Hi all — I'm looking for a few beta readers for a finished literary novel.
THE WHOLE MEGILLAH retells the biblical Book of Esther — the Purim story — through four unreliable narrators: Haman, Mordecai, Esther, and Xerxes, each convinced they're the hero, each lying about everything except the ending. Four voices, one empire, zero reliable witnesses. It's dark, comic, and satirical — the version of the story your funniest, least trustworthy relative would tell. It's set in ancient Persia but wears its history lightly, and you do NOT need to know the source story to read it (though if you do, you'll catch things others won't). Written for adult readers; irreverent rather than reverent — not a religious or devotional book.
What I'm asking: • Read the full manuscript (PDF, ~95k words — roughly a 6–8 hour read) over the next 4–6 weeks. • Answer a short questionnaire afterward: overall impressions, whether the humor lands, whether the four narrators feel like four distinct people, and where the pace drags. • Line-level notes are welcome but optional — mostly I want your honest reaction as a reader.
What you get: an early read, my genuine thanks, and — for substantive feedback — your name in the book's Acknowledgments. No payment; this is a volunteer read.
I'd love a mix of readers who know the Megillah cold and readers meeting it completely fresh. If you're interested, comment below or message me and I'll send the PDF and questionnaire. Thanks for reading!
THE WHOLE MEGILLAH retells the biblical Book of Esther — the Purim story — through four unreliable narrators: Haman, Mordecai, Esther, and Xerxes, each convinced they're the hero, each lying about everything except the ending. Four voices, one empire, zero reliable witnesses. It's dark, comic, and satirical — the version of the story your funniest, least trustworthy relative would tell. It's set in ancient Persia but wears its history lightly, and you do NOT need to know the source story to read it (though if you do, you'll catch things others won't). Written for adult readers; irreverent rather than reverent — not a religious or devotional book.
What I'm asking:
• Read the full manuscript (PDF, ~95k words — roughly a 6–8 hour read) over the next 4–6 weeks.
• Answer a short questionnaire afterward: overall impressions, whether the humor lands, whether the four narrators feel like four distinct people, and where the pace drags.
• Line-level notes are welcome but optional — mostly I want your honest reaction as a reader.
What you get: an early read, my genuine thanks, and — for substantive feedback — your name in the book's Acknowledgments. No payment; this is a volunteer read.
I'd love a mix of readers who know the Megillah cold and readers meeting it completely fresh. If you're interested, comment below or message me and I'll send the PDF and questionnaire. Thanks for reading!