This review originally appeared on my blog at www.gimmethatbook.com.

Little is known about Lot’s wife, the unnamed biblical figure who was turned into a pillar of salt as she fled the destruction of Sodom. But for writer T.K. Thorne, just one reference was enough to ignite her imagination and form the basis for her dazzling new novel, ANGELS AT THE GATE (Cappuccino Books, March 2015). Like Noah’s Wife, Thorne’s highly praised debut, this book brings the ancient world to life through the eyes of an extraordinary woman.

Based on historical, biblical, and archaeological research, visits to the Middle East, and a large measure of creativity, ANGELS AT THE GATE is the story of Adira, destined to become Lot’s wife. A daughter of Abram’s tribe, Adira is an impetuous young girl whose mother died in childbirth. Secretly raised as a boy in her father’s caravan and schooled in languages and the art of negotiation, Adira rejects the looming changes of womanhood that threaten her nomadic life and independence.

But with the arrival of two mysterious strangers – Northmen rumored to be holy or possibly even “Angels” – Adira’s world unravels. Raiders invade the caravan, and she loses everything she values most – her father, her freedom, and even the “Angels.”

Caught between her oath to her father to return to her tribe and the “proper life for a woman” and tormented by an impossible love, she abandons all she has known in a dangerous quest to seek revenge and find her kidnapped “Angel.” With only her beloved dog, Nami, at her side, Adira must use the skills she learned in the caravan to survive the perils of the desert, Sodom, and her own heart.

ANGELS AT THE GATE is a story of adventure and the power of love, exploring themes about choice – the importance of asking the right questions and walking the fine edge between duty and personal freedom.
Many thanks to Felicia at Jane Wesman Public Relations for offering me this book in exchange for an honest review. Even more thanks for working with us to do this book giveaway! Click the link, or enter at the bottom of the page. Both are fine!
I will admit I was a little hesitant going into this book because I don’t care to read things with a religious slant. However, I was delightfully surprised to realize though there was a strong undercurrent of religion in the book, it consisted of the character’s beliefs and how those beliefs affect their actions.

There is so much goodness in this book I’m not sure where to start. The character of Adira is wonderfully written: a strong and impetuous girl on the cusp of womanhood, torn between her own yearnings and her devotion to her father and the promises he made when she was born. I felt her passion on every page, and suffered along with her as the cruel desert showed its ugliness.

The amount of research the author did was staggering, and it’s evidenced in the exquisite description of the nomads and their existence. The constant quest for water, the undying Sahara sun, and the beautiful Saluki named Nami come to life as the story unfolds. We learn about honor, promises, the fragility of life, and the unforgiving nature of the desert.

To take an unnamed character and create a book around her is a daunting undertaking, and Thorne does Adira true justice. I loved that she was a girl who wasn’t afraid to take risks, who defended her caravan, and loved her dog Nami with every bone in her body. For me, the book took on an extra dimension as Nami was an essential character.

Not everything is beauty and pleasure, however. Adira runs afoul of desert marauders and this affects the rest of her existence. My heart broke as this injustice was done, thanks to the author’s skill in showing, not telling. At that point she becomes Lot’s wife and enters the city of Sodom to live, which brings the book towards its conclusion. I so wanted Adira to be happy and loved…and I was hanging on every word at the end when she had a choice to make.

ANGELS AT THE GATE is phenomenally, hauntingly, fantastically written. Adira is a character not soon forgotten, and the images of the nomads and the blistering hot city of Sodom will stay with you long after you close the book. Even if you have no knowledge or interest in the Bible or the characters–pick this up. The story is wonderful all by itself. You can get your own copy here.

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Lot’s wife … everyone knows the Biblical story of how the messengers sent by God told Lot and his family to flee Sodom and not turn back. His wife did look back and God turned her into a pillar of salt for her disobedience. In the Bible, his wife was not named, but for this fictional story, she was Akira. Akira was shown in this story to be somewhat disobedient all her life, so it was very believable that she’d turn back to view God’s destruction.

