Status
Available
Call number
Collection
Call number
F AND
Publication
WaterBrook Press
Description
"In a time where El Shaddai revealed Himself in a powerful way, Miriam invites readers to experience through the eyes of an unusual, faithful servant"--
User reviews
LibraryThing member lamb521
Title: Miriam
Author: Mesu Andrews
Pages: 384
Year: 2016
Publisher: WaterBrook Press
My rating is 5 stars.
Miriam is Moses’s older sister mentioned in the Old Testament six times; she has been a Biblical figure of interest to me for years. How would you envision Miriam feeling when Moses returns after
As readers go further into the tale, it is easy to become enraptured with the action and scenes as they occur on the page. For me, I often wondered how the Hebrews felt as they suffered right along with Egyptians for a couple of the plagues, but then God made a distinction between those He called His own and the Pharaoh’s nation.
Lest we think the Jewish people were ready and accepting of Moses, the fictional writing includes scenes that remind us of the man God called and how he was received when returning to Egypt. Some of my curiosity was piqued when Moses would explain how he felt being called and how he struggled to obey. I was captured by how Miriam was shown to be compassionate at times towards Moses and other times frustrated.
After enjoying the story, please read the Author’s Note as Mesu shares some insights along with the titles of a couple of sources for interested people. Thanks Mesu for a wonderfully written work of fiction that speaks of how God introduced himself to the Jewish people and insights into the heart of humans who needed Him then, and need Him now!
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255. “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
Author: Mesu Andrews
Pages: 384
Year: 2016
Publisher: WaterBrook Press
My rating is 5 stars.
Miriam is Moses’s older sister mentioned in the Old Testament six times; she has been a Biblical figure of interest to me for years. How would you envision Miriam feeling when Moses returns after
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four decades to lead the Israelites to freedom? Mesu Andrews draws us in to ancient Biblical times to imagine the people who lived and suffered in Egypt prior to the ten plagues and the mass exodus.As readers go further into the tale, it is easy to become enraptured with the action and scenes as they occur on the page. For me, I often wondered how the Hebrews felt as they suffered right along with Egyptians for a couple of the plagues, but then God made a distinction between those He called His own and the Pharaoh’s nation.
Lest we think the Jewish people were ready and accepting of Moses, the fictional writing includes scenes that remind us of the man God called and how he was received when returning to Egypt. Some of my curiosity was piqued when Moses would explain how he felt being called and how he struggled to obey. I was captured by how Miriam was shown to be compassionate at times towards Moses and other times frustrated.
After enjoying the story, please read the Author’s Note as Mesu shares some insights along with the titles of a couple of sources for interested people. Thanks Mesu for a wonderfully written work of fiction that speaks of how God introduced himself to the Jewish people and insights into the heart of humans who needed Him then, and need Him now!
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255. “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
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LibraryThing member SheilaDeeth
Miriam rescued her baby brother Moses, sang psalms when the Israelites crossed the (dry) Red Sea, and shared in a short-lived rebellion against her brother out in the desert. But how did she get from rescue and sacred music to rejecting Moses’ leadership? The Bible doesn’t tell us, but author
Human jealousy and pride, human stubbornness and love, plus a human desire to fix things on one’s own—all these come to the fore in a novel of ancient Israel in Egypt, with people as real as our neighbors or ourselves facing trials and tribulations. The author sticks to traditional Biblical interpretations of ages and the magic of miracles, while including the best of modern research into history, science and sociology. The result is an enthralling depiction of slavery, the dark edge of rebellion, duty and love, all mingled with the horrors of plagues, self-deception and death, and all redeemed by that sense of communication and trust so essential to true love, human or divine. Not everyone can be saved, then or now. And the road to knowing we are loved can be fraught with pain.
Miriam blends love story, history, faith and fact into a beautiful tale, complete in itself yet pointing forward and back to the rest of the series—and to the Bible. It’s highly recommended.
Disclosure: I received this book for free from Blogging for Books for this review.
