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Rebekah: Women of Genesis (Women of Genesis (Forge))

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"Rebekah" tells the intimate life's story of the Old Testament woman of the same name: wife of Isaac, mother of Jacob and Esau. The woman who is so widely familiar to anyone who's ever attended Sunday school is also so little known. Orson Scott Card, acting as historian and believer as well as novelist, uses a few chapters from the book of Genesis as the jumping-off point in a quest to imagine the story of Rebekah's life. What did she go through that would eventually lead a real, flesh-and-blood woman to have the faith she had, but also to commit her famous deception of her prophet-husband by jockeying her favorite son into the inheritance in place of Esau, the rightful heir?

After "Sarah," the first in series-happy OS Card's "Women of Genesis" series, I had been a little disappointed. Card has long been trying to overcome his sci-fi fame to direct some attention to other genres like his religious-themed novels. He often does this by blurring the lines between the two, adding religious miracle to fantasy and science fiction on the spectrum of speculative fiction. However, even with such as "Stone Tables", he had succeeded brilliantly in showing he could drive a historical religious novel with no traditional sci-fi or fantasy theme with the same gripping character-driven plotting that has made his sci-fi novels so well-loved. Unfortunately, "Sarah" seemed like something of a misstep, where the good and happy characters were brightly delineated from the evil and miserable ones, at the expense of a compelling story. But be warned, anyone who has so far let the first episode's flaws prevent them from picking up Round Two. In "Rebekah," Card has regained his balance and is in top form again. This time, the bad guys behave pretty well and the good guys get pretty bad, everyone struggles, and any moral clarity has to be well-earned if it can be come by at all. Although the difference could be blamed on the source material, since the novels follow a mandate of at least loose consistency with the relevant passages from the biblical Genesis, there is still a clear distinction in choices made by the author. After all, "Sarah" avoided the most difficult, and juiciest, story opportunity by ending right before Abraham's attempt to sacrifice Isaac, while Rebekah's toughest moment in the afore-mentioned "switcheroo" is made to seem just a natural continuation of a lifetime of moral dilemma.

The issue of both biblical consistency and relative lack thereof is actually fascinating. Card takes some pretty well-justified creative liberties to fill in the quite substantial gaps the scriptures leave in the life-story of Rebekah, Isaac, and their various family, that form a rich source of surprising complexity in the family and character dynamics. Occasionally this comes in the form of fun feminist and otherwise irreverent retorts to the male-dominated Bible, but more often it takes shape as a much more convoluted background to explain the biblically depicted idiosyncrasies in this holy family. And I really mean convoluted; Card can rival "Memento" for the cleverness with which he sets up personal relationships and chains of consequences that obliquely dovetail in ways you suddenly realize were inevitable. Also clever is the consistency with which he addresses the prevalent theme of faith in a miraculous God from the point of view of the main characters. Anyone, regardless of personal beliefs, could read and enjoy the novel and accept that the characters' perception of divine action makes just as much sense as any character seeing the world through the lens of his own preconceptions. At the same time, Card paints a fair depiction of earnest believers and their honest morality and faith, that forms a more compelling and understandable explanation of Judeo-Christian faith than most literature explicitly intended for that purpose. Nevertheless, though Rebekah's God comforts, he does so sparingly. In "Rebekah" as often in life, there are no easy answers, no enemies without endearing qualities and family connections, and no loved ones without mutually inconsistent priorities and goals that are apparently insurmountable more often than not. For being based on a story so familiar, this novel is far above most from-scratch novels in suspending the reader's wonder in how things will turn out next.

This is the second of Orson Scott Card's "Women of Genesis" novels, each of which can be read independently of the others. (The others are "Sarah" and "Rachel and Leah.")

Card, who's a Mormon, uses the biblical story of Rebekah as a framework and creatively fills in the details. Once again, he has done an impressive job of making sense of some odd biblical scenes and has told an engaging story that is also spiritually nourishing. I wished, though, that Card had filled in more of the details. The book felt too sketchy in some places. And like Sarah in the first book in the series, Rebekah was, I thought, a little too easy to identify with. In her attitudes about gender roles, indentured servants, and such, she seemed too much like a time traveler from 21st-century America who'd taken Rebekah's place. The use of casual, contemporary diction in the dialogue added to this effect.

This isn't among my favorite Orson Scott Card books, but that's tough competition. I've enjoyed the "Women of Genesis" books enough that I hope there will be more in the series. I liked Card's "Stone Tables," a novelization of the life of Moses, even better, and I also recommend his "Saints," about one of the wives of Joseph Smith, founder of the Mormons.

