Tessa Afshar's Pearl in the Sand ~ Reviewed

Pearl in the Sand
By Tessa Afshar
Published by Moody Publishers, Sept 1, 2010
ISBN-13: 978-0-8024-5881-0

Description

Can a Canaanite harlot make a fitting wife for one of the leaders of Israel? Shockingly, the Bible says yes. Pearl in the Sand tells Rahab's untold story. Rahab's house is built into the defensive walls of the City of Jericho. Other walls surround her heart as well—fear, rejection, unworthiness. A woman with a wrecked past; a man of success, of faith ... of pride; a marriage only God would conceive! Through the heartaches of a stormy relationship, Rahab and Salmone learn the true source of one another's worth ad find healing in God.

Review:

Pearl in the Sand, the story of Rahab the harlot who became an ancestor of Christ, delivers a very powerful truth within its pages: forgiveness, redemption, and the changing power of God. An unforgettable read, Novel Journey and I give a high recommendation.

Reviewed by: Ane Mulligan,
editor Novel Journey

Bonus Review:

Writing a book is daunting enough, choosing to write about a Biblical character ups the stakes even more. Debut novelist Tessa Afshar is more than up to the challenge in her beautifully rendered story of Rahab, the Canaanite prostitute named in the lineage of Jesus. Tessa acknowledges there is little known about Rahab and Salome, highlighting the Biblical references and encouraging readers to examine them, acknowledging her story is extrapolation. Her vivid storytelling brings the fall of Jericho into sharp focus, the fear of the Canaanites palpable as God's unusual plan unfolds as the Israelites march around the impenetrable walls. Rahab and Salome's love story is evocative and compelling while Rahab's journey from an idolatrous harlot to a believer in the one true God, is heartrending and inspiring. The spiritual threads are woven effortlessly throughout, from the consequences of Rahab's past and Salome's pride to the healing power of God's forgiveness and the hard reality of His justice. Pearl in the Sand is reminiscent of Tosca Lee's Havah and Francine River's Redeeming Love and I don't make such comparisons lightly. I trust this is just the beginning of many more books from such a talented author.

Reviewed by: Rel Mollet