Asenath by Anna Patricio

Nov 02, 2011 Libbie Hawker (L.M. Ironside) rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: small-press-indie-and-self-pub, egyptian-historicals

Asenath by Anna Patricio. 2011, 144 pages, Imajin Books

Anna Patricio’s debut novel follows the life of the title character, an Egyptian woman living around 1500 BCE. Part rags-to-riches tale, part Biblical fiction, the book charts Asenath’s transformation from an orphan of an impoverished fishing village to her adoption by aristocratic parents and her rise into the Egyptian upper class. Along the way, she meets the Hebrew man Joseph (the same Joseph from the Bible) and falls in love with him, ev Asenath by Anna Patricio. 2011, 144 pages, Imajin Books

Anna Patricio’s debut novel follows the life of the title character, an Egyptian woman living around 1500 BCE. Part rags-to-riches tale, part Biblical fiction, the book charts Asenath’s transformation from an orphan of an impoverished fishing village to her adoption by aristocratic parents and her rise into the Egyptian upper class. Along the way, she meets the Hebrew man Joseph (the same Joseph from the Bible) and falls in love with him, eventually becoming his loving wife.

Asenath is a sympathetic and sweet character, kind and ethical without ever coming across as saccharine or goody-two-shoes. The book is a fast read with a quick-moving plot, with continually developing subplots to keep the reader hooked until the end. I enjoyed the clever ways Asenath’s presence was wound into the familiar scenes of the Biblical Joseph story, and the relationship between Asenath and her adoptive parents was often funny and touching.

There were a few historical inaccuracies – deben/coin money, for example, was not used in Egypt until several hundred years later; rather goods were obtained by trade or with vouchers for bread and beer, the state currency of the day. The narrative and dialogue, while accessible for modern readers, often felt too modern for the ancient setting.

Patricio’s writing style is trim and spare, with minimal description provided and much left to the imagination of the reader. This frequently gave the impression of skimming over the story rather than being immersed in it, and if not for the personable main character I may not have liked this book as well. My preference as a reader is for more descriptive imagery, particularly in historical fiction, which I read in order to deeply experience other cultures, times, and places. However, this is a personal preference. Many readers become frustrated by authors who spend too many words on description and prefer a book with an engaging main character and a story that moves at a spanking pace. Those readers, and fans of Biblical fiction, should thoroughly enjoy Asenath.

(Book obtained/reason for review: Given to me as a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.)

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Dec 04, 2011 Heidi rated it it was ok

What I enjoyed about this book was the fact Anna Patricio the author took a woman who was only mentioned maybe a few times in the bible and created a detailed story about her.
Something I enjoyed was the way the author wrote how and why Asenath became the wife of Joseph, and the twist on the different biblical characters we have all read as children. This book has great potential if the author would take the time and research other great works of historical fiction writers like Herman Wok.

What I ...more

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Dec 13, 2013 Tigress rated it did not like it

It sounded like it would be a good story but didn't end up that way for me. I am used to more historically accurate fiction. This one missed the mark in several areas. Too many modern day slang & colloquialisms were scattered throughout the story. It sounded like it was written by a modern college kid...making Asenath sound like a typical American teen in how she interacted w/her adoptive parents. I also didn't see the point in her calling one of the story's antagonists a 'bitch' several times, ...more

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Nov 28, 2012 Christine rated it it was ok · review of another edition

Shelves: kindle-freebie, minority-and-women-writers, historical-ancient-egypt, religion

Asenath is one of those books that has great potential, but it needs a bit more work. It is quite clear from the writing that the author loves the story of Asenath and Joseph, and so do I. I was glad that I read the book, but the book is closer to fanfiction than to an actual novel. While the character of Asenath is well drawn and the romance is real, the wording and description needs some more work. It does feel more like fanfiction than a polished novel. There are phrases like "hung out" that ...more

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Dec 08, 2011 Book Him Danno rated it it was ok

Shelves: books-sent-by-author-publisher-for, 2011

This is from Heidi who reviews for this blog....she also posts some of her reviews on her profile...but not always.

The concept was there, but the execution failed to bring the reader along for the ride.

Thank you to Heidi for this fabulous review.