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Mesu Andrews paints a convincing picture of a many-faceted woman of deep and powerful faith, in this, her second Treasures of the Nile novel. The child who rescued her brother is an old woman now, as the story begins. She's renowned as someone who senses and speaks God’s will. So what is she to make of an errant sibling who claims God speaks in human words to him?Human jealousy and pride, human stubbornness and love, plus a human desire to fix things on one’s own—all these come to the fore in a novel of ancient Israel in Egypt, with people as real as our neighbors or ourselves facing trials and tribulations. The author sticks to traditional Biblical interpretations of ages and the magic of miracles, while including the best of modern research into history, science and sociology. The result is an enthralling depiction of slavery, the dark edge of rebellion, duty and love, all mingled with the horrors of plagues, self-deception and death, and all redeemed by that sense of communication and trust so essential to true love, human or divine. Not everyone can be saved, then or now. And the road to knowing we are loved can be fraught with pain.
Miriam blends love story, history, faith and fact into a beautiful tale, complete in itself yet pointing forward and back to the rest of the series—and to the Bible. It’s highly recommended.
Disclosure: I received this book for free from Blogging for Books for this review.
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LibraryThing member Virginia51
This was a wonderful biblical fiction book. Menu Andrews brings the biblical characters to life. She takes a few mentions in the bible and builds a fantastic story around it. As you read this you just feel that this was what they were really like. Even though I knew the basic story of Moses she
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made him and all her characters real for me. I received this book from Bloggingforbooks for a fair and honest opinion. Show Less
LibraryThing member NadineC.Keels
I wasn't exactly looking for a retelling of The Ten Commandments when I picked up Miriam by author Mesu Andrews. As with the novel that precedes it, The Pharaoh's Daughter, I was looking to see legendary events from the biblical book of Exodus from an angle other than Moses's eyes.
While telling the
Miriam struggles with difficult changes beyond her control and her sense of self and self-worth in light of those changes; although there's some redundancy in her questions and grievances through the novel, her challenges are relatable. As I already knew the most major events that the story would cover, some of the minor scenes and dense development leading the way didn't grip my interest as firmly, but the development is fitting, keeping the book from becoming all about mind-blowing, supernatural feats in Egypt instead of being more about the people there.
I was also pleasantly surprised by a romantic storyline I wouldn't have anticipated. Who says the breathless blossoming of mutual love in novels is only for the young?
Many fans of Biblical Fiction should indeed enjoy this second Treasures of the Nile novel, whether they've read the first novel in the series or not--though I absolutely recommend reading The Pharaoh's Daughter as well.
_____________
Blogging for Books provided me with a complimentary copy of this book for an honest review.
While telling the
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story from the perspective of Miriam, Moses's sister, as well as Moses's nephew Eleazer, the author also gathers the thoughts and feelings of other characters, major and minor, to bring a truly fresh and layered account of this age-old story of suffering, faith, testing, and victory.Miriam struggles with difficult changes beyond her control and her sense of self and self-worth in light of those changes; although there's some redundancy in her questions and grievances through the novel, her challenges are relatable. As I already knew the most major events that the story would cover, some of the minor scenes and dense development leading the way didn't grip my interest as firmly, but the development is fitting, keeping the book from becoming all about mind-blowing, supernatural feats in Egypt instead of being more about the people there.
I was also pleasantly surprised by a romantic storyline I wouldn't have anticipated. Who says the breathless blossoming of mutual love in novels is only for the young?
Many fans of Biblical Fiction should indeed enjoy this second Treasures of the Nile novel, whether they've read the first novel in the series or not--though I absolutely recommend reading The Pharaoh's Daughter as well.
_____________
Blogging for Books provided me with a complimentary copy of this book for an honest review.
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LibraryThing member Jean_Kellman
Miriam, who was called a prophetess, a seer, she was a midwife and messenger. She had been serving El Shaddai all her life for eighty-six years. Her brother, Moses returns to Egypt with a message for his people from El Shaddai, who now has a new name, Yahweh. He declares that they are to be
I received a complimentary copy from Blogging For Books for this review.
