Enjoyable novel concerning the years between the Old and New Testaments, preposterous in spots.
Chava, an Alexandrian Jewish girl, is best friends with Cleopatra and swears she will always remain so in a "blood sisterhood" pact. Through envy [?] on Cleopatra's part, Chava is sold into slavery and ends up in Rome on the farm of the Octavii family. Through the years Chava is obsessed with Cleopatra. Because of her literacy and her beauty, she is moved to the family's house in Rome where she meets the future emperor Augustus [born Octavian] and his friend Agrippa. The latter treats her as a sister all through, although Roman men were known for their promiscuity. That seems hard to believe. She learns midwifery in too quick order it seemed to me, with successful results, even when a novice. In her reading, she mentions Pliny the Elder who lived nearly 100 years later. She does attribute her success to God's help, and she does invoke Him and put her trust in Him all through the novel. The novel does show the power of forgiveness, when she meets Cleopatra for the last time. ( )

Angela Hunt has begun a wonderful new Christian series with Egypt's Sister, the story of Cleopatra. No one had heard from God in four hundred years, yet the Jews were forever faithful servants.

This story was so filled with descriptions that you could picture each and every scene with amazing detail. The characters were realistic and believable. The story increased my faith and I'm sure it will yours. ( )

This is the first book in Hunt’s series that takes place during the “400 Silent Years” between the writings of the Old and New Testaments.

Chava is the Jewish daughter of a royal tutor who grows up as a close friend of the girl would become Cleopatra. She hears God’s voice telling her she would be at the queen’s side on her best day and her last, but the prophecy seems to be jeopardized when a misunderstanding drives them apart. As Chava tries to put the pieces of her life back together, her loyalty never wavers in her determination to return to the woman she loves as a sister and fulfill her destiny.

I really liked this character: her loyalty, resourcefulness, and courage. It was interesting to see the story of Cleopatra’s life told from an outside perspective, especially since I didn’t know very much about her to begin with. There were also a lot of historical/cultural details about Alexandria, Egypt, and Rome that I didn’t know before, that I thought were fascinating!

The idea behind the series is that even during the so-called “Silent Years” when there were no prophets sharing the Word of God, He still spoke to His people is special ways. ( )

While suspense and contemporary genres are my book club’s favorites, we always include a historical novel or two in our yearly selections. Egypt’s Daughter took us to the ancient world of Alexandria and Rome. We didn’t know a lot about this time period, so we appreciated the detailed descriptions of the history and culture of the time. While there are a great many differences from our modern age, there are plenty of parallels. Slavery was a common practice and this, combined with the lack of value of human life, produced a brutal reality for those who were vulnerable. Unfortunately, the hearts of men haven’t changed as much as technology. The author included a number of historical figures within the narrative, giving this book authenticity. Egypt’s Sister is part of the Silent Years series — a time between Testaments in which God chose not to speak to His people through His prophets. That doesn’t mean that God was absent, and as main character Chava discovered, He is always present guiding and directing, providing and protecting. As a means to distract Chava from the court of Cleopatra, her father tasks her to record all the names of God beginning in Genesis. This proved to be invaluable as Chava faced trials. This just reinforced to me the importance of studying scripture — God’s written promises will be there when you need them.

I readily admit that this book did not grab me. I struggled to stay engaged in the story. Chava was a naive, sheltered, and somewhat willful character. The turning point in her life was also a turning point in the story for me. Chava’s growth as a character kept me turning the pages. So if you find the book slow, stick with it. You’ll be glad you did. My book club found a lot to talk about — from the historical context, to the workings of God in His people’s life, to amusing views on labor and delivery. Our conversation stayed focused on the book — always a good sign. 😉

Recommended.

Great for Book Clubs.

Audience: adults.

(I purchased this book from Amazon. All opinions expressed are mine alone.) ( )

I am a huge Angela Hunt fan but I have to say I didn't enjoy this book near as much as most of her others. I was so excited about this novel and started it right after I received it. The characters were fascinating but the story was ho hum. I had to push myself to finish it. I'm glad I didn't pay money for this book. ( )