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Jan 27, 2012 Louise rated it it was amazing

Shelves: historical-fiction

Story Description

In a humble fishing village on the shores of the Nile lives Asenath, a fisherman's daughter who has everything she could want. Until her perfect world is shattered.

When a warring jungle tribe ransacks the village and kidnaps her, separating her from her parents, she is forced to live as a slave. And she begins a journey that will culminate in the meeting of a handsome and kind steward named Joseph.

Like her, Joseph was taken away from his home, and it is in him that Asenath com ...more

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Sep 19, 2012 Richard Abbott rated it it was amazing

Shelves: historical-fiction

An unreserved five stars for 'Asenath' so far as I am concerned! Anna Patricio has done a great job at imagining and describing a possible reality behind the scanty details given in the biblical book of Genesis regarding Joseph's Egyptian wife.
I started this book not quite realising that it was aimed at a young adult audience, and so after a chapter or two had to readjust my thinking. That done, it was easy to slip into the swing of the narrative and enjoy the reconstruction. Others who begin re An unreserved five stars for 'Asenath' so far as I am concerned! Anna Patricio has done a great job at imagining and describing a possible reality behind the scanty details given in the biblical book of Genesis regarding Joseph's Egyptian wife.
I started this book not quite realising that it was aimed at a young adult audience, and so after a chapter or two had to readjust my thinking. That done, it was easy to slip into the swing of the narrative and enjoy the reconstruction. Others who begin reading with the right expectation will not have to carry out this internal switch – but you will need to be aware of the target audience in order to have the right expectations.
Anyone writing around a biblical episode faces the problem that, to a degree, readers already know the ending. Anna is aware of this, and in my view does a great job of instilling a sense of 'so that's how it happened' when you get to items already known from the source materials. The points at which the storyline intersects with the biblical context come over as natural rather than forced, and one feels that Anna did not feel blocked or constrained by these boundaries to her writing.
It's a while since I read young adult rather than adult material, and it did not take long to appreciate the differences. Obviously sex is toned down substantially from one recent novel I reviewed (Michal's Window, by Rachelle Ayala), and from my own writing (In a Milk and Honeyed Land). Even within those constraints, Anna manages to show that human intimacy can be pitched anywhere from tender and loving to violent and brutal.
Also, the characters tend to be more easily pigeonholed for character and motive, and the issues and moral problems they face are simpler. There are few people about whom one is in doubt about their intentions. Writing for a more adult audience, I would personally have been inclined to write more moral ambiguity into the characters, especially Joseph's family who are presented in Genesis as a very dubious collection of individuals , but here seem uniformly attractive. But I think the simpler depictions are appropriate for, and consistent with, the overall standpoint of 'Asenath'.
Having said that, one of the great themes of the book is to see how men and women can be transformed, and redeemed, by the contagious power of moral courage. Here, as in so much of the Hebrew Bible material from which the story is drawn, real change is effected by prolonged personal contact with lives lived out by consistent moral principles, not by listening to speeches or reading texts. So the characters definitely change and grow through the book, mostly but not entirely from bad to good. Prior events, experiences and traumas are not glossed over, but frequently return to haunt, be confronted by, and (typically in the end) overcome by the participants. This narrative theme can resonate equally well in both ancient Israel and Egypt.
From a technical background the details are reasonably well researched. Anna makes a brave choice to select a specific year to start her book (1554 BC), where I would be a little more vague! A range of proper Egyptian terms are used, typically words for rank or items used in worship. Place names are given in modern forms (for example Karnak), which the geeky part of me regretted – but since there is no map, those who are not geeks will therefore be able to look them up on a regular map and orient themselves! Some rituals and key life events which we do not have actual source material for (such as the wedding ceremony) are invented in a rich and consistent manner that does not disrupt the sense of immersion in ancient Egypt.
All in all, a most enjoyable and compelling read, and I look forward to other books by Anna, including a follow-up novel based in ancient Egypt that she mentions at the end of this book. ...more

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Mar 22, 2012 Michelle rated it really liked it

