The Prince and the Prodigal - Jill Eileen Smith

Jill Eileen Smith is well known for her novels about Bible characters and her latest volume shows why her book sales have reached over 400,000 copies. The Prince and the Prodigal tells the story of Joseph and also follows his older brother Judah who tries to make a new life and forget about his role in the evil done to Joseph. 

Something I really like about good novels set in Bible times is the way they encourage me to think about a well-known Bible story differently. In this case, the early part of the book made me think much more about Joseph’s brothers and the reasons why they hated him, while the part following Judah caused me to look up his story  as I’d not really taken it on board before.

 

The author has a real ability to create a sense of place with her descriptive writing, and her characters spring to life off of the pages. Highly recommended for any fan of Biblical fiction, and a superb introduction to anyone who hasn’t dipped a toe into this genre before.

9780800737634, Revell, out now

Note: for transparency, I was sent an advance copy of this book, but I was not required to write any specific or favourable review. All views herein are my own.