Brave: The Story of Ahinoam

By: Andrews, Mesu

Book Overview

In the tumultuous world of ancient Israel, Ahinoam--a fierce and unconventional Kenite woman--flees her family farm with her dagger-wielding father to join the ragtag band of misfits led by the shepherd-turned-warrior David ben Jesse. As King Saul's treasonous accusations echo through the land, Ahinoam's conviction that David's anointing makes him Yahweh's chosen king propels her on a perilous journey to Moab, only to encounter hardship and betrayal.

Amid the unforgiving Judean wilderness, Ahinoam forges an unexpected bond with David's sister, Zeruiah. Through her Kenite metalworking heritage, Ahinoam gains respect among David's army, and the soldiers' wives offer friendship. However, scarred by painful past relationships, Ahinoam isolates to avoid new friendships and refuses to acknowledge her growing feelings for the renegade king. As Ahinoam's heart grapples for footing, King Saul's army closes in, and Ahinoam must confront the true meaning of love, loyalty, and courage. Is she brave enough to love Israel's next king?

Bestselling author Mesu Andrews presents a gripping biblical-era series, weaving a narrative of resilience and the transformative power of faith.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 076424261X
• ISBN13: 9780764242618
• Release Date: October 2024
• Publisher: Bethany House Publishers
• Length: 384 Pages
• Weight: 0.93 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.1" x 5.5" x 8.5"

Customer Reviews

Biblical fiction at its finest

"Sometimes we need to worship God even more than God needs our worship." Mesu Andrews is one of my favorite Biblical fiction authors and she's written great books. Brave tops them all. The author has outdone herself in her impeccable research and weaving of an unforgettable story infused with action, romance, and faith. And I love how Scripture is embedded into every chapter of the book so that I can follow along in the Bible and know God's Word while allowing the author's beautiful imagination to paint the scenes and breathe details into the characters. It's an immersive epiphany into King David's early years as a refugee from Saul. Truly I will never read these Bible passages the same way again. I honestly have never given a single thought to Ahinoam, one of David's wives and mother of Amnon. I have never given a single thought to the terrain or the places David and his men had to flee for all those years on the run from Saul. I actually have never thought about how David's men, though small in number as armies go but still a large number of people, survived. Now my eyes have been opened and I am awed. Through Ahinoam and David's eyes, we see how things might have been and who they may have been. Ahinoam is so real, with her insecurities, fears, doubts, and longings. David also shows his insecurities, fears, doubts, and inadequacies but also shows his compassion and thirst for justice. All these traits and emotions make David very human and relatable. I enjoyed seeing others like Gad, Zeruiah, Joab, and Abishai come to life. And above all, the goodness, faithfulness, and incredible power of Yahweh were on display and the necessity of praise and worship as core of our being was a powerful and poignant lesson not to be forgotten or forsaken. I am totally excited for the next book in the series where we will follow Maakah. Now I need to do an in-depth study of 1 and 2 Samuel as well as 1 Kings and 1 Chronicles. I received a complimentary copy courtesy of Bethany House via LibraryThing and JustRead Tours and was under no obligation to post a positive comment. All opinions are my own.

Compelling and Challenging!

A compelling and intriguing look at David's life while on the run from Saul, and that of the first wife he took in Hebron. A compelling and intriguing look at a time in David's life not often focused on in fiction, I liked how the author imagined that time on the run from Saul, and the possible reasoning behind him taking multiple wives, as well as the cultural landscape. Ahinoam is strong and stubborn, raised by a father abandoned by his wife she learned to wield the weapons of her father's trade. She is a young woman finding her path, she struggles with doubts and questions of worthiness in the face of her marriage to David and his taking on a another wife. The author did a great job navigating the difficult subject of David's multiple marriages, and while it was a little odd in my contemporary frame of mind of a Christian marriage, it did happen and he did have multiple wives, and there were consequences later on. I liked seeing David as a young man fighting for his throne, and becoming a revered leader among his men and his people. I also enjoyed his deep friendship with Jonathan. Overall, and excellent read full of intensity, faith, suspense, as well as parts that challenged me. The author did an amazing job, pulling from the text to create a compelling portrayal of Ahinoam and David during that time. A compelling read from beginning to end! I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.