Shelves: inspirational-fiction, aussie-fiction, 2012

Have you ever read something and wondered what was happening in the back ground? That’s exactly what Anna Patricio did while reading about Joseph in the Bible. The story of Joseph is a well known story (if you don’t know about Joseph… it is a very famous story and you’ll find it in Genesis … or you could just cheat and Google ‘The Story of Joseph’ and loads of cheat notes will come up for you) Yet in the Bible, Joseph’s wife is barely mentioned. And from that barely mentioned woman, Anna has cre ...more

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Sep 17, 2011 Tara Chevrestt rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: kindle, 2011-release, historical-fiction, egypt

This is a love story set in ancient Egypt. It’s about Joseph, a biblical character that I’m not too familiar with (not the one who married Mary), and Asenath and is told from Asenath’s point of view.
It begins with a very young Asenath who at the time was named Kiya. Her village is pillaged and she is enslaved and orphaned. She later goes to a temple of orphans where a very rich couple adopts her.
Asenath discovers that despite “having it all”, she is lonely and the society of nobility is not all ...more

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May 24, 2018 Cintia rated it did not like it

Shelves: read-in-english

“What in Seth's damnable balls was he thinking?"

Well, that does it for me.

FULL REVIEW IN MY BLOG: http://abookandateacup.blogspot.com.a...
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Nov 14, 2012 Wendy rated it did not like it

I normally enjoy books like this -- take a historical character -- especially one we don't know that much about & flesh them out with fiction (ie, Girl With the Pearl Earring) -- imagine what they might have been like -- but this book was so silly -- when Asenath says of Joseph, "He completes me," I quit reading I just couldn't handle any more -- clearly, Asenath has watched Jerry McGuire one too many times ...more

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Mar 23, 2019 Loraine rated it it was amazing

Shelves: speculative, romance, christian-fiction, biblical-fiction, historical-fiction

Asenath is the wife of Joseph, one of the Old Testament patriarchs. She has only a brief mention in the Bible, so we know little about her. This was a debut novel for Patricio and I really enjoyed it. So dwelling on the history of that time period in Egypt and what knowledge we have of priestesses of that period, Patricio lent her imagination to building a story of Asenath's life and then her romance and marriage to Joseph.

Having just finished Dreamers which is also a story of Joseph and Asenath ...more

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Dec 27, 2020 Kim rated it did not like it

Shelves: 2020

I always enjoy reading stories of people found in the Bible in a non-biblical trope. The Red Tent is one of my favourites in that regard.

Asenath is no Red Tent. There seemed to be some portions that were well researched, but other things just didn't seem to make sense. Having it through Asenath's eyes limited the scope. She was almost apologetic for Egyptian culture when I'm pretty sure it would be the only thing she knew.

The writing was very juvenile as well. There was no complexity in the na ...more

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Apr 21, 2020 keri rated it it was amazing

Recommends it for: everyone

This gave me insight into ancient Egypt that I did not have before. I loved it. Couldn't put it down. ...more

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Apr 08, 2018 Jaishree rated it it was ok

Shelves: historical

I picked this up expecting a historical, but it read more like a modern day chick-lit transposed to pre-biblical times.
The premise was excellent, the delivery disappointed.

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Jan 04, 2014 Romancing the Book rated it really liked it

Shelves: historical, romance

Reviewed by Maria
Book provided by the publisher for review
Review originally posted at Romancing the Book

I was thrilled to get my hands on a copy of this book. I love historical fiction, and combining two of my favorite history topics, Ancient Egypt and Biblicial times, I knew that this was a must read.

Well, I wasn’t disappointed. This book is as vivid and colorful as an Egyptian tomb painting. I often read the story of the Old Testament Joseph and wondered about the lady Asenath, his wife, menti Reviewed by Maria
Book provided by the publisher for review
Review originally posted at Romancing the Book

I was thrilled to get my hands on a copy of this book. I love historical fiction, and combining two of my favorite history topics, Ancient Egypt and Biblicial times, I knew that this was a must read.