I was very anxious to read this book and at first it thoroughly held my attention. By the quarter mark, some things didn’t sound familiar from a Biblical perspective, so I turned to the Author’s Notes. She’d used the Bible (Tanakh), the Koran, other ancient writings, and her own imagination. I have nothing against an author’s imagination. Without that, we’d probably have very little in the way of historical fiction. But I do have a problem with some of the suggestions in this book which came from that imagination. Abraham worshiped one true God, but references were made that he and Sarai had a “… hipless statuette of Asherah …” and a “… consort of El or of Baal …” within their tent. El meant Elohim, which is a name for God, but Baal clearly is not. God’s messengers (Angels) did not know which god sent them. One of the messengers, Raph, confessed to Akira he was homosexual. And so, a good story began to become one which irritated me; it is not a Christian story and the ending was not according to the Bible. I did like the personality and the strength shown by Akira. I liked that she had a working dog as her close companion. Rating: 2 out of 5. ( )

My second book by this local author, and I am enjoying her work. This is the story of Lot's wife, who in the Biblical tale looked back at their home as the family fled Sodom, and turned to a pillar of salt. The story, as imagined by Thorne, was far more enjoyable. Adira is raised as Adir, a boy in a traveling caravan. After losing her mother at birth, her father chose to keep her with him rather than leaving her with relatives Sarai and Abram to raise. The story opens during her caravan days, and follows Adira through the death of her father, her attempts at revenge, and her history with two "angels" - Mika and Rafe. The story is a well-crafted adventure, full of drama and history, and difficult to put down. Eventually Adira finds herself injured and bows to her father's dying wish - to return to Sarai and Abram, and follow Sarai's urging. This is how she finds herself married to Abram's cousin Lot, living in the bitterly unfriendly city of Sodom.

Without question Thorne has been given the gift of storytelling, and is becoming a master. She removes the reader from the comfort of their reading spot into the heat of the desert, into the smells and sights of Babylon and Sodom, smelling the stench of pitch and sulfur from the Dead Sea, feeling the jostling of the crowd and the sting of a stone. The Biblical parallels are interesting, but Thorne's novels go far beyond the limited facts given in the Old Testament and flesh out a life of a wonderful woman.

The version I read was an Advanced Reading Copy. ( )

This is my second book by Ms. Thorne and I do hope it is not my last. I have a fascination for Biblical fiction and what Ms. Thorne does so very well is tell the story behind the story. Her first book, Noah’s Wife brought us the story of the Flood from a brand new point of view. In this book she takes a very minor character from the Bible – one who wasn’t even given a name – and gives her a life. A vivid, full and wonderful life. She takes “Lot’s wife” and gives us Adira – a young woman who hides behind the identity of a boy so she can stay with her widowed father. She makes her a fully fleshed out character.

We first meet Adira as she turns 15 and is in a caravan with her father and the “Angels” are traveling with them. Adira does not want to be a young lady and leave her father but he knows that she needs to fulfill her life as a woman. No matter how much she tries to hide it or fight it, she is growing up. She is also starting to notice men but doesn’t fully understand why.

Most know the story of Lot and his family fleeing from Sodom as it is destroyed. Despite instructions not to look back Lot’s wife does and is turned into a pillar of salt – or so goes the Bible story. Why would she do that? If you ask me it’s another teaching tool put in by men to keep women obedient but this book will give you another point of view through the tale of a headstrong young woman. Ms. Thorne performs a magical alchemy with her characters and the ability to transport her reader back to Biblical times. I felt as if I were walking in the desert with Adira and feeling the sand, feeling the heat. So little is known about the women of the Bible as they were pretty much considered unimportant by the men who put it together. It’s wonderful to have someone imagining their stories. I can’t wait to see who Ms. Thorne will bring to life next. ( )