In Feast or Famine

by Mesu Andrews

Book Overview

Thrust into an arranged marriage, the daughter of ancient Egypt's high priest plays a pivotal role in Joseph's biblical narrative in this powerful novel from the award-winning author of Potiphar's Wife.

After four-year-old Asenath's mother is murdered by Egypt's foreign rulers, the child is raised to be a priestess by her overprotective father--high priest of Egypt's sun god. For fifteen years, Asenath is sequestered in the upper...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0593193784
• ISBN13: 9780593193785
• Release Date: May 2023
• Publisher: Waterbrook Press
• Length: 448 Pages
• Weight: 0.90 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.4" x 5.4" x 8.1"

Customer Reviews

gripping story of Joseph and Asenath

"Elohim meets us in our pain." This book is very different from the other biblical fiction I've read centered around Joseph. It's largely a fascinating look at Egyptian culture and its political climate during Joseph's imprisonment through his reunion with his family during the famine. Betrayal and deception lie in wait at every turn but Elohim's love and grace triumph over man's evil and scheming. I've often wondered about Asenath, how and why Joseph would have married the daughter of an Egyptian god's priest, and Joseph's confusing reaction to his brothers when they come to buy grain. Mesu Andrews weaves an enchanting and captivating story to address these wonderings and so much more. Told in Asenath's first person narrative as well as Joseph and Potiphera's third person voices, the book will draw you in from the first page and leave you pondering about God's incredible love and what true forgiveness means. This book is a flawless extension of the first novel in the series (Potiphar's Wife). I loved connecting with Potiphar, Pushpa, Ahira, and Hami from the first book; the numerous surprises in the plot kept the story moving at a fast clip. Joseph, though a follower of Elohim, is just a man trying to forget his ugly past and move on with his blessings but also weighed down by responsibilities. Asenath is a stubborn, spoiled, emotional, impulsive, manipulative child at the beginning but matures with faith and motherhood. Joseph and Asenath traverse the entire gamut of human emotions but always find their grounding in Elohim, often helping each other to do so. It was a great example of what a marriage based on faith looks like. I received the book from WaterBrook Multomah via NetGalley and was under no obligation to post a positive comment. All opinions are my own.

Another winner by Mesu Andrews!

In Feast or Famine is a beautifully raw tale of love and destiny. Joseph and his bride are from two very different worlds yet work together to show Yahweh's grace and mercy to all those around them. This maybe Mesu's finest work yet. The characters are completely relatable: flawed humans in the hands of à perfect God, while living under despicable and oppressive rulers who didn't/don't know our God. In short, this book was epic, and I can't wait to see what Mesu writes next! I received a complimentary e-book from the publisher through Netgalley and was not required to write a positive review although it was my pleasure to. The thoughts above are my own. Trigger Warnings: a character was formerly falsely accused of rape, and is found innocent. A character blackmails another repeatedly by threatening to let them be abused. Brief mention of scantily clad Egyptian dancers, and of women wearing dresses/robes as sheer as butterfly wings. (True to historical record.) I definitely recommend this book, just not for young readers.

I've waited for this, and it was so worth it, as it is sooo good!

This is a review for In Feast and Famine, book 2 in the Egyptian Chronicles series by Mesu Andrews.  I would recommend that you read book 1 Potiphar's Daughter, which was an amazing book, first, and you can see my review for it on my Facebook page as well.  In reading this book, In Feast & Famine, I actually felt transported to the era, and felt as I was watching this story unfold right before my eyes, and very few books have had that effect on me!  The detail in the story was incredible, and you could tell Mesu did her research, and had an immense grasp on that period of history, which made it exciting and so easy to follow.  I fell in love with the returning characters in book 1, and I loved reading the continuation of Joseph, Ahira, Potiphar, and Pushpa's stories, but loved meeting the new characters Asenath, Pharaoh Yanassi , and even the wicked Potiphera.  This story transported me to Egypt during the Biblical times of Joseph, and I thought Mesu Andrews again weaved a beautiful, exciting, and unpredictable book with a true story in the Bible and her amazing storytelling gift.  I really loved this book, give it 5 out of 5 stars, and hope you will read it, as it is an amazing and wonderful story!! The story begins with the biblical character Joseph, the great grandson of Abraham, the father of the Hebrews, at the end of his prison sentence, and who is eventually let out of prison to fulfill the call on his life that Elohim revealed to him many years ago through two dreams. He ends up becoming second in command to Pharaoh, after being sold into slavery by his own brothers, then wrongly accused by Captain Potiphar & his wife, whom he served faithfully and with great integrity.  But Elohim kept His promise to Joseph by helping him interpret dreams of the baker and wine taster, and then helps him eventually to interpret a dream for Pharaoh himself, which reveals that there will be 7 years of plenty and 7 years of famine. Pharaoh recognizes that God is with Joseph, and so he puts him in charge of preparing all the food supplies for the entire 14 years. Then we meet Asenath, the priestess, and who has been trained to believe she will one day become Isis incarnate, which is one of Egypt's gods. She has been trained by her father, Potiphera, who is a high priest of the Egyptian god, Ra, and who has a dream of healing Egypt by disposing of those who are not of pure Egyptian blood by marrying her priestess daughter with a pure-blooded Egyptian king.  He schemes and manipulates many, including his own daughter, to accomplish his purposes, but he decides that Joseph, who was given the name Zaphenath-Paneah by Pharaoh Yanassi, is his enemy because Pharaoh gives his daughter Asenath to Joseph, and that ruins all his plans.  So he tries to thwart Joseph at every turn, and causes much damage along the way! After Joseph interprets Pharoah Yanassi's dreams, and is put in charge, the Pharaoh declares that Joseph will make Asenath his wife, and when Pharaoh speaks, there is no choice in the matter.  Joseph seeks Elohim, because his heart belongs to his long time love, Ahira, who is from his people, and who was also a slave in Egypt.  He planned on marrying her, so he doesn't want to marry Asenath...but God had other plans for Joseph.  Joseph seeks Elohim, and Elohim lets him know that Asenath is the one he has chosen for Joseph.  Asenath is given to Joseph in marriage, but because she has no choice in the matter, and because she is being completely manipulated by her father, she doesn't trust Joseph at first, and Joseph doesn't trust her, but God has a way of changing hearts and you will have to read the story to find out what happens to Joseph and Asenath, and if Potiphera is successful in coming between them, and what happens to Ahira! It's really an amazing story that I didn't want to end!! So, as I said, I loved this book, and Mesu Andrews continues to be one of my favorite Biblical fiction authors, and I highly highly highly recommend