Well, I wasn’t disappointed. This book is as vivid and colorful as an Egyptian tomb painting. I often read the story of the Old Testament Joseph and wondered about the lady Asenath, his wife, mentioned but once in the Bible. This book fleshes out the character and makes for an interesting story. As Bible readers might know, in the Bible, adoption is considered as valid as the actual physical begetting of children. Jesus Christ Himself was adopted by the New Testament Joseph and this is how He came to be considered of the lineage of King David, that Joseph’s ancestor. This book shows lady Asenath as having been a village child who lost her parents when she was taken into captivity by a marauding tribe, later to be returned to Egypt and adopted by the High Priest of the Temple of Heliopolis as his own daughter. The writer does a creditable job in bringing alive the sights and sounds of Ancient Egypt. At the same time, she doesn’t mince words about the social inequality and how the slaves were treated as sub-human. Asenath is shown as a caring and compassionate woman, having seen life from both sides, as a member of a poor family at first and later as a member of one of Egypt’s most influential families.

It’s probably quite well known that ladies in Ancient Egypt had a lot of social freedom. Living in modern Asia, I was rather taken aback when I read Asenath taking her high priest father to task for opening the seals on scroll letters sent to her by male acquaintances. It certainly isn’t the way in eastern societies today. A father is considered there as having a perfect right to take certain measures to protect the honor of his unmarried daughter. I couldn’t help wondering if the writer had made a mistake or if that really was the way in Ancient Egypt. Then there’s the matter of the papyrus scrolls. The writing of that time was quite exquisitely artistic and while people in the past are supposed to have been much more prolific letter writers than people today, I just can’t see the Ancient Egyptians having long philosophical discussions with each other using papyrus scrolls, as Asenath and Joseph are shown as doing in his story. I could certainly imagine the pair as newly wedded lovers sharing their life stories with each other, but not exactly discussing Hebrew history via letter, given the fact that producing a page of papyrus script was such an artistic labor. I’d imagine that greetings and the exchange of each other’s welfare would be about the most they could communicate through that particular medium.

Biblical romance? Well, why not? The Bible folk too were living, breathing people with feelings and emotions. The romance between Joseph and Asenath is what would be categorized as ‘sweet’, There’s much breathless admiring of each other’s physical beauty, the odd stolen kiss and walks in exquisite surroundings. Given the fact that Asenath was free before marriage, according to this book, to roam about with men she was friendly with, that’s kind of astonishing. Considering that Joseph was such a spiritual powerhouse, I find it difficult to imagine him emotionally dependent on a woman for whom spirituality was simply religious and magical ritual. I was expecting Asenath to have some kind of spiritual experience regarding Joseph’s God. I thought it would happen in quite a powerful way, but it never really did.

But overall, I enjoyed the book. It is a brave attempt to bring to life a fascinating woman who has been hiding in the Biblical shadows for a long, long time. The writer has particularly vivid powers of description, which adds to the charm of the novel.

Favorite Quote: The garden was magical. Silver beams from a full moon drifted upon the flower beds and lotus ponds. Fountains tinkled, their drops splashing like watery stars. Lotus blossoms glowed against the darkened ground. As I strolled down the path, a handful of honeybees fluttered together like a golden halo above my head. Their delicate wings caught the moonlight, making them look like gleaming petals. The bees seemed calm and I felt tranquility wash over me.
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Nov 09, 2011 Crystal rated it really liked it

When Anna sent me her request for me to review Asenath, I was intrigued by the story. I knew who Joseph was from Sunday School and Church but did not know of his wife. What I did not know at the time was I was about to begin a Bible Study of the Bad Girls of the Bible that would introduce me to a few other charcters from the story, Potiphar and Potiphar's wife (who does not have a name in the Bible, but obviously has a name in history). So I was even more fascinated when I began this book to kno When Anna sent me her request for me to review Asenath, I was intrigued by the story. I knew who Joseph was from Sunday School and Church but did not know of his wife. What I did not know at the time was I was about to begin a Bible Study of the Bad Girls of the Bible that would introduce me to a few other charcters from the story, Potiphar and Potiphar's wife (who does not have a name in the Bible, but obviously has a name in history). So I was even more fascinated when I began this book to know more of the players and the background in the story (and to know already that Potiphar's wife was a bad girl).

