Name: The Book of Esther
ISBN: 9781101904091

Emily Barton

"In a counterfactual world resembling the 1930s, the state of Khazaria, an isolated nation of warriors Jews, is under attack by the Germanii. Esther, the precocious daughter of Khazaria's chief policy advisor, sets out on a quest to ensure the survival of her homeland"--

A Novel

The Book of Esther

Elda Mengisto

When I started reading this book, I came in with the expectation that there would be a few journeys before Esther heads over to the battlefield, as a legend would go. One of the reviews compared her story to that of Joan of Arc, except that she created her own path. In many ways, Esther heeds her own call and forges her own story, except I found it more build-up than actual battles. While understandable in that it wasn't easy to raise an army, it left the story lacking.

However, what I appreciated was the use of Jewish mysticism to move the story forward. From golems to the mikvah which could transform a person's gender if one wanted it, it was intriguing. What was even more interesting was how Esther decided not to become a man, but rather to become a soldier. With what she had to struggle with, I look upon it with more joy with her in hindsight. The complications with the status quo, along with different cultures and within Judaism itself, really add juice to this story.

The flaws in the story include the use of technology. I think it's interesting, but could be incorporated with the society itself (though the horses are pretty obvious). Another thing I wonder about is the ending; while Barton makes it kind of happy in that Esther's home is saved, it left a lot of room for a sequel.

Anyways, it was a good book with a good concept, but could be better on a few fronts. 6.5/10

The Book of Esther A Novel

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