 Author: Jill Eileen Smith Genre: Biblical Fiction Release Date: March 3, 2020 Love. Duty. Fear. Courage. In the court of the king, which will prevail? In an effort to complete a war his father had planned to win, King Xerxes calls every governor, satrap, and official in his vast kingdom to his palace in Susa to strategize and feast. When they finally leave, he decides on one more week of frivolity, which ends in the banishment of his favorite wife, something he never intended to do. But when he discovers Esther, Xerxes is sure he has a second chance at happiness. In her wildest dreams, Esther could never have imagined that she would end up as queen of Persia. Yet she knows better than to become complacent. Another of Xerxes' wives is vying for position, and his closest advisor has a deep and dangerous grudge against Esther's adoptive father. Caught in the middle of palace politics, Esther will find herself in an impossible position: risk her life or consign her people to annihilation.
 Reviewer: Beverly Laude I was raised reading and listening to Bible stories and have heard the story of Esther many times. Jill Eileen Smith has written a wonderful book that combines the story from the Bible with secular historical facts. Xerxes is the King of Persia but is not a very confident ruler. He is easily influenced by drunkenness and listening to advisors with their own agenda rather than making decisions that would benefit his people. His favorite wife, Vashti, is forced to either expose herself in front of Xerxes' men or be banished from the Kingdom, all because of Xerxes' other wife, Amestris, who is jealous of Vashti's status. After Xerxes banishes Vashti, he is heartbroken and once again listens to an ill-advised plan, which is another attempt by Amestris to gain favor. He rules that the most beautiful virgins in the country will compete in a contest to become his next wife. Hadassah (later called Esther) is a young Jewish girl living with her cousin, Mordecai, after the death of her parents. Mordecai works at the gate of the city and hides his religious beliefs from the King's men. After the King's edict to round up the virgins, he realizes that he has strayed from Adonai and should have found a husband for Hadassah. Instead, she is taken to the palace to vie for Xerxes' affection. Esther soon finds herself in the position of favorite wife, which the reader knows will bring about more tragedy because of Amestris' jealousy. Xerxes is again tricked into an edict that will have all Jews killed, which would include Esther and her family. As Mordecai says, "Who knows if you were made queen for just such a time as this?" If Esther dares to come before the King without being summoned, she could be banished or killed. But, if she does not go to him to plead for her people, they could all be killed. Esther, along with her family, prays and fasts to seek God's divine intervention. "She belonged to her Creator. The plans He had for her were for good and not for evil. To give her and her people a future and a hope." Even if the reader does not know Esther's story from the Bible, this is a wonderful book. Full of details of the times, the lavishness of the buildings and feasts, and the political intrigues that seem to plague all royalty, anyone who enjoys historical fiction should enjoy this book. And, for those who already know Esther's story, this is a wonderful retelling of her courageous life. This book was provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group (Revell) through Interviews & Reviews.  Reviewer: Amy Smelser I have read a lot of Esther retellings and have enjoyed pieces and parts of each one. I have really never considered Esther a romantic love story, though the Bible does say the king loved Esther. I guess it may be because I didn't care for King Xerxes and the way he handled his kingdom- let too many choices (big and small) be made by his advisors. And these choices carried with them some hefty costs. What made this story stand out? I liked how author Smith gave us the point of view of Vashti, the first wife, and queen, and what she may have been feeling and thinking. Here is a woman that is only briefly mentioned, and yet due to her one decision, she is banished from her husband. Esther then will eventually take her place. I have read some novels where she is evil, but not this one. I liked how her story is told in Star of Persia. She was more than a backdrop, she was a woman living in a tumultuous time, and though she was queen, she had her enemies. Then there was her husband... I also like the handling of Xerxes. Scripture does not paint him in the best light, nor does this story. In this story, we get to see the vices that actually catches him into a trap, and ultimately maybe due to this, he learns a little bit of a lesson? Overall I really liked this retelling with the historical background along with Xerxes and Vashti's as well as Esther's points of view. I received a copy of this novel from Revell through Interviews and Reviews. I was not required to post a positive review, and all views and opinions are my own.  Reviewer: Jill Jones I have always enjoyed Jill Eileen Smith’s wonderful imagination and attention to cultural details in her biblical history novels. In Star of Persia, Smith takes great liberty in the telling of Esther’s story. From Vashti’s rebellion to Esther’s rise, the Bible gives very little detail as to the reasons and motives of others who may have been involved. In fact, there is nothing to imply that anyone other than the King and his advisors is involved in the activities of the day. There is very little information given about the background of the characters. Smith adds drama with the addition of Xerxes’ mother and second wife. Her story is intriguing making me wish we knew the whole story. I know she didn’t take any additional liberties than she has with her other stories, but I’m not sure how I felt about this fictional version of events. I was looking forward to Esther’s story, but in some ways, it was a let-down. I can’t decide what it is, but it seems to have been a rushed story. I received a copy of this book courtesy of Baker Publishing/Revell, through Interviews & Reviews, for my honest opinion.  