Asenath [Kindle Edition]

Anna Patricio (Author)

Book Description

Two Destinies...One Journey of Love

In a humble fishing village on the shores of the Nile lives Asenath, a fisherman's daughter who has everything she could want. Until her perfect world is shattered.

When a warring jungle tribe ransacks the village and kidnaps her, separating her from her parents, she is forced to live as a slave. And she begins a journey that will culminate in the meeting of a handsome and kind steward named Joseph.

Like her, Joseph was taken away from his home, and it is in him that Asenath comes to find solace...and love. But just as they are beginning to form a bond, Joseph is betrayed by his master's wife and thrown into prison.

Is Asenath doomed to a lifetime of losing everything and everyone she loves?

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Asenath is an intriguing look at an almost-forgotten woman of the Bible."
-India Edghill, author of Queenmaker

"The author has written an absorbing and well researched portrayal of Asenath, the wife of Joseph. The descriptions throughout the book were beautiful.  All in all a good read."
-Diana Wallis Taylor, author of Journey To The Well

"As vivid and colorful as an Egyptian tomb painting."
-Romancing The Book

"A wonderfully detailed glimpse at Egyptian society and culture."
-A Word's Worth

"Asenath is a beautifully detailed romance set to the stunning background of Egypt in its heyday of power, wealth and majesty."
-The Bookworm Chronicles

"Patricio.. has demonstrated a real passion for the historical fiction genre. Both Joseph and Asenath come to life in these pages."
-The Bookworm's Library

"Patricio writes with authenticity and compassion, but isn't afraid to show the dark side of human nature. The historical details are mesmerizing and the masterful storytelling will captivate readers."
-Minding Spot

"I could tell that the author researched her subject but Asenath was never a "dry" read."
-Bags, Books & Bon Jovi

"It's a well written novel..thought it very good."
-The Lit Asylum

About the Author

Anna Patricio is a lover of ancient history, with a particular interest in Egypt, Israel, Greece, and Rome. She is also intrigued by the Ancient Near East, though she has not delved too much into it but hopes to one day.

She undertook formal studies in Ancient History at Macquarie University. She focused mostly on Egyptology and Jewish-Christian Studies, alongside a couple of Greco-Roman units, and one on Archaeology. Though she knew there were very limited job openings for ancient history graduates, she pursued her degree anyway as it was something she had always been passionate about.
Then, about a year after her graduation, the idea to tackle historical fiction appeared in her head, and she began happily pounding away on her laptop. Asenath is her first novel.

Recently, she traveled to Lower Egypt (specifically Cairo and the Sinai), Israel, and Jordan. She plans to return to Egypt soon, and see more of it. In the past, she has also been to Athens and Rome.

Anna is currently working on a second novel, which still takes place in Ancient Egypt, but hundreds of years after Asenath.

Product Details

• File Size: 457 KB
• Print Length: 222 pages
• Publisher: Imajin Books (August 28, 2011)
• Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
• Language: English
• ASIN: B005JSMUV0
• Text-to-Speech: Enabled
• X-Ray: Enabled
• Lending: Enabled
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #26,481 Paid in Kindle Store (See Top 100 Paid in Kindle Store)

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful

3.0 out of 5 stars Diamond in the Rough July 16, 2012

By Rebecca

Format:Kindle Edition

Sometimes I hate reviewing books! When a book is great and I love it, the review is easy. However, if I don't love the book, the review is difficult. How do you point out the flaws without the author taking offense? I want my remarks to be constructive and honest but I don't want to offend. It would be so much easier if I knew the author personally.

I am going to be generous and give this a 3-star rating. Why? Growing up, my favorite Bible story was "Joseph of Egypt." He was my hero. I wanted to marry a man just like him. I even named my son after him. I never spent much time thinking about his wife. Because the author chose to bring to life the woman who stood beside my hero, she gets the extra star. I believe this story really could be a diamond in the rough.

Now, to the reasons I didn't love this book.

When the story began Asenath was very young. The writing very much reflected her age with its accompanying characteristics. However, the writing did not keep pace with the change in the character's age. Before Asenath's wedding she was still behaving like a teenage girl. There were moments I honestly thought I was reading the diary of a 16 year old--I longed to slap her. I wanted Asenath's maturity to be reflected in the writing.

I didn't need to be told that his eyes were hazel and olive nine times. Tell me once, perhaps even twice, and then leave it out of the description. For example, "The hues of his magical hazel-olive eyes glowed in the night..." (p 179) I already know from the previous descriptions what the hues are. Redundancy can really kill the flow of a story.

