Michal: A Novel (The Wives of King David)

One of the joys of Biblical fiction is that when it is well done, it aids the reader's understanding of the Bible. Another is that if it is true to the historical time period, the reader learns what life was like for the people who lived then. Jill Eileen Smith's debut novel accomplishes both things and more. The prose is beautiful, the romance tender, the realities of war all too real at times. Highly recommended! Cindy Thomson Author of Brigid of Ireland and Celtic Wisdom.

Jill Eileen Smith's novel about King David's first wife brought the stories of the Bible to life in a way only a novel can do. Many times as I read one of the compelling scenes, I found myself grabbing my Bible to see if that part was actually in the Scriptures. While Smith's story is a novelization, it remains quite true to biblical accounts, and gets high marks for being entertaining as well. I'm looking forward to the rest of the books in this series. This is also one of the most beautiful book covers I've seen in a long time! Stunning, and sets the mood for the novel so well!

"David, wearing a linen ephod, danced before the Lord with all his might, while he and the entire house of Israel brought up the ark with shouts and the sound of trumpets. As the ark of the Lord was entering the City of David, Michal daughter of Saul watched from a window. And when she saw King David leaping and dancing before the Lord, she despised him in her heart. 2 Samuel 6:14-16." Certain scriptures--and Biblical characters--have tugged at my mind for years. Why would Michal despise David, her handsome husband, whom she risked her life to save? Was David harsh on his wife, the daughter of a maddened king? And whatever happened to this surely beautiful, surely tortured soul? In the first book of her "Wives of King David" series, Jill Eileen Smith adds rich details to a heartrending saga of the fall of the House of Saul and the building of the lineage of Christ as seen through the eyes of those usually hidden behind thick palace walls--the women. Smith dares to step into the multi-chambered rooms of the wives' quarters to pull the veil off jealousy and struggles for power. Fiction becomes a powerful tool to fill in the gaps between the recounting of David's life in 1 and 2 Samuel and the scant historical data available for research of this ancient Biblical era. Thank you, Jill, for a wonderful book! Revell, kudos for a fabulous cover! Can't wait for Bathsheba!

This story was much better than Ann Burton's novel about King David. Michal captivated me from the first page. I know that sounds, cliche, but it's true. I read the first two chapters about four years ago and they were just as good back then. I adore Biblical fiction when it is well done. The author did a fabulous job showing the culture of King David's time and explaining things that don't set well with our modern ways, such as having more than one wife. It made sense the way it was presented. I loved how the developing love story continued throughout the book, yet the story stayed true to Scripture. There were so many things that I've read in the Bible before in the book of Samuel, but when placed inside a novel such as this one it really comes alive, from the horrors of war to the politics of the day. I enjoyed the sensual tension between characters and the wedding ceremonies. I'm glad in our present day that the wedding attendants and in-laws don't park outside the honeymoon suite until the marriage was consummated like they did in ancient Israel. How awkward! I also enjoyed the subtle humor about managing a household with so many wives being a challenge for a king. There were so many incredibly interesting details to this story I could talk for hours. And I won't mention the Philistine foreskins. Oy! Gruesome stuff. I really felt like I was there in Hebron, in Gibea, and finally in Jerusalem. I can't wait for the next installment in this series. I have a feeling Abigail's story will be quite compelling, too.

I have read the biblical account of Israel's kings many times, but Smith made it come alive to me. I became an invisible bystander in King Saul's court, and witnessed his episodes of explosive jealousy and rage through his daughter Michal's eyes; saw her husband David forced to run for his life and hide in caves; and mourned the senseless death of David's best friend, Jonathan, slaughtered in battle beside his father, Saul. Dissatisfied with God as their unseen leader, Israel had wanted a visible king, so He gave them Saul. I imagine He knew that Saul--as well as every king who followed--would fail, even David. With that in mind, it was good for me to have seen the intrigues of King David's court firsthand. Michal and David became real to me, and I feel much more sympathetic towards these people who had been up to this point little more than black figures on white paper. (Thank you, Jill!) I loved the hopeful, yet realistic ending. I recommend this book highly, and I'm looking forward the next installments of King David's wives.