A review by fiction_aficionado
To Dwell Among Cedars by Connilyn Cossette

inspiring slow-paced

• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Connilyn Cossette has delivered yet another immersive read, taking readers to the time of Samuel and introducing them to a young Philistine brother and sister whose lives become tied to the Ark of the Covenant when they flee from their cousin and follow the Ark back to Israel. From there, the story jumps forward eight years, when tensions between those Israelites who believe Samuel is appointed of God and those who believe Samuel is a pretender are reaching a peak.

While the existence of such tension is not mentioned in the Bible, Cossette outlines the research and thought processes that led her to explore the possibility that some Israelites were unhappy about the shift that occurred in the succession of the High Priesthood after the death of Eli and his sons. Knowing Israel’s history, I found it firmly within the realm of possibility, and more importantly, the story line didn’t alter the biblical account, only imagined what may have filled in some of the silences.

I felt as though this story took a little while to get started, but a certain amount of backstory was necessary to understand where Eliora and Lukio came from and how they ended up following the Ark. Once the story moved forward eight years, I couldn’t help but become involved. Ronen and Eliora’s friendship develops even as Ronen’s family exerts greater pressure to discover the location of the Ark, and I keenly felt Ronen’s inner conflict as he begins to realise that his family has been misrepresenting Eliora’s adoptive family.

The story explores the ways in which family and our sense of belonging influence us both for good and bad. And as I often find with Cossette’s books, I enjoyed gaining a deeper insight into what it means to be grafted into Covenant with the living God.

I received a copy of this novel from the publisher. This has not influenced the content of my review, which is my honest and unbiased opinion.