Bezalel is a Hebrew slave to Ramses II. An artisan of the highest order, Ramses has kept him in the palace even when all other Israelites have been banned. Bezalel blames El Shaddai for isolating him from his people.
When Moses and Aaron appear one summer, and El Shaddai shakes Egypt to its core, Bezalel must reexamine his anger. Over the course of the next year, Bezalel’s life becomes intertwined with those of an Egyptian child-slave, the captain of the guard, and especially a beautiful young concubine.
When spring arrives, all of them escape with the young nation of Israel. But that’s only the beginning...
Carole Towriss and her husband live just north of Washington, DC. In between making tacos and telling her four children to pick up their shoes for the third time, she writes, watches chick flicks, and waits for summertime to return to the beach.
In the Shadow of Sinai tells the familiar story of the Exodus from the point-of-view of an obscure biblical character, Bezalel. Creative. Fascinating. Well-researched. Carole Towriss’ debut novel was a tantalizing snack, leaving me hungry for more from this talented author.
If you’re expecting a re-telling of Cecil B. DeMille’s Ten Commandments, don’t look here. Carole Towriss unwraps the intriguing world of Egyptian royalty, subtly inserting crucial facts and descriptions that bring scenery and landscapes to life. I SO appreciated her extensive research on the ten plagues and the herbal medications available at the time. She also answered those niggling details that I’ve often puzzled over—like: how did the Israelites win the Egyptians’ favor to ASK them for gold before they left Egypt (Ex. 12:35-36). This question and others she satisfies with creative and believable plotlines.
Shadow of Sinai gives Moses and Aaron only a minor role in the major life lessons our main character, Bezalel, must learn. As a talented young artisan in Pharaoh’s palace, his relationships draw us deep into each character’s heart. Each conflict and joy help us examine motives and emotions just like Bezalel inspects the specific metals and stones for Pharaoh’s works of art—another process in which Carole’s research shines. There were no easy answers as characters struggled with the LORD’s methods of deliverance, and I found myself asking the same hard questions—and ultimately having to rest in the same trust they had to rest in.
I’ve given this book four stars, rather than five, because though I thoroughly enjoyed it, I believe Carole’s future books will continue to improve. She’s already grabbed my attention with her passion for biblical fiction, and I can’t wait to read the next book in the series, By the Waters of Kadesh. For more information about Carole Towriss and her ministry, you can find her at: www.caroletowriss.com.
This book definitely deserves 5 stars!! I was immediately drawn into this story from page 1!! I think that this is the best Moses version I've ever read. However; I thought that Ramses was a much younger pharoh when the Hebrews out of Eygpt. I'm like most people whenever I do a review. I loved each and every character in the story!! I hated to say goodbye.
Oh, Carole, what a novel you've written! You grabbed me on the first page with the crash of drums and held me right down to the last drumbeat on the last page. What a debut!
The Jews were a stubborn and rebellious bunch--but still the apple of God's eye, beloved and cared for. Your book so well illustrated the Book of Exodus, I felt as though I were there.
I know, I'm partial to Biblical fiction and tend to brag on my critique partners' successes a lot, but this one is well worth the bragging. Carole has made the artist live again--Bezalel, who constructed the Ark of the Covenant and all the gold and silver urns, altar, basins, rings, etc. for the magnificent tabernacle of God, and she made Bezalel live again.
In this book, Bazalel begins as a Hebrew slave in Egypt, so artistically talented, particularly in metal and jewel work, that he serves the pharaoh himself. But in the process of becoming so favored by Ramses, he loses his faith in God.
Bazalel saves the life of a small boy, son of a deceased concubine to the pharaoh, and takes him to his own mother to raise. And then there's this other concubine, Meri.
Along come Moses and Aaron with their plagues that wear down Ramses until he sends the Hebrews across the Red Sea, away into the desert, and into faith or failure.
The rest is history--but Carole has woven the characters and circumstances together with an artistry of her own that will have you consuming page after page and living that history with them.