Now onto my review, I was entranced with Asenath from the first page. When Kyia (who will become Asenath) is abducted from her happy life I felt for her, but she manages to make a go of things. Then she is rescued, then things aren't happy when she is returned and she is taken to the city. Then things begin to look up for Kyia. I loved the short glimpses into her life. I think one thing I really liked about the book is it never gets bogged down too much by the daily things or in one period of her life. Ms. Patricio seems to set the scene for the period of Asenath's life, let enough of it play out to show what is going on, what is important and if there is something that needs to happen it happens then it moves on to the next point. This can also make it a little confusing, but I think she did a great job of breaking it up so the reader understands that it's now a few months or years later.

Asenath as a character is fascinating, she retains much of her peasant self even as she grows up in a High Preist's home. She still talks to servants and does not really see herself as above others which is a point of contention with her best friend and with her Father. But I think this endears her to the reader and it makes her romance with Joseph more believable as well. There are times I wish she was just a little more fleshed out, but I realize the author was covering a large time period with a lot of turmoil and action going on. Enough of Asenath's personality comes through that I like her and want to read more about her and will remember her for weeks after the book is finished.

The romance part of the book ups the ante of the book. It throws in romance of course but also some intrigue. I was completely captivated by this point of the book. I truly believed in the romance between Joseph and Asenath. It felt pure and good like a first love should. I also like how she begins to have some faith in his God. She does not stop believing in her own gods, but at times she will pray to the God of Joseph. I found this fascinating. As she grows older and things begin to be tougher I love how she never gives up on Joseph. At this point I did not put the book down from about halfway through until the end. I had to know what would happen. I love how the author finished it and I felt very satisfied with the ending.

Asenath is a completely satisfying historical read. I can't tell you much for historical accuracies as I am not a history buff, but it felt like things were right. I know the stories align with the Bible stories, and that things align with other Egyptian historical fiction I have read. I think Ms. Patricio has crafted a wonderful novel for the reader to enjoy. The characters are memorable, the plot moves at a good pace and the book is just meant for a wonderful afternoon of reading. ...more

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Nov 24, 2011 Jackie rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: book-from-author-for-review, read-in-2012

Book Synopsis

Two Destinies...One Journey of Love

In a humble fishing village on the shores of the Nile lives Asenath, a fisherman's daughter who has everything she could want. Until her perfect world is shattered.

When a warring jungle tribe ransacks the village and kidnaps her, separating her from her parents, she is forced to live as a slave. And she begins a journey that will culminate in the meeting of a handsome and kind steward named Joseph.

Like her, Joseph was taken away from his home, ...more

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Feb 07, 2012 RivkaBelle rated it really liked it

Shelves: ebooks, for-review, historical-fiction

Book provided by author for review.
Review originally published on my blog AWordsWorth.blogspot.com

From humble beginnings as the daughter of a fisherman in a small river village, Kiya's life is turned upside down time after time - first by raiders who ransack her village, killing her parents, then by the High Priest Lord Pentephres who brings her to the Temple in Heliopolis and later adopts her. Struggling to maintain her own identity, even as she adjusts to her new life as a member of the nobili Book provided by author for review.
Review originally published on my blog AWordsWorth.blogspot.com

From humble beginnings as the daughter of a fisherman in a small river village, Kiya's life is turned upside down time after time - first by raiders who ransack her village, killing her parents, then by the High Priest Lord Pentephres who brings her to the Temple in Heliopolis and later adopts her. Struggling to maintain her own identity, even as she adjusts to her new life as a member of the nobility, Asenath (as she is now known), grows into a striking young woman. Not just in terms of her beauty and height, but in terms of her person. Asenath is not content to sit idly by and while away her time in luxury, so she begins tutoring children of her parents' friends. Her heart is not bound by the structure of Egyptian society, and she sees the "slaves" around her as people - a compassion perhaps encouraged by her own humble beginnings. Asenath's unwillingness to conform to class distinction is tested - and proven true - when she meets Lord Potiphar's steward Joseph.

