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A review by nothingforpomegranted
The Book of Esther by Emily Barton
adventurous
challenging
informative
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
This was an incredibly creative fantastical novel that explored religion, faith, the nature of being human, gender, slavery, military technology, love, authority, and so much more through teen characters in the Jewish military empire of Khazar. The blend of historical, biblical, and fantastical elements was well-woven and clearly well-researched, and I was entranced by the references to the Khazars, the Karaites, and the various other tribes we encountered throughout the story. Though I am Jewish (really Jewish, some might say), I had no idea that this empire existed historically.
The characters in the novel were strange but enticing, and Esther’s struggle to understand her romantic feelings, her identity, and her religion felt so honest to the experience of being a teenager. I would certainly recommend this to a mature teenage reader. Amit, Itakh, and Shimon added greater depth, but I think the golems were my favorite characters. They authentically questioned what it means to be humans and forced the human characters to reckon with their existence just by virtue of existing.
There was a bit too much going on in this book, and I think the Nazi setting was poorly built. In fact, had it not been for the blurb on the back and the author interview, I would have assumed that this was just alternative history sent in a fantasy version of the actual Khazar empire. I appreciated the coded references to the Germanii, the Rus, Haman the Agagite, and the refugees, but with so much emphasis on the characters in Esther’s army and (too much) on the battles themselves, I didn’t think that the enemy was substantially described, and it was never quite clear to me what precisely all these people (and machines and golems) were fighting for.
The characters in the novel were strange but enticing, and Esther’s struggle to understand her romantic feelings, her identity, and her religion felt so honest to the experience of being a teenager. I would certainly recommend this to a mature teenage reader. Amit, Itakh, and Shimon added greater depth, but I think the golems were my favorite characters. They authentically questioned what it means to be humans and forced the human characters to reckon with their existence just by virtue of existing.
There was a bit too much going on in this book, and I think the Nazi setting was poorly built. In fact, had it not been for the blurb on the back and the author interview, I would have assumed that this was just alternative history sent in a fantasy version of the actual Khazar empire. I appreciated the coded references to the Germanii, the Rus, Haman the Agagite, and the refugees, but with so much emphasis on the characters in Esther’s army and (too much) on the battles themselves, I didn’t think that the enemy was substantially described, and it was never quite clear to me what precisely all these people (and machines and golems) were fighting for.