Jezebel

A Novel

By: Megan Barnard

Narrated by: Perdita Weeks

Length: 8 hrs and 40 mins

Publisher's summary

Jezebel. You’ve heard the name. But you’ve never heard her story.

"Historical fiction at its finest," (Louisa Morgan) this propulsive novel is a stunning reimagining of the story of a fierce princess from Tyre and her infamous legacy

Jezebel was born into the world howling. She intends to leave it the same way.

When Jezebel learns she can't be a king like her father simply because she’s a girl, she vows never to become someone’s decorative wife, nameless and lost to history. At fifteen she’s married off, despite her protests, to Prince Ahab of Israel. There, she does what she must to gain power and remake the dry and distant kingdom in the image of her beloved, prosperous seaside homeland of Tyre, beginning by building temples to the gods she grew up worshipping. As her initiatives usher in an era of prosperity for Israel, her new subjects love her, and her name rings through the land.

Then Elijah, the prophet of Yahweh and her former lover, begins to speak out against her. Bitter at having been abandoned by Jezebel, he lashes out, calling her a slut. Harlot. Witch. And the people, revering their prophet’s message, turn on her.

As ancient powers and faiths are pitted against each other, bloodshed descends on Israel and Jezebel faces the fall of her legacy. Determined despite the odds to make Israel a great nation, she must decide how far she's willing to go to protect her family, her throne—her name. A stunning revision of a notorious queen’s story, Jezebel is a thrilling lyrical debut about a fierce woman who refuses to be forgotten.

©2023 Megan Barnard (P)2023 Penguin Audio

Critic reviews

"Welsh actress Perdita Weeks gives a spirited performance as Jezebel, the infamous Old Testament queen of Israel.... Weeks captures Jezebel's imperious nature and sense of entitlement with a haughty accent. Yet she also imbues Jezebel with warmth and humanity; when Jezebel speaks of her children and her loyal friends, Weeks's voice softens to match the mood.... Vividly narrated, this novel will dazzle many listeners." (AudioFile)

“Rich with historical detail and a fresh and convincing perspective…Like so many strong women, Jezebel is loved, feared, and hated, especially by the men she rules. Megan Barnard's Jezebel is also strong, determined, and resourceful…historical fiction at its finest." – Louisa Morgan, author of A Secret History of Witches

"[A] stunning first novel...A riveting story reinforcing the notion that there are two sides to every story. Barnard’s eloquently written debut is perfect for fans of Madeline Miller’s Circe or The Song of Achilles." – Library Journal, *starred review*

"Ambitious...a provocative concept." – Publisher's Weekly"

Captivating!

This audio book was beautiful from beginning to end. Thank you Perdita Weeks for making it feel like I was watching the movie!

This should be a film!

I enjoyed the story behind the name! Listening to the narrator was captivating. I hope Barnard continues to write. I need a sequel!

Refreshing Female Perspective!

If you like books like Circe and Clytemnestra, this one is for you with a biblical twist! The performance was phenomenal and I thoroughly enjoyed to hear a female perspective on a history. I had some story notes but overall really loved it and couldn’t stop listening!

Perdita rocks the narration & loved the story

Fun, interesting listen and I adore Perdita's voice! Glad I chose this one and could see myself re-listening to this one in the future!

Wow!

This is excellent! Loved the story, and Perdita Weeks is one of my favorite narrators. So good.

perdita tells the story

the story is good. the story teller is better. highly recommend circe read by perdita.

Great story, wonderful narrator!

loved the story and the details. A narrator makes or breaks a book purchase for me, I loved this one.

Perdita makes this story shine

A great story made better by an amazing narrator. I found this story because of my love for listening to Perdita from “Circe” by Madeline Miller. In these really frightening times where women are on the brink of becoming nothing but white noise in the scheme of powerful men, it is always refreshing to hear a tale of a “fallen woman” from an angle not designed by men. Jezebel is not a wholesome, “good” character, but she is a woman and a royal who cared and hated just like all of us. I really appreciated the nuances of the relationships, especially between the women, and also between the priestesses and male prophets. I will absolutely be reading it again.

Best narrator anywhere

Like another reviewer said, I came for Perdita Weeks and stayed for the story. If you enjoyed Circe, you'll love this reimagining of the story of Jezebel. I didn't really know the biblical story but that didn't interfere with my enjoyment of it. Richly told, relatively fast paced.

“A tale from a different perspective”

I’ll say this…As a Christian reading this tale was a little taboo for me but once I got into the story, I could really empathize with the story’s character of Jezebel not the real Jezebel we all know from the Bible. All she wanted is to be remembered throughout history after she had gone from the world. It’s interesting to know a story from a different perspective because none of were alive back then. I think the main theme of this book is telling us what goes on in a world dominated by men. Back then women weren’t seen as rulers and thus only seen as heir bearers. I think women deserve the right to rule as much as men, however, yes by tradition a man’s name should be passed down to his children but that’s just my opinion. Overall, I rather enjoyed this novel and hope Megan writes another!