Joseph is both an indentured servant and a Hebrew - two strikes against him in the eyes of most Egyptians, but especially Lord Pentephres, who desires Asenath to marry someone of distinction and standing. At first, Asenath just feels an undeniable attraction to Joseph: he makes her feel safe, and he's gorgeous. (Good reasons, no?) But as they become friends through correspondence, she starts to feel a stronger connection. Trials come once more when Potiphar's wife accuses Joseph of attempting to rape her, and he is thrown in prison. During the long years of Joseph's imprisonment, Asenath continues to grow and develop into a charming, accomplished and very genuine young lady. Finding herself employed by Pharaoh's wife as Royal Tutor, she thanks "the God of my dear one" for the chance to be so close - even if still so far - to Joseph. When the story picks back up the familiar Biblical tale of Joseph and Pharaoh's dreams, Asenath finds herself once more in the company of Joseph - and undeniably falling deeply in love.

The course of true love never did run smooth, but everything Asenath and Joseph endure makes their love stronger - and helps burn the dross from each, so their characters are as strong and admirable as their love is true. Their relationship is a beautiful story, and as an imagining of how things may have played out, once upon a time...well, let's just say I find myself hoping something as beautiful is the true story. (There's a particularly telling incident early in the story that comes back into play later, and it made my heart smile). Asenath is not only the story of Asenath and Joseph however: it offers a wonderfully detailed glimpse at Egyptian society and culture. As an Art History minor and History major, I was thrilled to see so many familiar names and references. And the details Patricio paid to the dress and jewels and decor - lovely, simply lovely. ...more

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Jan 12, 2012 Christie Cote rated it really liked it

Shelves: e-books

Asenath by Anna Patricio
★★★★☆

Asenath was not always her name, and she was not always from a powerful and wealthy Egyptian family. When she was young, her life was changed forever when she was kidnapped and never saw her family again. After some time, she was saved from her horrible fate and given a new life as a servant. While she did her duties, a couple became taken with her and, having always wanted a child of their own, decided to adopt her. This started her life as Asenath, again changing Asenath by Anna Patricio
★★★★☆

Asenath was not always her name, and she was not always from a powerful and wealthy Egyptian family. When she was young, her life was changed forever when she was kidnapped and never saw her family again. After some time, she was saved from her horrible fate and given a new life as a servant. While she did her duties, a couple became taken with her and, having always wanted a child of their own, decided to adopt her. This started her life as Asenath, again changing her life forever.

Asenath had everything she could have dreamed of and lived very well, but she still felt an emptiness until she met Joseph. He made her feel things she had never felt before, and she enjoyed talking to him. Unfortunately, fate was not on their side, and, just as she was able to see him again, he was taken away from her, sent to prison for a crime he didn’t commit. Asenath had to go on with her life, hoping there would be a way to get him out.

This book surprised me. In the beginning, I wasn’t sure about it, especially since I don’t normally read historical fiction. The love part is probably what mostly caught my attention; I always like a good love story. After I got past the beginning, I began getting into it, and, as I got farther in, I found myself wanting to turn the pages more and more to find out what would happen next.

I really was taken in by the love story, which was probably my favorite part. I often forgot that the story was taking place in Egypt. It had a forbidden love thing going on because Joseph wasn’t in the same “class” as her, and, especially because he went to jail, the entire time, I’m screaming in my head at her parents, “Hello, she was a servant before you adopted her!” It was a great love story that came full circle. It even had a twist that I never saw coming. I really loved it and was like, “Oh my, that is amazing.” It really touched my heart.

The author did really well with this book. I don’t know much about the Egyptian time, but I felt like the author gave me a good feel of the time and place. I liked the characters, and they felt real. The author impressed me, and she did great with the beginning, middle, and end, bringing the story full circle in one book. It had a good ending and didn’t leave me expecting another book because it felt complete.

I received a request from the author to review this book.
...more

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Feb 21, 2012 Jennifer rated it really liked it

Shelves: read-in-2012, historical-fiction, ebook, biblical-fiction

From my blog.

I truly enjoyed this book. The author created this amazing character with a in-depth and detailed back story and she is only briefly mentioned in the Bible! I have a few little quibbles about some things, which I’ll talk about in a minute, but overall this is a richly drawn story and one I would definitely recommended to anyone who enjoys historical/biblical fiction.

In the beginning we meet Kiya, a young girl whose village is overrun by rebels and her parents are killed. When she an From my blog.