Reviewer: Mindy Houng Jill Eileen Smith is one of my favorite biblical fiction authors and I have loved every one of her books that I have read so far. Star of Persia is no exception. Rich in details of the time period, infused with historical accounts of Xerxes and his reign, supported by Biblical accounts from the book of Esther, and beautifully layered with fictional events, Star of Persia offers a unique look at what may have occurred behind the scenes as Esther gathered her courage to help her people. The story is told in several third-person points of view, mostly from Hadassah/Esther, Mordecai, Xerxes, and Haman. Surprisingly, Vashti has a voice at the beginning of the story and Amestris, Xerxes' other wife who is the mother of Darius and Artaxerxes, also has a voice. I've read other biblical fiction where Vashti is the mother of Xerxes' heirs but, apparently, historical accounts conflict on this matter. Xerxes' thoughts throughout the book made him more personal and down-to-earth, someone whom Esther probably knew and loved well. Portraying the biblical events through the eyes of multiple people helped the plot to bloom in full color. If you enjoy biblical fiction, you will absolutely love this book. Jill Eileen Smith has a gift for bringing the Bible to life. I received a copy of the book from Revell/Baker Publishing Group via Interviews & Reviews and was under no obligation to post a positive review. All comments and opinions are solely my own.  Reviewer: Camille Murray I enjoyed this retelling of Esther’s story. The historical details were very well researched, and the author includes some interesting points of view, including that of Haman. Some of my favorite things: Xerxes’s point of view was interesting. I enjoyed seeing the author’s interpretation of him as battling insecurity. I loved the historical details! The inclusion of Vashti’s viewpoint really brought to life the first part of the story. Some of my least favorite things: The portrayal of Mordecai as an uncertain man didn’t seem in keeping with the biblical account, and clashed with his suddenly “growing a backbone” later in the story. I also felt like the book was a tad on the long side for the amount of plot. Overall, it was an enjoyable read, and brought the story of Esther to life in a unique way. I received a copy of this book courtesy of Baker Publishing/Revell, through Interviews & Reviews, for my honest opinion.  Reviewer: Eva-Joy Schonhaar I've been a huge fan of Jill Eileen Smith's biblical fiction ever since I read The Heart of a King - and Esther is one of my favorite books of the Bible. So when I found out that Smith had written a novel based on the life of Esther, it instantly went on my 'to read' list. And you know what? It didn't fail my expectations! WHAT I LIKED:
WHAT I DIDN'T LIKE:
If you're a fan of biblical fiction, you definitely need to read Star of Persia (and all of Smith's other books). You're in for a treat! I received a copy of this book courtesy of Baker Publishing/Revell, through Interviews & Reviews, for my honest opinion.  Reviewer: Laura J. Davis If you enjoy Biblical fiction, you will love Star of Persia by Jill Eileen Smith. Her attention to detail and knowledge of the Scriptures shine through to bring the story of Esther to life. Smith has taken the well-known Biblical story of Esther and given us all the little extra details that "might" have been going on in the background. Palace intrigue and the danger involved to those who crossed the King are covered, but something I have never considered before was the story of Queen Vashti, whom the King banished from his presence. I've always wondered why she refused to obey him and now I know one possibility. The character of Amestris, mother of Darius (who would become King when his father died), was not mentioned in the Biblical account. Still, the author wove a backstory that provided intrigue and possible answers to Queen Vashti's banishment. The question of how Esther adapted to life in the palace was a credible tale, and I loved seeing the love both she and Xerxes developed for each other. I was glad when the author included what could have happened to her after Xerxes died since this is not addressed in the Bible. Be sure to read the author's comments at the end for even more detail on her research. And why some of the events mentioned in the Bible were not included in her story. Overall, I believe anyone who loves Biblical fiction or historical fiction, in general, will enjoy this book. I highly recommend it! I received a copy of this book courtesy of Baker Publishing/Revell and NetGalley for my honest opinion.  Reviewer: Jane Mouttet The story of Esther is one of my favorites, so I know the story fairly well. Jill Eileen Smith stays very close to the Biblical account of this story. She did consult historical records and includes information found there. I did not notice anything in either the plot or the characters that wasn’t a possibility, even if it wasn’t directly recorded in Scripture. Every fictionalized story of Esther that I have read lays out Esther’s life before the palace a little differently. Still, since the Bible doesn’t have much to say about that time, I look at plausibility. The story Jill Eileen Smith tells of Esther’s early life seems consistent with what I know of that period in Jewish history. Where possible, Smith uses the names of people in the Biblical account or historical accounts and spins a plausible back story for those she includes. I highly recommend Star of Persia to those who enjoy Biblical fiction. I would not hesitate to add Star of Persia to my K-12 Christian School library. However, some of the content is probably more appropriate for high schoolers and adults. I would probably note it for high school only. A copy of this book was provided courtesy of Baker Publishing/Revell, through Interviews & Reviews, for my honest opinion.  