Amazon.com Review
Her name meant "date palm," and like her namesake, Tamar hoped to survive the harsh environment she was placed in: to bend but not to break. Rubbed with scented oil and arrayed in wedding finery, 14-year-old Tamar is thrust into a world of abuse, betrayal, and disillusionment when she is given in marriage to an evil, idol-worshiping man. In the face of her suffering, she must make choices: Will she let her new husband, Er, destroy her innocence and corrupt her? Will she leave the religion of the Canaanites and embrace the God of the Hebrews despite the life of misery she is cast into? Or will she fall into despair and become as wicked as her husband and his brothers?
Unveiled is the first in award-winning veteran author Francine Rivers' Lineage of Grace series of five novellas, which feature biblical women in the genealogy of Christ: Tamar, Rahab, Ruth, Bathsheba, and Mary. This dramatic retelling of the scandalous risks Tamar must take to ensure her place in biblical history showcases Rivers' ability to sketch a short vignette of an ancient character and bring her to life in the minds of contemporary readers. The twin themes of sin's consequences and God's redemption resonate throughout the pages of this engrossing novella. --Cindy Crosby
From Library Journal
In the first of five novels on the women of the Bible, Rivers (Leota's Garden) draws on the Bible's brief mention of Tamar to create a tribute to hope. Tamar is sold as a child to be the bride of Judah's oldest son, Er. When Er dies, Tamar believes that he was struck down by God for pride and arrogance. According to custom, she is given Onan, one of Er's brothers, as husband to beget a son in Er's memory. When Onan refuses her rights, he too falls dead. The third brother, Shelah, is deemed too young to be a husband, but when Judah promises Tamar a child when the boy grows up, she lives on hope for years. When she realizes that Judah has no intention of keeping his promise, she dresses as a temple prostitute and seduces him. After being threatened with death because of her disgraceful pregnancy, Tamar forces Judah to honor his promise. In return, she bears twin sons, Zerah and Perez, a forefather of Jesus. The different mores and customs of Tamar's time take some adjustment for a modern mindset, but a glimpse into what might have happened is worth the effort. Purchase where Rivers is popular.
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.
