Sarah: Women of Genesis (Mass Market Paperback)

~ (Author) "Sarai was ten years old when she saw him first..." (more)
Key Phrases: House of Women, Lady Milcah, God of Abram (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

From New York Times bestselling author Orson Scott Card comes the finely crafted novel of Sarah, about a beautiful and courageous Jewish woman who changed the course of history through her faith, wisdom, and commitment to her husband, Abraham. As a man writing from a woman's perspective, Card nevertheless shows great perspicacity. Sarah's range of emotions is credible, including her fear as she pretends to be Abraham's sister in order to fool the Egyptian pharaoh Neb-Towi-Re, and her pain as she deals with her barrenness. Later, the kindness Sarah showers on Hagar, her personal handmaid, conflicts believably with her agonizing jealousy over her decision to let Abraham father a child with Hagar. Card's research for the book results in detailed descriptions that help make it memorable, from the practice of religion and styles of dress to the accounts of desert and city life. He succeeds in offering a memorable tale for both those who are interested in biblical women as part of their faith and readers who just enjoy a good story. --Cindy Crosby

From Publishers Weekly

Although Card's popular science fiction and fantasy have always been permeated with religious themes, this version of the life of Sarah, Abraham's wife, is more in keeping with his lesser known Stone Tables, a reconstruction of the life of Moses. In his afterword, Card explains that here he is not an apologist for the Bible, but rather "an apologist for Sarah, a tough, smart, strong, bright woman in an era when women did not show up much in historical records." He takes the tantalizingly rich references to Sarah in the book of Genesis and determines to bring her to life for his readers. This novel is not an epic volume rich in cultural and historical detail about ancient Mesopotamia, Canaan and Egypt. Its focus is more what Card does best: exploring human motives and relationships, and the role of faith in individual lives. The entire novel is told exclusively from the point of view of Sarah and her sister Qira, whom Card has created as Lot's wife. Qira is the blind, selfish materialist who cannot understand the kindness or self-sacrifice of the faithful who surround her and who chafes against her husband's authority. Sarah, by contrast, is a wise and virtuous figure who struggles to have the unflinching faith of Abraham, even though she glimpses God's presence in her life only rarely. The narrative is sometimes uneven, and the sprinkling of references to LDS theology may be awkward for the non-Mormon reader. Overall, however, this playfully speculative novel succeeds in bringing Sarah's oft-overlooked character into vivid relief. (Oct.)
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

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Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 352 pages
• Publisher: Forge Books; 1st edition (August 30, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0765341174
• ISBN-13: 978-0765341174
• Product Dimensions: 6.7 x 4.2 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (72 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #27,697 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

51 of 54 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A biblical tale, well told, February 13, 2001

By	Joanna Daneman (Middletown, DE USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 10 REVIEWER)    (COMMUNITY FORUM 04)

This review is from: Sarah: Women of Genesis (Hardcover)

The Bible seems to bring out hypersensitivity in people today (either they want to hear nothing from it, or it can't be touched as it is too sacred.) While the Bible is sacred scripture, the stories from the Bible are wonderful material for creating living, vivid stories.

This book reminds me of the out-of-print and rare Joseph and his Brothers by Thomas Mann, although much smaller in scope. Both books tried to put ancient life in the light of human behavior that is timeless. This is the novelistic trick that makes the characters come alive with drama and realism. Sarah is a Bible figure with many sides that are hinted at in scripture; the conflict with Hagar, her long and difficult period of infertility (a total tragedy in her society) and her marriage to the powerful Abraham. The side story of Lot is also wonderfully fleshed out.

Orson Scott Card always creates memorable characters, especially woment characters, and this book is immensely enjoyable.

27 of 27 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars If you think you know O. S. Card, you are in for a surprise!, October 11, 2000

By	Edith S. Tyson (Warren, Ohio United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Sarah: Women of Genesis (Hardcover)

If you think that Card is just a science-fiction or fantasy writer, this book will set you straight. He takes the story of Sarah, wife of Abraham, and give it fictional, but balanced treatment; that is, all the heroes and heroines are still heroes and heroines, and miracles do happen. But, Card is no Biblical Literalist; he assumes that stories can be garbled or told twice (for example, it is only once, in this book, that Abraham claims that Sarah is his sister.)It is like reading Genesis with new eyes; as if an old dirty picture had been cleaned, and you see details you never saw before. Give it a try, and prepare to be delighted. This is Card's best, up to now.

49 of 54 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Artful Storytelling, January 2, 2001

By	Jennifer Shoup "jennifer_shoup" (Scotts Valley, CA United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Sarah: Women of Genesis (Hardcover)

No matter what genre he chooses, Orson Scott Card can't seem to write a bad novel. Biblical fiction isn't a "hot" topic, but after reading "The Red Tent" by Anita Diamont, I was curious as to how one of my favorite sci-fi authors would approach such a story.

The story of Sarah and her husband Abraham is one I half-heard about in Sunday school as a child. Orson Scott Card brings it vividly to life so that the characters become more than just biblical figures, but real people with real lives, real doubts, and real faith. The book does start slow, but as I read on I found myself appreciating Card's ability to take time with the everyday aspects of Sarah and Abraham's lives rather than focusing entirely on the dramas and miracles of biblical proportion.

Regardless of whether or not you agree with Card's basic religious assumptions or his interpretation of Sarah and Abraham's story, this book is still a great example of Card's artful storytelling at its best.