I went into this novel thinking I knew what to expect and it was a mistake to do that. The biblical and historical research that went into this were very good and never overpowered the story. Young Ahmose (a seven year old Egyptian slave) stole my heart as much as the hero's and the supporting cast all had their own character journeys.
This is biblical fiction at its best that reframed how I think about the plagues of Egypt and while Moses and Aaron make appearances of course, this is not their novel. The way the author tied the plot together to cover key events was very inspired and after the Exodus from Egypt I kept biting my nails thinking I knew exactly what was going to happen and it was totally different (I can't say without it being a spoiler.)
To fully enjoy this book you need to be okay with a slower moving novel that develops over time (as the hero does) but it was well worth it overall. A solid read from this author and well written for a debut novel.
I was given this book by the author as a prize in a giveaway, and I'm so glad that I was. It's a fascinating story of a biblical tale told in such a way as to make the story come to life with all the added details about customs, culture, and events told from the perspective of a Hebrew slave of Ramses, Bezalel. It's a great read. I look forward to reading more books by Towiss!
In the Shadow of Sinai is a story about the Israelites’ exodus from Egypt written from the perspective of one of the Israelite slaves. It is a story about being in the shadow of God. It should be powerfully moving, and yet I was left palpably disturbed as the author seems to subtly, and at times even blatantly, manipulate and change the biblical narrative. This book holds the dubious record of being the first biblical fiction that I’ve written a negative review for. I am a huge fan of this genre, but Under the Shadow of Sinai falls short.
The blatant rewriting of the biblical narrative is seen most clearly for the first time In chapter 12 as the last of the plagues is about to happen. The author writes,
“See the moon?” He pointed to the sky. “Yes. It’s getting round and bright again.” “Do you know what that means?” “No. Tell me.” Ahmose looked up expectantly. “That means it’s almost time for pesach and mat sot.”
Seems innocuous? Absolutely not! There was NO PASSOVER, no Pesach, until the final plague. This was when the Israelites were FIRST commanded by the Lord, not a festival already existing. Exodus 12 clearly says,
‘While the Israelites were still in the land of Egypt, the Lord gave the following instructions to Moses and Aaron: 2 “From now on, this month will be the first month of the year for you.”…. “Celebrate this Festival of Unleavened Bread, for it will remind you that I brought your forces out of the land of Egypt on this very day. This festival will be a permanent law for you; celebrate this day from generation to generation.’
Passover was introduced at this time and was commanded to be kept henceforth as a reminder of God bringing the Israelites out of Egypt. The author’s take on this completely rewrites what the bible says. Then following on from that we see the reference to “mat sot” time and time again. First, it is not two separate words but one. The Hebrew word for unleavened bread is “matsot”- all one word, and yet bizarrely and annoyingly divided in this book. Secondly, the whole reason for the “matsot” (and the reason why Passover is also referred to as the Feast of Unleavened Bread), is because the Israelites didn’t have time to let their bread rise before leaving Egypt. Again, Exodus 12 says:
“And they baked unleavened cakes of the dough which they brought forth out of Egypt, for it was not leavened; because they were thrust out of Egypt, and could not remain, neither had they prepared for themselves any provision.”
In contrast the author writes, “The mat sot festival starts the day after pesach and lasts seven days. They are a celebration of the harvest.”
Did I miss something? I always thought the Bible said Passover and unleavened bread (matzot) were a celebration of the escape from Egypt?! We see examples of this rewriting of the bible again and again, although the example of Passover is the most blatant. The author seems to hold a revisionary approach to the bible, keeping what she wants, changing other passages at whim, and leaving those less familiar with the original text unaware of what is fiction and what is not.