I truly enjoyed this book. The author created this amazing character with a in-depth and detailed back story and she is only briefly mentioned in the Bible! I have a few little quibbles about some things, which I’ll talk about in a minute, but overall this is a richly drawn story and one I would definitely recommended to anyone who enjoys historical/biblical fiction.

In the beginning we meet Kiya, a young girl whose village is overrun by rebels and her parents are killed. When she and her fellow villagers are later freed by Egyptian soldiers and taken to the city of Heliopolis to live, Kiya cannot believe her luck. She continues to miss her village, but over time she comes to accept where she is and actually likes it.

Soon, Kiya is adopted as a priestess-in-training and given the name Lady Asenath. She has many encounters with Joseph throughout her young life and is immediately drawn to his strength and to his God. I found these parts of the novel very sweet. To think that they were smitten with each other years before they actually got married and were star-crossed lovers, so to speak, was an interesting way to approach the character of Asenath.

I think the author took a bit of liberty with the story of Joseph and Potiphar. The Bible tells us that Potiphar “burned with anger” (Genesis 39:19, NIV) after hearing about Joseph supposedly taking advantage of his wife (even though she advanced on him and he ran from her), so he threw him in prison. In the fictional account of Asenath, Potiphar has a soft heart for Joseph and does what he can to help Asenath see Joseph in prison and to help Joseph however he can. I do not see his fondness for Joseph backed up by scripture, so I had a hard time believing it. Now, I do understand that this is fiction, but I think the main themes of the Bible should remain intact. If Potiphar “burned with anger”, I cannot see him softening toward Joseph and helping him while he was in prison. On the other hand, since we know literally nothing about Asenath, I had no problem with the back story that the author created. The Joseph/Potiphar relationship was my only quibble with the book.

Overall, I really enjoyed this story. It is easy to read and I found myself anxious to get back into the story each night. It is a rather quick read, too, at less than 200 pages. I would definitely recommend it. ...more

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Jul 10, 2012 Becky rated it liked it

Sometimes I hate reviewing books! When a book is great and I love it, the review is easy. However, if I don’t love the book, the review is difficult. How do you point out the flaws without the author taking offense? I want my remarks to be constructive and honest but I don’t want to offend. It would be so much easier if I knew the author personally.

I am going to be generous and give this a 3-star rating. Why? Growing up, my favorite Bible story was “Joseph of Egypt.” He was my hero. I wanted to Sometimes I hate reviewing books! When a book is great and I love it, the review is easy. However, if I don’t love the book, the review is difficult. How do you point out the flaws without the author taking offense? I want my remarks to be constructive and honest but I don’t want to offend. It would be so much easier if I knew the author personally.

I am going to be generous and give this a 3-star rating. Why? Growing up, my favorite Bible story was “Joseph of Egypt.” He was my hero. I wanted to marry a man just like him. I even named my son after him. I never spent much time thinking about his wife. Because the author chose to bring to life the woman who stood beside my hero, she gets the extra star. I believe this story really could be a diamond in the rough.

Now, to the reasons I didn’t love this book.

When the story began Asenath was very young. The writing very much reflected her age with its accompanying characteristics. However, the writing did not keep pace with the change in the character’s age. Before Asenath’s wedding she was still behaving like a teenage girl. There were moments I honestly thought I was reading the diary of a 16 year old—I longed to slap her. I wanted Asenath’s maturity to be reflected in the writing.

I didn’t need to be told that his eyes were hazel and olive nine times. Tell me once, perhaps even twice, and then leave it out of the description. For example, “The hues of his magical hazel-olive eyes glowed in the night…” (p 179). I already know from the previous descriptions what the hues are. Redundancy can really kill the flow of a story.

I felt at times that the writing was too modern. In a previous Biblical series I read, the modernization was not a distraction to me. However, and I’m not entirely certain as to why, this time I found it to be a huge disruption.

Additionally, I was confused by some of the chapter layouts. Often, jumps in time were not logically separated from the previous paragraph. It was like a huge “run-on” chapter. Give me a double space between paragraphs, a new chapter, or some other indication that we are moving on.