Reviewer: Abigail Harris My thoughts on the book: The fact a book is a Biblical fiction would normally stop me from reading a book, but I had to read this one. You see of all of the stories in the Bible Esther is my second favorite old testament book, it’s just so beautiful, Joseph is my favorite, Ruth is my third favorite. Now, if you’ve followed me long you may have noticed I rarely read Biblical fiction, because I want to make sure I know the true account of the story. Makes sense, right? But I have one weakness in Biblical fiction and that is Esther. I know the story well enough to keep facts straight from fiction. I read Esther several times a year. Now, the second reason I had to read this book is the cover. It has purple, my favorite color. Just so pretty, and I love it. For the story, I was happy to find a story that was accurate and showed a side of Xerxes that made me see him as more of a human. I’ve enjoyed reading Esther and Xerxes’ romance but at times it is hard to realize that Xerxes was only a man, a human like anyone else. What I was not expecting was to read from Vashti’s point of view, which was really interesting, and different and intriguing. As far as Biblical fiction goes I must say this is a one of a kind, lovely, and informative, yet interesting story. There is violence mentioned, backstabbing, and killing as well. I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from the author. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.  Reviewer: Raechel Kelly The account of Esther is a beautiful story of strength, courage, and obedience. Esther did what was difficult for the love of her God, her cousin Mordicai, and her people. I really enjoyed "Star of Persia" and its telling of this Biblical account. It is beautifully written and captivating, inviting the reader into its pages. The characters are all realistically written. It was easy to relate to Esther and even understand the King too. The entire story vividly came to life in my mind, and I loved to see what happened next, even though I know the Biblical account. Esther is written as a beautiful, gentle soul, and I really enjoyed her character. I do wonder if the Biblical Esther would've hesitated as much as the portrayal in this book did, but it was understandable. I've just always felt that Esther would've been of great faith to do what she had to do "for such a time as this," and to be honest, her relationship with God in this book didn't feel like it had a lot of depth. It was still present, of course, and the overall theme was good, but I didn't feel that spiritual connection, as I usually expect to see in Biblical Fiction. And I know God was never really mentioned in the Biblical account of Esther either, but He does show through it without His name being said. The author has a great way of weaving historical background into the story, and I would definitely say it is more in the historical fiction genre, with Biblical Fiction being second. Again, I thoroughly enjoyed this novel and found its story captivating. I look forward to the author's next novel! This book was provided courtesy of Baker Publishing/Revell, through Interviews & Reviews.  Reviewer: Lori Parrish
Once again, Smith has done a fabulous job with the story of Esther. She has a way of making the characters come to life and enables us to imagine living during the time of Esther. Her research into Biblical history is well done. I love detailed descriptions and all the wonderful characters that came with it. I consider Esther an amazing woman of her time, and it's because of her courage and love for the Lord that she's one of my favorite people. A perfect example for us women today. I believe that the Lord puts us in a certain place at a certain time. For reasons unknown to Esther, that's exactly what God did with her. I believe He done it to bend the king's ear, so to speak. This was a good story. One that I was really looking forward to, and it didn't disappoint. This book, y'all! It will take you back in time, and you won't want to come back to the present time. You'll want to be a part of Esther's family and King Xerxes court. Smith can make you sit on the edge of your seat, hold your breath, waiting to see what happens in the next scene. She can also make you want to read Esther's story in the Bible because you'll want to know how and where Smith got her idea to write this book. God's love is bigger than we can imagine, and this story, in my opinion, will help you come to understand how God uses and chooses people. Some can be people that we could never imagine or why He chose to use that person. Esther is the perfect example. It's not just men that God uses. It can be anyone. The only thing that I didn't like was jealousy that went on in the court. It's also here in today's world too. Not a good thing to have, and to that, I say welcome to the world of politics. Such a nasty business. It can lead to dangerous situations that can be averted, but you know how people are. They only want those things for themselves, and that's Satan at his best. The cover of this book! Just amazing how it already pulls you into the story even before you open the book. Too bad, there are only 5 stars. I'd love to give this book more because Biblical fiction is becoming a true favorite genre. I highly recommend it! There's nothing like a Biblical fiction book that I truly love. This story is proof of fact and fiction woven together perfectly. I received this book courtesy of Baker Publishing Group/Revell through Interviews and Reviews. Your comment will be posted after it is approved.
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