Does anyone tell a Bible story as wonderfully as Orson Scott Card? I have loved every one of the Women of Genesis books. This one is my favorite.

Mr. Card takes plenty of artistic liberty with the Bible stories, but the characters he creates are truly memorable. Bethuel and Laban come to life. Rebekah, the motherless child and the fiercely devout mother-to-be of Israel, emerges both as magnificently noble and achingly human. Abraham and Isaace emerge as richly complex personalities that alternately aggravate and inspire. There are no Demigods here, but there are many admirable people doing the best they know how to cope with difficult conflicts, with tragic and heroic consequences.

There is no doubt that these people love and respect each other, and yet they torment each other because of the blindnesses we all have in dealing with those we love from perspectives that are inevitably colored (and clouded) by our own intense past experiences. Rebekah has practically worshipped the legend of her Uncle Abraham all of her life, but finds when she lives under his rule that he has his human frailties, and they cause her (and Isaac) great pain. She and Isaac discover their own frailties and insecurities (warranted and unwarranted), which cause significant pain to each other, to Abraham, and to their treasured sons. In so many instances, they repeat the life patterns they most wanted to avoid.

We see emerging, from all of this pain, the searing and purifying insights that God offers to us all as a refiner's fire, if we are humble enough and courageous enough to embrace them. Abraham, Isaac, Rebekah and Jacob have that courage. They do what they must when the crucial choices must be made, and forgive each other. In their sunset years, we find Isaac and Rebekah blessed with peace in each other's arms. That all husbands and wives might be so blessed.

and yet if anyone can, Orson Scott Card can. I was very impressed when I found the book one day in a drug store and bought it.

To write fiction based on the Bible is dangerous because it leaves one open to intense critism and also because God must then become a character. Card has done a remarkable job telling a real story of drama with characters who have real lives and motivations. He uses the Bible and yet shows so many new ways of looking at the events and the people.

His own theology must of course be in it, how could he tell a passionate story while ignoring the things that speak to him in it? I thought he did a surprisingly good job letting the theology be that of the characters and not his own. If you read books of this sort written by many evangelical-style Christians they will not allow any drama into the story- in trying to protect the prophets of God from critisism, they dry the wonderful stories up. Card is certainly a Christian, but it is almost not noticable in this and his other book so far in the series.

I think anyone can get something useful out of the book. Even if you don't care for the religious aspect, the qualities of the women in both stories are wonderful to read about. Card's women have passion, fire, but also a beautiful sense of duty and love.

I liked this book. Rebekah is someone I never really thought a whole lot about--other than I knew that she had tricked Isaac. This brings a new layer to her story. I agree that after the mother showed up, some things seemed phony, but I thought that Card did a good job of showing a family that has to deal with disabilities. First Rebekah's father is deaf, then Abraham's sourness & personality, and then Isaac's blindness.

Comparing this to the story of "Sarah" which I also liked, I think that many things are similar. Maybe that was the point in this book--many times it is remarked how similar Sarah & Rebekah were in dealing with Abraham and their families. I know that women in the time period didn't have much in the way of independence, but I would like to hope that some men allowed their wives to be free thinkers, and to have some independence.

I thought that Rebekah was just a little TOO perfect. She flies off the handle, and then after a few hours of thinking about her actions, is all sweetness and forgiving, and asks for forgiveness. Most people I know aren't that easy to get along with.

All in all, I thought this was a good book, and I can't wait to see who he writes about next.

Rebekah, Issac's wife, mother of Esau and Jacob...and a person in her own right! Card's Women of Genesis series (Sarah and Rebekah, so far) is incredibly powerful. It is reminiscent of Diamant's "The Red Tent", in that the women are strong and skillfuly rendered.

Did you ever wonder what it must be like to live in Father Abraham's family? Carry the burden of the birthright? Be a woman who, although you can read and write, never be allowed to see the sacred teachings? Read Rebekah.

This is not sci-fi, folks. I found myself marvelling after Sarah, thinking could this possibly be the same person who wrote the Ender series? After reading Rebekah, I ceased to question-I'm just glad the book was written. Read Rebekah, as a matter of fact, read the whole Women of Genesis series. I can hardly wait for the next installment.