I wish this author the best and look forward to her future publications.
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Feb 21, 2012 Theresa rated it really liked it

Recommended to Theresa by: FIRST

Shelves: review-copy, christian, historical-fiction, fiction, ebook

I usually avoid reading novels about Biblical figures because they never seem to match my idea of what those figures are like, but there was something about "Asenath" that made me really want to read this one.

Told through the eyes of Asenath, one quickly develops a connection with her. She's strong, captivating, innocent and curious, and most of all, she has a beautiful heart. At a young age, she was captured and enslaved, then was adopted by an Egyptian priest and priestess. Her life runs paral ...more

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Feb 27, 2012 Page (One Book At A Time) rated it really liked it

Shelves: read-in-2012

I would think your enjoyment of this book might depend on what you expect from your historical fiction. If you want gossip, intrigue, and scandal this is not it. If your looking for an overall sweet story about a biblical figure that very little is known, than this is for you.

I must confess, prior to reading this, I don't think I knew that Joseph had a wife. Since Joseph was such a devote follower of God, I don't see him willingly taking a wife who followed pagan gods. So, in all reality, I imag ...more

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Nov 28, 2011 Kathleen (Kat) Smith rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: chick-literature, romance-fiction, historical-fiction

Filled with all the mysteries of Ancient Egypt, Anna Patricio, captures the very essence of the time period in the debut novel, Asenath. Pulled from the Bible we find an unknown character written about in Genesis 41, the wife of Joseph, the readers are in for a delightful journey into the lives of the people in Egypt during the year 1554 B.C. Where the worship of various Gods were still responsible for how the people responded to certain situations.

Here we find the story of a young girl named Ki ...more

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Aug 22, 2012 Marybeth rated it liked it

Shelves: for-review, ebook

When it comes to historical books, I go for them, because they are fun and interesting. This book was no different.

Kiya, who will later become Asenath, is the daughter of a fisherman and his wife. After her parent's are killed, she and the other orphans are taken to the Temple of Atum-Re in Heliopolis. There, the high priest and his wife adopt Kiya, where they rename her Asenath. Afterwards, life for her changes drastically. Once just the daughter from a peasant family, she is now apart of the u ...more

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Oct 25, 2011 Lauren K rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: historical, aussie-author, aww2012

This review was first posted @ The Australian Bookshelf

3.5 stars

Asenath is the debut novel by Australian author Anna Patricio. The story of Joseph from the bible was one of her favourites; however she was intrigued by his Eyptian wife, Asenath. Patricio’s novel is a fictional account of Asenath’s life and her marriage to Joseph.

We are introduced to Asenath as a young girl, living in a fishing village and enjoying the blissful carefree life of a child. Her simple life is turned upside down when ...more

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Dec 07, 2011 Courtney Wyant rated it really liked it

Shelves: ebook, ebooks

I give it a 3.5 so that rounds it up to a 4.

This book was sent through to me to read as a review copy from the author herself and I really thought it was decent for a debut author who has talent. I took a while for the romance to kick in but all together it wasnt terrible but it wasn't one of the greatest,epic novels. It was just good.
So I have very few problems with the language. The B-word was not derived from the Isrelites, it was the French which came around in the A.D. not before Christ ...more

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Nov 23, 2011 Heather C rated it liked it

Shelves: arc, historical-fiction, biblical-fiction

I picked up this book because it is set in Ancient Egypt, a setting that I absolutely adore. I didn’t have any idea that it was based on the Biblical story of Asenath and Joseph (of the Coat of Many Colors fame). So I not only got a story set in Egypt, but also a little more Biblical knowledge to boot (because of course I then went and looked up the Biblical passages). I always find it so interesting to see how an author takes what is typically just a few short sentences from the Bible and can t ...more

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Jan 29, 2012 Kristina rated it really liked it

Shelves: arc-egalley-for-review

3.5 stars...

In 1554 BC, nine year old Kiya loses her mother and father when their village is attacked. When the Pharaoh's army saves the orphans from a life of slavery they are sent to Heliopolis to be educated. It is here that Kiya gets adopted by Lord Pentephres and his wife, Lady Satsepdu, who very badly want a child of their own. Kiya becomes Asenath and begins her upper class life.

Through her travels with her parents she meets Joseph, a slave to Lord Potiphar, but within the next few years ...more

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