don't believe that I have ever read a fictional book that included so much history. The amount of research that had to go into the making of this story is astonishing, because it appears the author really knew her stuff. This novel is about Queen Cleopatra's maid, Lydia. Lydia serves as a personal maid for two or three different queens before the facts about her heritage and calling came to light. Though this is a completely fictional book, it is based off of real people in Egyptian history. I don't know a whole lot about the Egyptian culture or their history, but I did of course recognize a few key names, such as Julius Caesar, King Herod and Cleopatra. It was nice to get a little insight as to what Egyptian life was like in those times, and how kingdom's were ruled. I know that a lot of ancient kings (and some not so ancient rulers) govern by cruelty and force, but the way the author described some of the horrors created by these morally polluted politicians made me shiver. Don't get me wrong, it wasn't gory, just eye opening. The thought of having to watch the deaths of your friends and family with indifference upon your face is terrifying. I loved how the characters progressed with the story. Certain ones grew weak, and others strong as the plot progressed. Oh, did I mention that it is a total page turner? I simply couldn't put it down! The suspense was killing me! This is one of those books that you choose over sleep. I also liked how well written it was. The author has a writing style that will keep your eyes glued to the page. She is descriptive (not to the point of boredom, but enough to give you a clear vision of what is happening), she is passionate, and she is very well rounded. I would encourage anyone with a love of historical fiction or Christian fiction alike to read this book. I certainly am glad that I did.

 

 ~The Literary Maidens

 

Note: I was provided with a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion by the Litfuse Publicity Group. I was not further compensated to review this product and all thoughts and sentiments expressed above are completely my own and unbiased.