I felt at times that the writing was too modern. In a previous Biblical series I read, the modernization was not a distraction to me. However, and I'm not entirely certain as to why, this time I found it to be a huge disruption.

Additionally, I was confused by some of the chapter layouts. Often, jumps in time were not logically separated from the previous paragraph. It was like a huge "run-on" chapter. Give me a double space between paragraphs, a new chapter, or some other indication that we are moving on.

I wish this author the best and look forward to her future publications.

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Memorable characters, interesting plot, hard to put down November 11, 2011

By Crystal Fulcher VINE™ VOICE

Format:Paperback

When Anna sent me her request for me to review Asenath, I was intrigued by the story. I knew who Joseph was from Sunday School and Church but did not know of his wife. What I did not know at the time was I was about to begin a Bible Study of the Bad Girls of the Bible that would introduce me to a few other charcters from the story, Potiphar and Potiphar's wife (who does not have a name in the Bible, but obviously has a name in history). So I was even more fascinated when I began this book to know more of the players and the background in the story (and to know already that Potiphar's wife was a bad girl).

Now onto my review, I was entranced with Asenath from the first page. When Kyia (who will become Asenath) is abducted from her happy life I felt for her, but she manages to make a go of things. Then she is rescued, then things aren't happy when she is returned and she is taken to the city. Then things begin to look up for Kyia. I loved the short glimpses into her life. I think one thing I really liked about the book is it never gets bogged down too much by the daily things or in one period of her life. Ms. Patricio seems to set the scene for the period of Asenath's life, let enough of it play out to show what is going on, what is important and if there is something that needs to happen it happens then it moves on to the next point. This can also make it a little confusing, but I think she did a great job of breaking it up so the reader understands that it's now a few months or years later.

Asenath as a character is fascinating, she retains much of her peasant self even as she grows up in a High Preist's home. She still talks to servants and does not really see herself as above others which is a point of contention with her best friend and with her Father. But I think this endears her to the reader and it makes her romance with Joseph more believable as well. There are times I wish she was just a little more fleshed out, but I realize the author was covering a large time period with a lot of turmoil and action going on. Enough of Asenath's personality comes through that I like her and want to read more about her and will remember her for weeks after the book is finished.

The romance part of the book ups the ante of the book. It throws in romance of course but also some intrigue. I was completely captivated by this point of the book. I truly believed in the romance between Joseph and Asenath. It felt pure and good like a first love should. I also like how she begins to have some faith in his God. She does not stop believing in her own gods, but at times she will pray to the God of Joseph. I found this fascinating. As she grows older and things begin to be tougher I love how she never gives up on Joseph. At this point I did not put the book down from about halfway through until the end. I had to know what would happen. I love how the author finished it and I felt very satisfied with the ending.

Asenath is a completely satisfying historical read. I can't tell you much for historical accuracies as I am not a history buff, but it felt like things were right. I know the stories align with the Bible stories, and that things align with other Egyptian historical fiction I have read. I think Ms. Patricio has crafted a wonderful novel for the reader to enjoy. The characters are memorable, the plot moves at a good pace and the book is just meant for a wonderful afternoon of reading.

11 of 12 people found the following review helpful

3.0 out of 5 stars Imaginative historical romance September 6, 2011

By Debra

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

Ancient Egypt comes to life in this work by promising new novelist, Anna Patricio. The engaging main character holds your interest from beginning to end. Although some of the modern-day terminology seems jarring at times, the research for this historical novel mixes well with the action and dialogue. This is Asenath's story, not Joseph's; it is written from her viewpoint in a simple and straightforward style. Though we are never allowed into Joseph's head, his character is much as we might imagine from the Biblical account. The story has a freshness and sincerity about it that is appealing.

More About the Author

Anna Patricio is a lover of ancient history, with a particular interest in Egypt, Israel, Greece, and Rome. She is also intrigued by the Ancient Near East, though she has not delved too much into it but hopes to one day.

She undertook formal studies in Ancient History at Macquarie University. She focused mostly on Egyptology and Jewish-Christian Studies, alongside a couple of Greco-Roman units, and one on Archaeology. Though she knew there were very limited job openings for ancient history graduates, she pursued her degree anyway as it was something she had always been passionate about.

Then, about a year after her graduation, the idea to tackle historical fiction appeared in her head, and she began happily pounding away on her laptop. ASENATH is her first novel.

Recently, she traveled to Lower Egypt (specifically Cairo and the Sinai), Israel, and Jordan. She plans to return to Egypt soon, and see more of it. In the past, she has also been to Athens and Rome.

Anna is currently working on a second novel, which still takes place in Ancient Egypt, but hundreds of years after ASENATH.

For more information please visit www.annapatricio.blogspot.com