Rebekah is best known as the wife of Isaac and daughter-in-law of Abraham, the father of God's chosen nation. Her story is found in the latter chapters of Genesis. She is a daughter of a landowner, named Bethuel and by a variety of circumstances, becomes responsible for most of the inner workings of her father's household. She is taught to read and write, which is rare for men and almost never seen in women. She boldly declines a marriage to a rich suitor and prays to be married to a man of faith...a man that worships the God of Abraham, and not idols. Even after God answers her prayer and she marries Isaac, life is not easy, dealing with her father-in-law and patriarch, Abraham and especially her sons, Jacob and Esau and the issue of the birthright and privilege of carrying on the stories of God's works. Rebekah, a woman who, by the day's standards should be meek and submissive, is strong, outspoken and is instrumental in God's work.

This is a very romantic story, filling in gaps of scripture with a plausible, everyday tale of a girl that is devoted to her God, her family and to her hope of being a strong woman in a man's world. The author paints a realistic picture of life in early biblical times. Marriages, politics, travel, customs. Rebekah is a true hero in that she follows God's will against the times, against powerful men and even her own family.
While conjecturing about a biblical character and "filling in the gaps" of their lives may seem risky (unyielding fundamentalism comes to mind), I find that the exercise of speculating about someone's life in ancient times can be educational and romantic, especially if done well, which this book seems to be. The situations and events (specifically those not written about in the Bible) that happen to and around Rebekah are realistic and seem to reflect the times.

The author, in his forward, opines that there is an inconsistency or two in scripture and he uses this "fact" to make his story flow. I find this a bit presumptuous, but also understand that some biblical facts, especially dry historical ones, can often be incomplete or misunderstood without knowledge of the history.

I would recommend Rebekah to those who have ties with Christianity, whether practicing or just curious, especially those that love to read a good, clean romance or hero tale. It is not meant to be a persuasive work that tries to bring the reader to convert to Christianity, but merely shows several characters' commitment and relationship with God.

Orson Scott Card is the author of several science fiction tales dealing with future earth and alternate pasts of North America. He focuses a lot of his creative energy into characters that are children or women. He does not disappoint. Rebekah is the second "Woman of Genesis" that he has studied, preceded by Sarah and followed by Rachel.

This is a very intriguing novel. I was raised roughly as a Christian and I knew the story of Rebekah and Isaac. I, however, never even thought what may have been going through the mind of the woman at the center of the story.

Card once again writes an insightful yet entertaining novel. I think Christains will find it quite enlightening (especially women) but I think non-Christains would find a lot to talk about after reading the story whether or not they have read that portion of the bible.

I highly recommend this novel and the rest of the series.

i haven't quite finished the book yet but this is the first time i have read anything that makes Biblical figures seem human. i'm not a really religious person but i do attend Catholic school but this was my first encounter with someone of Orson Scott Card's talent and writing style tackling biblical figures. before i never really pictured these people as having frustrations and real feelings because all i really know is from the Bible and textbooks and those are full of deadpan prose like, "God said to do this and so he did." this book gave Rebekah a soul i didn't realize she had, and her trials and frustrations are very real. but i must say i'm rather dissappointed with Isaac and Abraham, but only in their ignorant veiw of Jacob and Esau and who should get the birthright and things like that. i fully understood Rebekah's frustrations cuz i'm sure it felt like beat one's head against a stone wall. but Isaac desperately needs some self esteem!! but i can see how one could turn out that way with a father like his.

so overall it was very believable and very entertaining. i won't pretend to know how accurate it is but i though that it took an interesting look at the whole biblical story, especially by taking Rebekah's point of view! well i hope u enjoy it!!

I'd been waiting for Orson Scott Card to come out with a book that really has a woman at its center instead of a man. For all that he has chapters in many books from a womanly point of view, only Hart's Hope went so far as to push a female into full-force narrative, but that story centered on a male nonetheless.
With this new "Women of Genesis" series, Card explores the heroines of the earliest parts of the Bible. Begun with Sarah and continued with this book (Rachel is forthcoming), the stories are told in third person limited, with the titular characters as the narrators. Written with his typical clarity, Card does well to bring out difficult aspects of the tale clearly so that a modern audience may understand better. Card's notions of family dynamics are especially strong in this book, and that may be why I considered it a more rewarding read than Sarah.
Christians reading Rebekah ought to be warned that there are non-Biblical Mormon elements in it, but these are generally few and don't inhibit the narrative in the slightest. It's a mind-building challenge to go back to the Bible and compare stories, in any case.