The story of Esther is one of the most beloved stories in the Old Testament of the Bible. The story involves a young Jewish girl who rises to become Queen of Persia around the 5th century B.C., and through her bravery subsequently became the savior of her people. It is a beautiful story that is as inspiring as it is dramatic, with a great deal of romance interwoven as well.

In her new book, A RELUCTANT QUEEN: The Love Story of Esther, author Joan Wolf brings a new, if not different, look at the love story between Esther and her king. Wolf introduces readers to young Esther while she's still living with her uncle Mordecai, an official in the court of the King. When rumors of an uprising that threatens the peace between the Persians and the Jewish people living in their land, Mordecai devises a plan that is risky but if successful could turn the tide in favor of the Jews.

The reader follows Esther through the elder's plea for her help, and her placement in a territory-wide contest to find a new wife for the ruling King, which she agreed to do never dreaming she might be picked. Through her introduction to the royal harem and the intense beauty regimens that prepared her for her introduction to the king, Esther cooperated as each day brought her closer to her fate. Well pleased with Esther's beauty and intelligence, the king chooses her to become his new wife, unaware that she is Jewish. This unrevealed fact sets into in motion Esther's ability to influence his decision on events that would save her people from destruction.

I love the story of Queen Esther, and I have quite a few books on this courageous queen. So, I was excited to see how Joan Wolf would present this story. While this is a well told story, I was disappointed in certain aspects of it. For instance, Esther didn't become "Esther" until she was taken to the Persian king's palace. Her real name was Haddash. A small, but important point to leave out. I also was disappointed in how her uncle Mordecai was portrayed as a scheming man who used Esther -- he was not depicted as such in the Bible. Picky things, but still facts are facts and should be honored as such when writing about historical figures.

That being said, A RELUCTANT QUEEN was well written and very interesting as a work of fiction, and hopefully will lead readers to learn more about this admirable woman who some say is the fore-runner of the feminist movement.