Ahoti: a story of Tamar : a novel

For Tamar, daughter of King David, the journey to adulthood is a literal and metaphorical one. After her oldest brother attacks her, she loses her position as court healer. Another brother, Absalom, imprisons Tamar, seeking to use her as a political pawn. Absalom's schemes incur the wrath of their father, forcing Tamar to flee the palace with only her maid by her side. Angry at her own powerlessness and dismayed by her family's actions, Tamar finds a place to disguise herself and hide, but war erupts across David's conquered territories. Tamar travels to her ancestral homeland, reuniting with her long-lost mother, but shocking news calls her back to the palace once more. Over the course of Everson and Vamosh's novel, Tamar realizes her own strength and self-worth, exploring her womanhood, spirituality, ambitions, and the realities of her world. She also learns to value the wisdom and care of others as she provides care of her own. Tamar's growth over the course of her journey is compelling and insightful, and her story will resonate with readers who enjoy women-focused historical fiction.

Vamosh (The Scroll) and Everson (The Ornament Keeper) put an empowering spin on the biblical story of Tamar, the daughter of King David. A respected healer in her father's court, Tamar is commanded to minister to her half-brother Amnon, a "beast of a man" suffering from a mysterious "illness" that was only a pretense to rape her. David refuses to punish him and, worse, it becomes clear that Tamar's brother Absalom helped orchestrate the rape to usurp power from Amnon, heir to the throne of Judah. Reeling from the assault and her family's betrayal, Tamar relies on her servant, Mara, and her father's benevolent advisers Gad, Nathan, and Mephiboseth to help her flee the palace. She strikes out on her own as a healer in the city of Abel, where she gains power and dreams of traveling to Geshur, the home of her long-banished mother Maacah. Vamosh and Everson's characters are made three-dimensional through evocative descriptive language (Amnon is "a scorpion quietly biding its time beneath a colorful tapestry"). The revisions to the original story--in the Bible, Tamar eventually dies "desolate" in Absalom's household--uplift, even if the propulsive plot leaves little room to develop her motivations. Still, it's a welcome and often gripping portrait of the unsung courage of a biblical heroine. (May)

For Tamar, daughter of King David, the journey to adulthood is a literal and metaphorical one. After her oldest brother attacks her, she loses her position as court healer. Another brother, Absalom, imprisons Tamar, seeking to use her as a political pawn. Absalom's schemes incur the wrath of their father, forcing Tamar to flee the palace with only her maid by her side. Angry at her own powerlessness and dismayed by her family's actions, Tamar finds a place to disguise herself and hide, but war erupts across David's conquered territories. Tamar travels to her ancestral homeland, reuniting with her long-lost mother, but shocking news calls her back to the palace once more. Over the course of Everson and Vamosh's novel, Tamar realizes her own strength and self-worth, exploring her womanhood, spirituality, ambitions, and the realities of her world. She also learns to value the wisdom and care of others as she provides care of her own. Tamar's growth over the course of her journey is compelling and insightful, and her story will resonate with readers who enjoy women-focused historical fiction. Copyright 2024 Booklist Reviews.

Vamosh (The Scroll) and Everson (The Ornament Keeper) put an empowering spin on the biblical story of Tamar, the daughter of King David. A respected healer in her father's court, Tamar is commanded to minister to her half-brother Amnon, a "beast of a man" suffering from a mysterious "illness" that was only a pretense to rape her. David refuses to punish him and, worse, it becomes clear that Tamar's brother Absalom helped orchestrate the rape to usurp power from Amnon, heir to the throne of Judah. Reeling from the assault and her family's betrayal, Tamar relies on her servant, Mara, and her father's benevolent advisers Gad, Nathan, and Mephiboseth to help her flee the palace. She strikes out on her own as a healer in the city of Abel, where she gains power and dreams of traveling to Geshur, the home of her long-banished mother Maacah. Vamosh and Everson's characters are made three-dimensional through evocative descriptive language (Amnon is "a scorpion quietly biding its time beneath a colorful tapestry"). The revisions to the original story—in the Bible, Tamar eventually dies "desolate" in Absalom's household—uplift, even if the propulsive plot leaves little room to develop her motivations. Still, it's a welcome and often gripping portrait of the unsung courage of a biblical heroine. (May)