The Prince and the Prodigal

Reviewed by:

Julie-Allyson Ieron, author/Bible teacher/worship minister
WomenCareForAgingParents.com

REVIEW INTRODUCTION

Title:

The Prince and the Prodigal

Author:

Jill Eileen Smith

Publisher:

Revell

http://bakerpublishinggroup.com/revell

Release Date:

February 2022

Format:

Paperback

Length:

363 pp.

OVERVIEW

This is the story of Joseph, fictionalized for a twenty-first century audience. The author does a wonderful job capturing the time and place and helping us understand an ancient culture whose customs seem absolutely alien to us today. At the outset I wondered how she would engage female readers with a strong heroine. She accomplished this by elevating Dinah (Joseph’s half sister) to become the young man’s confidante and friend within the family; elevating Tamar (brother Judah’s daughter-in-law, see Genesis 38); and giving Joseph’s Egyptian wife Asenath (Genesis 41:45) a few key scenes.
The challenge with biblical fiction, for even the most skillful contemporary author, is to remain true to Scripture while making the characters jump off the page. Of necessity, Jill Eileen Smith had to take liberties and make suppositions to make the story work. That said, she made me think of Joseph and his dysfunctional family situation in new ways, which made her story a worthwhile read.

ASSESSMENT

Rating:

4 out of 5

Suggested Audience:

Lovers of biblical fiction from teens on up.

Christian Impact:

This is a great summer vacation read. We already know the outcome if we know the Genesis account, so we can relax and enjoy engaging characters as they face their less-than-optimal life circumstances.

https://www.christianbook.com/

https://www.amazon.com/