This book was a challenge for me, and in many ways it was an anomaly. The author is obviously skilled at creating visual images through words, and brought some interesting slants to the story of the Israelites’ redemption from Egypt. However…. I believe that she failed in one key and essential area. One of the greatest challenges for biblical fiction is figuring out how to weave a fictional storyline into biblical history in such a way that the historical elements aren’t compromised but rather are enhanced by the fiction, drawing the reader in so that they can “experience” for themselves the biblical story. In this the author failed as she rewrote parts of the bible and bent it to HER fiction rather than the other way around. Overall, a big disappointment at best…. at worst, disturbing and an unnecessary rewriting of the word of God.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
In the Shadow of Sinai is a biblical fiction book set in the time of the Exodus and it is a fictionalised account of Bezalel’s life. The premise or even the character isn’t popular in biblical fiction so I was definitely intrigued by the idea. I liked the progression of events, especially during the plagues. I also thought the character of Sabba/Hur was well done, I didn’t even make the connection that Hur who along with Aaron helped to hold Moses arms up during the battle was the same Hur that was the grandfather to Bezalel until I read this book. I also happened upon the name Jannes and Jambres during my Bible study and after wondering why the names were so familiar at first, I was so excited to find out how the author came about the magician’s names. Ahmose was a heartwarming character as well.
I also appreciated the faith messages in the book. Bezalel struggled with a lot of anger towards God for the way his life was and he gave a negative connotation to what it meant to be in the shadow of God at first, but it was nice to see him eventually learn to embrace the fullness of his name.
I’m not sure what exactly I was expecting from this book, but I do know that it fell short for me in a number of ways, mainly that I didn’t connect with Bezalel whom the story revolved around nor feel anything whatsoever about his attraction to Meri or their ensuing relationship, I mean I didn’t even care when they were separated). From the beginning, it wasn’t one of those books that drew me in all that well but towards the end, it became downright tedious to read. It isn’t like things weren’t happening but I just wasn’t moved. I also noticed that Rebekah basically just dropped off the page towards the ending while every other character got some screen time, no matter how little.
To summarise, I won’t say I enjoyed this read but it was okay. Just not for me, I guess. This is my first read from the author so I’ll try something else from her and reevaluate.
Historical fiction based on the Book of Exodus, focusing on Hebrews enslaved by Egyptian Pharoah Ramses and eventually led to freedom by Moses, as told from the fictionalized perspective of the talented artisan named Belazel, who is removed from his family as a child and installed in the palace. Belazel is the Son of Rebekah and grandson of Sabba/Hur, a confidante of Moses and Aaron.
Although I was drawn into the story throughout and I knew from the Bible how the bigger picture would resolve, parts of the story were tedious and somewhat sterile, and some main characters, like Belazel’s eventual wife, Meri, were not fully developed. Nevertheless, this novel was Ms. Towriss’s debut, and it is possible that her later books have improved so I would not rule out reading something else by Ms. Towriss.
This was a truly inspirational story about discovering that even in difficult circumstances God's grace and mercy is sufficient! The biblical story of Moses and the struggle of the Jewish people in Egypt and their lives after leaving Egypt is told from the perspective of a young Jewish man who has been working as a slave in the palace of Ramses as a artist! His struggles with his family and people are vividly brought to life by the author who's talented work leaves you with the joy of reading a truly inspirational story.
Written from the Israelites viewpoint of the exodus and the events that led up to it including the plagues and the affects that it had on the lives of the ordinary people both Egyptian and Hebrew. And then after the exodus from Egypt how the ordinary people struggled to accept the change and opposition to Moses arose from the bullies. It gives you a very good and creative look at real life situations that could have faced Moses and Aaron and allows you to see the day to day working of life at that time from a bit player. I enjoy this author for that reason.
I enjoyed this Biblical historical set in the time of the Exodus. Bezalel is mentioned in scripture as the person who created the Ark of the Covenant and this was a unique look at his story! I enjoyed seeing his perspective in Egypt and seeing how his artistic abilities were recognized and honed in captivity. There were a few minor details that I interpreted differently in scripture (such as how the frogs went away after the plague of frogs) that took me out of the story a bit, but all in all, this was an enjoyable work of Biblical fiction!
