Carole Towriss's In the Shadow of Sinai ~ Reviewed

In the Shadow of Sinai
By Carole Towriss
Publisher: DeWard Publishing Company
289 pages
ISBN: 978-1-936341-48-1

Description:

Bezalel is a Hebrew slave to Ramses II. An artisan of the highest order,
Ramses has kept him in the palace even when all other Israelites have been
banned. Bezalel blames El Shaddai for isolating him from his people.  

When Moses and Aaron appear one summer, and El Shaddai shakes Egypt to its core, Bezalel must reexamine his anger. Over the course of the next year, Bezalel’s life becomes intertwined with those of an Egyptian child-slave, the captain of the guard, and especially a beautiful, young concubine.  

When spring arrives, all of them escape with the young nation of Israel.

But that’s only the beginning… 

Review:

When I think of the biblical Exodus, I envision the beaten down slave working in the brutal sun, struggling to survive. I’d never paused to consider those with high-ranking or prestigious positions … like Bezalel. With his artistic skill, Bezalel rises in prestige among the Egyptians, gaining the respect of Pharaoh himself, and yet, his gifting deprives him of what he longs for most—connection with his family and his people. Forced to work in the heat, the common slaves view Bezalel as a traitor. Trapped by his own gifting, Bezalel wonders if perhaps God isn’t as loving as some claim him to be. His emotions are complicated further when the plagues brought about by God—those designed to bring liberation—hurts someone Bezalel cares for. Through Bezalel, we experience the plagues—the questions, the fears, the doubts—not only through an Israelite, but through the Egyptians, as well.

The road to faith is never easy, and sometimes we must hit what feels like an impenetrable road block, but in this beautifully crafted novel of hope brought from despair, we realize it is in our times of greatest trials that God triumphs.

This novel grabbed me from page one, and I truly loved each character presented. Carole Trowiss’ writing is fresh and engaging, and stirred my thinking long after I finished the novel. You don’t need to love biblical fiction to enjoy this gripping story of redemption. Anyone who’s ever shook their fists at God, anyone who’s ever wondered how good could possibly come from their tragedy, anyone who longs to see God’s love prevail, will thoroughly enjoy in the Shadow of Sinai.  In the Shadow of Sinai is a beautiful novel of hope amidst despair, trust in the face of terror, and a love that binds. Debut author Carole Towriss turned a familiar story of liberation into an unexpected love story that resonates deep in the hearts.

Reviewed by: Jennifer Slattery