Star of Persia

Esther's Story

By: Jill Eileen Smith

Narrated by: Leah Horowitz

Length: 10 hrs

Publisher's summary

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's 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.

With her impeccable research and her imaginative flair, Jill Eileen Smith brings to life the romantic, suspenseful, and beloved story of Esther, queen of Persia.

©2020 Jill Eileen Smith (P)2020 Recorded Books

wonderful story

characters, story and inspiration during a time of heavy discouragement, then and now, summer 2020.

Fantastic story.

It is amazing how you are able to feel like you are part of this world. The problems they had to face seems like the world today with all that is going on now.

A Vivid and Accurate Portrayal of Queen Esther

The BOok of Esther is one of my absolute favorite Biblical accounts: a book that does not even mention God's name but that vividly displays his handiwork.

Hadassah lives with her cousin Mordecai and his wife, who adopted her when her parents died. They live in Susa in the Persian Empire, ruled by the capricious, pleasure-seeking but ultimately vulnerable King Xerxes. When Xerxes first wife, Vashti, refuese a to comply with a royal summons, she is banished, and virgins are sought for the king's harem. A new queen will be chosen to take Vashti's place. Hadassah is forcefully taken from her home and heritage, ruthlessly thrust into an opulent but treacherous environment. Has God abandoned her? Why is she now bereft of all she has known? Will she have influence over Xerxes and be able to navigate the palace intrigue and treachery that surround her?

Jill Eileen Smith has crafted a vibrant piece of Biblical fiction. Hadassah, (renamed Esther), is magnificently portrayed. Her fear, warmth, faith journey and ultimate courage are beautiful. I also loved Smith's portrayal of Mordecai, showing him as a man who learns to express his faith instead of hiding it. King Xerxes is portrayed as a dynamic, often frustrating but vulnerable and likable man. We see him both as a man of weakness but also able to make good decisions when it counts. I also love that Smith portrays Queen Vashti in a positive light. So many retellings do not address her at all, but she is a prevalent character, at least in the beginning of this book. Haman, (the villain), is also portrayed well. The author does an adequate job of portraying his pride and quest for vengeance. I love that Smith incorporates the centuries-old struggle between the Jews and the Amalekites, illustrating a deeper reason for Haman's grudge. Most inportantly, this novel portrays God's silent work behind the scenes to place people in the right places at the right times. I loved that Smith showed how Esther's kindness had such a profound effect on seemingly insignificant people like her maids, her attending eunuch Hathach, and the keeper of the harem, Hegai. This aspect of the story served as a reminder to me that even the smallest actions and the attitudes we display towards others can make huge differences.

Leah HOrowitz is an amazing narrator. She brings all the characters vividly to life. I especially loved her portrayal of soft-spoken Esther, wise Mordecai, volatile Xerxes, one of the king's conniving wives, and the suave, insidious prideful voice of Haman. Horowitz is a very talented narrator, and I have loved listening to several books performed by her.

I thoroughly recommend Star of Persia. It is a book that speaks of hope in the midst of darkness, a book that does not deny life's ability to disappoint, but also a book that portrays God's work when he seems to be silent.
Happy listening, and God bless you all.

Amazing!

For the longest time I struggles with the way Vashti presented in movies and some stories. There was a reason why she was the "beloved". This book has captured my very thoughts about how she could have really been. This whole story was wonderfully thought out.

Distracted by wrong pronunciations

The narrator pronounced some words so wrong it was quite distracting. She said “eye-ma” when it should have been “ee-mah” for the Hebrew name for mother. Also “Da-rye-us” instead of “Dar-yuhs”. Shouldn’t narrators have guidance on these words? And “Vash-tie” instead of “Vash-tee” was so irritating, listening to her say it hundreds of times. I was really looking forward to this story, but I gave up…. Her voice was quite lovely, but the wrong words were too much. What a shame….

Hope

An overall wonder story and well narrated. A book to be shared with many. Thank you!

Well performed good tone of voice and intonation

Loves the way the story was written and developed. Enjoyed the performance, made easy to follow the story

wonderful!

Jill does an amazing job giving you an insight into what most likely was during this time. I always find myself going back and reading the Bible multiple times while reading her books. they are all fantastic!

Beautiful Rendition

Wow, just wow!!!
This is such a beautiful rendition of a story I've so often read. Even Xerxes is seen through the eyes of the women who loved him, Vashti and Esther/Hadassah. I think this is the first story to put real meat on the bones of Vashti's story. Amestris was indeed Xerxes' wife and reputedly just a scheming! The Narration by Leah Horowitz was very tenderly read. Hearing about the loving family Esther grew up with is absolutely wonderful!!

Enjoyed as usual but not as much

I know the story of Esther well so I was surprised when it seemed a little different from how I thought the story went. For that reason, I didn’t enjoy it quite as much as the others books I’ve read from Jill Eileen Smith.