A thoroughly enjoyable read. This story takes place during the exodus of the Israelites from Egypt and the time coming up to the exodus. It illustrates that hardships that the Israelites as well as the Egyptians went through during the trials bestowed on the Egyptians to free the Israelites. It also tells of the plight of the Israelites prior to their release. But most importantly, it demonstrates His love and care for us and what is possible when we have faith.
I thought this is an action packed story during the days of God's judgement on Egypt and when the Israelites left and traveled as far as Mt. Sinai. Bezalel work in Pharoah's palace as a slave and doesn't see his family often. He is an observer to God's actions and the effects on the people. When he sees that God has separated the Hebrews and Egyptians during the final judgements, he is learning to be aware of God's care for his people. Lots of action and a wide range of characters.
The story is great and the scenes are brilliant. The characters, well, the characters are inspired, but what got me is how God spoke to me in the midst of the story. I have been praying about something and, behold, as I read In the Shadow of Sinai I suddenly realized some of the words I was reading were God’s message to me! Thank you, Carole Towriss, for being an unwitting tool in the Master’s hand!
Great story from the perspective of an Israelite "outsider" watching the plagues take place and the feelings one with doubts might have living that time period. The story then goes into the start of their journey to Canaan and shows that it likely wasn't a group of people happy and excited about their new life. There were likely many doubts, fears, and insecurities in that major life change.
Enjoyed hearing the story from Bazaels perspective. He is a Hebrew slave commandeered to work as Pharaoh ‘s jewellery maker which God used to prepare him for his chosen job to later create the golden furnishings for the Ark and tabernacle. By Penny Callaghan
The Exodus is told from the viewpoint of a Hebrew slave who works in the palace. His unique talent of working with anything and creating art makes him valuable and gives him access to the inner workings of the palace. Enter Moses and are in and the story is off. I loved the book and plan to read more of her books.
Even if you have read the Holy Bible an inow the story of Moses. This book will bring new light to the story. Not just history but the love that Our Lord showed the people of Israel- Egyptian or Gentile doesn't matter Yahweh is Our God and This is a beautiful story Love- Redemption- Forgiveness. A Truly Lovely Book! Enjoy.
I LOVE READING BIBLICAL NOVELS OF THE BIBLE. CHOOSING THIS SSERIES I HAVE NOT BEEN DISAPPOINTED, AND AS EACH CHAPTER DISCLOSED NMORE TRUTHS ABOUT GOD AND HIS MERCY, FORGIVENESS, GRACE,AND HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS it made me more eager to get the next NOVEL!
Highly recommend. Very interesting to read background of Exodus from Egypt's point of view and how God orchestrates His purposes and plans to carry out His perfect will. His love and grace have been and will always be with us.
Change is a some time scary choice. Stepping out on Faith and trusting God to make a change requires trust. With God anything is possible! Loved reading this well written novel.
A WONDERFUL DESCRIPTION OF HOW THE CHILDREN ESCAPED EGYPT AND SET UP THEIR SPECIAL WAY OF WORSHIP
I truly enjoyed this writing of a summary of the book of Exodus, but noted some deviations from Scripture. The author showed how necessary it is to follow God's ways completely.
Bezalel was a slave in Pharaoh's palace ordered to make beautiful jewelry for the king. Then the plagues came and the Hebrews escape from Egypt. Out in the desert Moses asked Bezalel to help build the tabernacle. Bezalel realized that Yahweh had a plan for his life all along.
I really enjoyed this story. I love how the author fleshes out the characters and bring stories I’ve read so often new life and depth. Praising God for Christian authors!
Even though I know the story from the bible, its different because Its really a love story from one of the men who traveled with Moses and some of the other people who left Egypt.
Absolutely loved this book full of struggles and finding faith. I really enjoyed how the author portrayed some of the Egyptians finding faith in God as well. A great read and beautiful story of redemption.
What a wonderful read! Brilliantly written this ancient true Bible story has been bought alive. Great characterisation, immersive and atmospheric. Unputdownable.