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delivered. He explains that it will not happen overnight, but there will be plagues to show Pharoah his power and to prove that he is the one true GOD. Miriam and her family have impossible choices to make. To stay in bondage or chose freedom at what cost? If they survive the plagues would they survive Pharoah's fury. How to escape from Egypt? Where would they go? How and what would they eat? Travel with Miriam and her family on this awesome journey. You feel as if you were there. This is my second book by Mesu Andrews and I was not disappointed. I look forward to her next book.I received a complimentary copy from Blogging For Books for this review.
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LibraryThing member Prekrasan
Initially, I was disappointed with the characters, especially Miriam - who seems very focused on herself and her relationship with El Shaddai - but then I realized that Andrews is actually doing a brilliant job of portraying Miriam like the Miriam in the Bible. From the little we read about Miriam
Andrews included a Bible verse to introduce each chapter, which I really appreciated. Unfortunately, Andrews quickly lost my attention. It was a struggle to read about a character that didn't seem to grow very much. Miriam was self-absorbed throughout the book, concerned with the loss of El Shaddai's presence - and everything else was an afterthought.
"Can you imagine losing your ability to see colors or taste the sweetness of honey? That's a shadowy glimpse at the loss I feel at El Shaddai's silence." -pg 72
In the very last pages, Miriam finally learns that there are other ways to sense El Shaddai - Yahweh - but by that time I was so thoroughly annoyed with her that it didn't matter too much.
Miriam was more on the historical side than the fiction side, which is probably why I didn't like it more. If you are really into history, you would probably enjoy it much more than I did.
Disclaimer: I received this book for free from Blogging for Books in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.
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in the Bible, she had her own self-interest at heart as well (which is why she was struck with leprosy). Instead of creating likable characters, Andrews presents them realistically - whether we like them or not.Andrews included a Bible verse to introduce each chapter, which I really appreciated. Unfortunately, Andrews quickly lost my attention. It was a struggle to read about a character that didn't seem to grow very much. Miriam was self-absorbed throughout the book, concerned with the loss of El Shaddai's presence - and everything else was an afterthought.
"Can you imagine losing your ability to see colors or taste the sweetness of honey? That's a shadowy glimpse at the loss I feel at El Shaddai's silence." -pg 72
In the very last pages, Miriam finally learns that there are other ways to sense El Shaddai - Yahweh - but by that time I was so thoroughly annoyed with her that it didn't matter too much.
Miriam was more on the historical side than the fiction side, which is probably why I didn't like it more. If you are really into history, you would probably enjoy it much more than I did.
Disclaimer: I received this book for free from Blogging for Books in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.
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LibraryThing member vintagebeckie
I chose Miriam by Mesu Andrews as a complimentary resource for my Bible study group, Faith And Fiction. A fictionalized account of a particular Bible story or figure is a great way to see the cultural context and to foster a more in-depth reading of scripture. My group looked at all three accounts
I had a slow start with Miriam, but as the story unfolded (especially during the plagues) I became much more engaged. It definitely is an intriguing look at a well-known Bible story that will make you look at scripture a little closer.
Recommended for fans of Biblical fiction.
Audience: adults.
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of Miriam in the Bible — her childhood encounter with Pharaoh’s daughter, her song of deliverance following the crossing of the Red Sea, and her grumbling against Moses’ leadership. The novel Miriam covers less than Biblical narrative — the time of Moses’ return to Egypt following 40 years of self-imposed exile, the plagues imposed by God on the Egyptians, and the deliverance of the Hebrew nation from the Egyptians. It was an interesting what-if that made our group think about what life was really like for the enslaved Hebrews and the impact the plagues had on their lives. Also included in the book are the interactions between Miriam, Aaron, and Moses. Andrews sets the stage of Miriam’s jealousy documented in the book of Numbers. There are also a number of characters, some mentioned in scripture and others purely fictional, that add color and depth to the narrative. While the book is not my favorite from Andrews, it does have wonderful spiritual messages which resonated with me — the urgency of telling people about God, the need to trust even when we don’t understand, and the powerful work of God through His people and nature.I had a slow start with Miriam, but as the story unfolded (especially during the plagues) I became much more engaged. It definitely is an intriguing look at a well-known Bible story that will make you look at scripture a little closer.
Recommended for fans of Biblical fiction.
Audience: adults.
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Original publication date
2016
ISBN
9781601426017