Tuesday, April 25, 2023

Review: Potiphar's Wife by Mesu Andrews

Before she is Potiphar’s wife, Zuleika is the daughter of a king and the wife of a prince. She rules the isle of Crete alongside her mother in the absence of their seafaring husbands. But when tragedy nearly destroys Crete, Zuleika must sacrifice her future to save the Minoan people she loves. 

Zuleika’s father believes his robust trade with Egypt will ensure Pharaoh’s obligation to marry his daughter, including a bride price hefty enough to save Crete. But Pharaoh refuses and gives her instead to Potiphar, the captain of his bodyguards: a crusty bachelor twice her age, who would rather have a new horse than a Minoan wife. 

Abandoned by her father, rejected by Pharaoh, and humiliated by Potiphar’s indifference, Zuleika yearns for the homeland she adores. In the political hotbed of Egypt’s foreign dynasty, her obsession to return to Crete spirals into deception. When she betrays Joseph—her Hebrew servant with the face and body of the gods—she discovers only one love is worth risking everything. 


This was the first book I had ever read from this author. It's been a long while since I read any biblical fiction. And to be honest, I was a little nervous to go into this one, just based on the subject matter, but I was pleasantly surprised by it. The research and details put into the story are impeccable. While the story can focus on physical desires, the story in the Bible does so as well, and it didn't go too far considering how far the Bible itself goes sometimes. I was also surprised by the fact that I didn't absolutely hate Zully. Of course, it is a work of fiction, based on the Biblical characters and on heavy, intense research. If you enjoy Biblical fiction, I think you will enjoy this story. It's so immersive that you can about feel the sand in your throat. The rich historical detail is amazing, and the characters are so well-developed. I'm not sure the ending was exactly how I had hoped it would go, but sometimes, that's better for the story. I also am anticipating book two coming out so I can see how the whole Ahira business winds out with Joseph. I know that book two will focus more on his wife from the Bible, so I just want to know how that is going to work out. The second book is releasing very soon and is available for preorder from Amazon.

Pre-Order Link



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