The drama of the Old Testament comes to life as Judah’s most notorious king ascends to the throne in this gripping novel from the award-winning author of Isaiah’s Daughter. At eight years old, Shulle has known only life in a small village with her loving but peculiar father. When Uncle Shebna offers shelter in Jerusalem in exchange for Shulle’s help tutoring King Manasseh, Judah’s five-year-old … tutoring King Manasseh, Judah’s five-year-old co-regent who displays the same peculiarities as her father, she’s eager to experience the royal court. But Shulle soon realizes the limits of her father’s strict adherence to Yahweh’s Law when Uncle Shebna teaches her of the starry hosts and their power.
Convinced Judah must be freed from Yahweh’s chains, she begins the subtle swaying of young Manasseh, using her charm and skills on the boy no one else understands. When King Hezekiah dies, twelve-year-old Manasseh is thrust onto Judah’s throne, bitter at Yahweh and eager to marry the girl he adores. Assyria’s crown prince favors Manasseh and twists his brilliant mind toward cruelty, beginning Shulle’s long and harrowing journey to discover the Yahweh she’d never known, guided with loving wisdom by Manasseh’s mother: Isaiah’s daughter, the heartbroken Hephzibah. Amid Judah’s dark days, a desperate remnant emerges, claiming the Lord’s promise, “Though we’re helpless now, we’re never hopeless–because we serve El Shaddai.” Shulle is among them, a girl who becomes a queen through Isaiah’s legacy.
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I have enjoyed every book that I’ve read by Mesu Andrews and this is no exception. At first, I was not sure I was going to like the book but after just a few pages, I could barely put it down. It draws you into the Biblical times of the reign of King Manassah. The main characters were very well developed and felt like people you might actually know.
The story flowed very well and covered a lot of history. Even with all the historical facts in the story, it did not feel like a history lesson, it made for a very interesting look at the era. But, even though it wasn’t a lesson if you didn’t learn something you were just skim-reading. The scenes unfolded in a very vivid way most of the time.
The editing was well done also. Poor editing can ruin an otherwise great book. I only remember two very small errors that did not detract at all.
I enjoyed the book which I received through Netgalley. I am not required to give any review at all, especially not a good review. This review is freely given and my own opinion. I give the book a 5 out of 5-star rating. I would recommend this book to my friends. I read an ARC ebook.
“Will you remain chained to your limited understanding?
I gasped at the question, realizing it wasn’t my own. I’d thought all my chains gone, but silken tethers of my control still bound me. Frantic for wisdom, hungry for knowledge, I tried to arrange the pieces of my broken world into a semblance of peace.”
Mesu Andrews has written another fictionalized account based on Biblical truth. The story of King Manasseh and his wife, Meshullemeth (Shulle). I gained insight into culture that I don’t know much about. She also wove in some very interesting possibilities as to where certain characters motivations came from. I highly recomment this Isaiah’s Legacy as both a way to strengthen and increase your knowledge of Bible history, and to make you think more deeply about who the people in the Bible actually were.
*Note: I received an Advanced Reader Copy of this book from the publisher. A positive review was not required and all opinions expressed are my own.
This is the first book I’ve read by Mesu Andrews and I really enjoyed it. This is the third book in Prophets and Kings series, but I didn’t feel I needed to read the other books first. It is evident the author did much research in writing this book. The author weaved words the made the Old Testament come to life for me. While I enjoyed the book and felt it was accurate in it’s descriptions, also alludes to a dark time as shown through evil doings that some may not like reading about.
I gave this book 4 stars.
I received this book from the publisher. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
The depths that the author takes readers to is phenomenal. Each word echoed in my heart and the story unfolded. I love reading Biblical stories that capture the truth and take me back in time. I didn’t know much about King Manasseh until this book brought his story to light. Tucked in the pages of the Bible was a King that many feared and was the essence of darkness surrounding them.
It is interesting to note that Manasseh was autistic and people had a hard time relating to him. He had a desire to be accepted and I think that became his downfall towards an evil path. The story is dark and at times hard to read, but I appreciate the author not shying away from the truth. I wanted to stop reading the book at times because it was so hard to fathom what was happening. The enemy is always there waiting for a chance to crawl into someone’s mind and make them doubt the existence of God.
The story suggests that Manasseh was the first prodigal son and I can see how that could have been true. The author does let readers know that this story is not an easy read, but it definitely made me do some soul searching. The battle is real between good vs evil and I held on to hope that God would proclaim victory. This is one story that had an impact on my life and led me to a deeper hunger for God.
I received an arc copy of this book from the author and publisher. The review is my own opinion.
Mesu Andrews always does a phenomenal job with Biblical fiction, and “Isaiah’s Legacy” is no exception. However, the themes that are in this novel do run a bit darker than some previous books, so be aware.
As this is a sequel, you would be wise to read “Isaiah’s Daughter” before picking this one up. Some prior characters are mentioned, so it’s good to have that previous history to refer to as you read. Andrews’ characters are detailed and full of depth. She also does a wonderful job of connecting history and Scriptural cultural references. You will learn a lot reading her work!
Schulle has the opportunity to tutor King Manasseh, helping him adapt to royal customs and restrictions. As Manasseh and Schulle grow, so does their relationship with one another. However, the connections that result from royal life begin to turn Schulle’s heart away from Yahweh, the God her father served all his life. Will this departure from following the one true God bring ruin to young Manasseh’s kingdom? Will the relationship between Schulle and Nasseh unravel in the midst of false gods, sacrifices and multiple wives? Will their hearts always be captive to the stars, underworld and other religions, or will they shed the cultural norms to run after Yahweh?
As I said, some of the themes in this novel are difficult, but the underlying message of the book remains the sovereign love of a God that will not stop chasing after prodigals, offering second chances for a new life. Andrews’ novels always leave me wanting to read more Scripture and truly learn about those inside its pages. Always well done, “Isaiah’s Legacy” is one not to miss.
I was an early reader, thanks to Waterbrook Publishers. All opinions are my own.
In all honesty, this was a challenging novel to read. I struggled to make it through the spiritually dark parts but persevered because I knew the book had a redemptive theme and that there was hope for the future for the characters. I thought from the title that this would include more about the prophet Isaiah, but he seemed a minor character with royalty parading across the pages and evil attempting to triumph over the right and good. This fictional account follows the life of Manasseh, King Hezekiah’s son, whom we know from the Bible. The author did a marvelous job at bringing the story and the characters to life. That’s why the ungodly parts, although not detailed, weigh so heavily on the spirit. And the growth and gradual changes in the characters appear so realistic. You feel like you know their hearts and thoughts. This book stands alone as a complete tale, one we can all learn from. I received a book to facilitate this review. The views and opinions expressed here are 100 percent honest and my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the FTC’s 16 CFR, part 255 guidelines concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in advertising.