Wisdom's Daughter: A Novel of Solomon and Sheba [Hardcover]

India Edghill (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 23, 2004

This is the tale of Bilqis, the Queen of Sheba, who rules the spice lands and bows before the will of the Goddess.

This is the tale of Solomon, the King of Israel and Judea, who built the golden temple to Yahweh in Jerusalem. Once he prayed that he might rule wisely.

This is the tale of Solomon's wives, of his concubines ... and of his daughter Baalit, more beloved than any son. Here are their voices, their mysteries, and their deepest secrets. Here they sing their songs and weave their tapestries.

As the queen's search for a true heir to her throne takes her to the court of the wisest man in the world, both she and the king learn how to value truth, love, and duty...and the king's daughter learns that not all the world is ruled by men.

Wisdom's Daughter is a vivid and richly textured rendition of the biblical tale of King Solomon and the Queen of Sheba. Told in a tapestry of voices that ring with authenticity, Wisdom's Daughter profoundly reveals the deep ties among women in a patriarchal world.

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

Like her previous novel, Queenmaker (2002), Edghill's latest fictionalization of an Old Testament story will appeal to the Red Tent crowd, both for its emphasis on the role of women in ancient Israel and for the author's ability to bring history to life. Edghill transforms a didactic fable, the story of King Solomon and his brief interaction with the Queen of Sheba, into a powerful love story of a man and the queen who won his heart. Rotating among multiple narrators-- including several of Solomon's 40 wives; his daughter Baalit; Bilqis, the Queen of Sheba; Solomon's war general; and Solomon himself--Edghill tells the story of why Bilqis came to King David's City and why Solomon lavished her with gifts and eventually gave her his daughter. Leisurely paced and focused on the wisdom of Solomon and the burdens of his reign, this atmospheric story is packed with political intrigue, illuminating the curious mixture of cultures and religions among the women of Solomon's court. Jennifer Baker
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Review

"A powerful and unique take on the biblical story, Wisdom's Daughter brings readers into the biblical world through a feminist perspective. Edghill's strong female characters, good and evil, leave their mark on history and on us. Edghill opens new vistas for readers and makes us think more about the matriarchs, not just the patriarchs, of the Bible. Brava!"--Romantic Times BookClub Magazine

 

"Vividly evoking ancient Israel and Sheba, Edghill deftly transforms the brief biblical account into an absorbing story replete with intrigue, love, and villains. . . . Persuasive and intriguing."--Kirkus Reviews

 

"Think The Red Tent, only much better."--Rocky Mountain News (Denver)

 

"Wisdom's Daughter will appeal to the Red Tent crowd, both for its emphasis on the role of women in ancient Israel and for the author's ability to bring history to life. Edghill transforms a didactic fable, the story of King Solomon and his brief interaction with the Queen of Sheba, into a powerful love story."--Jennifer Baker, Booklist

--This text refers to the Paperback edition.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 432 pages
• Publisher: St. Martin's Press; First Edition edition (September 23, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0312289375
• ISBN-13: 978-0312289379
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.3 x 1.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (14 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #897,902 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #100 in Books > Christian Books & Bibles > Literature & Fiction > Biblical Fiction

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

26 of 26 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Sumptuous historical novel set in King Solomon's time, October 17, 2004

By 

Joanna Daneman (Middletown, DE USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Wisdom's Daughter: A Novel of Solomon and Sheba (Hardcover)

I did have a chance to see the galleys of this novel before publication last year and even give an opinion or two back to the author, and I thought then that this book looked to be very promising. Now, reading it in published form, I think "Wisdom's Daughter" is even better than India Edghill's previous book "Queenmaker"--the story of Queen Michal, Saul's daughter and David's consort.

In "Wisdom's Daughter", Edghill recreates the court of King Solomon and of Bilqis, Queen of Sheba. The author poses an answer to the riddle of the reason behind the Queen's long journey from far-off Sheba to Israel. What were the questions she wished to have answered that were so perplexing? It is rare that a queen would travel for months away from her realm and offer riches beyond imagination for information! Some have speculated that, in the Bible "all she desired" was to have a child by Solomon. Edghill proposes a far more intricate answer.

The writing is stylized though not overly florid, as befits the subject, and the imagery is rich and colorful. The stories of the other queens of Solomon are as interesting as Bilqis' own; a Sword Maiden from Troy, a sorceress who charms snakes to peer into the future, a breeder of tiny dogs, a Northerner whose blonde hair and pale skin is considered exotic and a princess of Cush (Nubia) who is "black but comely" as the Song of Songs states.

Bilqis is joined by Baalit, the splendid daughter of Solomon. She is brilliant and wise enough to rule as a Queen, but in Israel, her brothers, who are by and large quite inferior to her, will succeed to the throne. Characters from "Queenmaker" also make a reappearance, so this novel is in a sense a continuation of the first book. Howver, it stands entirely on its own as a novel. Together, they are fascinating historical fiction, more in the mythical style than in the factual, and filled with romance and adventure. A fine, pleasurable read. Recommended for those who love historical or fantasy fiction.

12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A brilliantly imagined ancient world, December 30, 2004

By 

Rebecca East - See all my reviews

This review is from: Wisdom's Daughter: A Novel of Solomon and Sheba (Hardcover)

In Wisdom's Daughter, Edghill continues the saga of the women in the households of David and Solomon. Each of the wives and concubines emerge as memorable individuals. The author provides a strikingly original premise for the Queen's journey to the court of Solomon; my only criticism is that the ultimate outcome is predictable from an early point in the story, however, the lush descriptions of settings and the well developed characters more than make up for the lack of suspense. Some readers of her first novel (Queenmaker) objected to Edghill's depiction of King David; in this second novel, the primary characters are shown in a more sympathetic light. I was surprised to find how little is known about the real historical figure (the Queen of Sheba), and enchanted by the invented character in this book.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Sultry & Historical - Interesting perspective, July 31, 2006

By 

Lisa Davis - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Wisdom's Daughter : A Novel of Solomon and Sheba (Hardcover)

When I say that this book is sultry it is simply because it truly seems to bring to life the steamyness of love in Solomon's palace, the animosities between his many wives from various religions and cultures, and his slow-burning romance with the Queen of Sheba.

The history seems to me to be plausible and accurate, and straight off the author lets us know the exact biblical text which sparks her tale so as not to delude the reader as to what is fact and what is fiction. There are many tidbits about the unsettled living between the followers of Yahweh and those who worshipped other gods and even goddesses. I also gained a new insight into the politics of royal marriages as diplomatic manuevers.

What I found enjoyable was that the tale was at different points told from the perspectives of different characters: Solomon, the Queen of Sheba, Solomon's daughter, various of his wives, friends and leaders in the royal household. This led to an interesting play of deceptions, misunderstandings, hidden information, etc. which kept the ultimate plot twists and ending somewhat obscured from view, though not completely unpredictible. Much of this is told from the female point of view, which is refreshing in a world that was so dominated by men.

I admit that I finished this in 2 days as a summer read and didn't want to put it down. It was certainly more than worth the under $6 price I paid for it off of a bargain rack. I would recommend it to those who enjoy historical fiction, and in particular religious and Christian historical fiction. Similar books I've read would include Diamant's "The Red Tent" and to a lesser extent Wangerin's "Paul."