“The Bad Girls of the Bible was a bible study series written by Liz Curtis Higgs a few years ago. Until that book series, most bad girls of the bible were really not on this reader’s radar who loved to read the accounts of Abigail, Ruth, Esther and Mary. Last year, Ginger Garrett captured several new readers with her book The Chosen. She chose to write on one of the most beloved women of the bible, Esther. Even with so much already written about Esther, Ginger Garrett managed to create a unique reading experience.
The Serpent Moon Trilogy will no doubt grab several new fans for Ginger Garrett as well as for biblical fiction. With meticulous research and vivid detail, Ginger brings a time of darkness and evil to the reader, a time where God’s people had forsaken God Almighty for pagan gods. The two women in the first book Dark Hour can both be found in the following bible passages, 2 Chronicles 21-23 and 2 Kings 10-11.
Athaliah was reportedly the daughter of Ahab and Jezebel. She was married to Jehoram, King of Judah. Like mother, like daughter, Athaliah entices Jehoram from his God Yahweh to instead worship pagan gods. The results are disastrous for the royal throne and the country.
Jehoram was thirty-two years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem eight years. He walked in the ways of the kings of Israel, as the house of Ahab had done, for he married a daughter of Ahab. He did evil in the eyes of the LORD. — 2 Chronicles 21:5-6
After Jehoram dies a painfully slow death, he is buried without honor. His son, Ahaziah becomes king which provides Athaliah more power to share her dark influence.
Ahaziah was twenty-two years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem one year. His mother’s name was Athaliah, a granddaughter of Omri. He too walked in the ways of the house of Ahab, for his mother encouraged him in doing wrong.– 2 Chronicles 22:2-3
In a rather bloody fashion, Athaliah comes to power, but a sovereign God is very much in control .
When Athaliah the mother of Ahaziah saw that her son was dead, she proceeded to destroy the whole royal family of the house of Judah. But Jehosheba, the daughter of King Jehoram, took Joash son of Ahaziah and stole him away from among the royal princes who were about to be murdered and put him and his nurse in a bedroom. Because Jehosheba, the daughter of King Jehoram and wife of the priest Jehoiada, was Ahaziah’s sister, she hid the child from Athaliah so she could not kill him. He remained hidden with them at the temple of God for six years while Athaliah ruled the land. — 2 Chronicles 22:10-12
In the novel, Garret chooses to refer to Jehosheba as Jehoshebeth. Like The Chosen, Garret provides some detailed notes in the back of the book explaining why or how she formed the storyline.
This was truly a powerful story. Biblical fiction is fascinating and provides a unique way for the reader to take a closer look at previous overlooked or well known passages in the bible. Ginger Garret’s writing reveals the stark realities surrounding the people of Israel and Judah. This reader really had no clue that the entire line of David hung on the dark rule of this queen and the bravery of a princess.
The second book in the Serpent Moon trilogy, Midnight Throne, will be released June 2007. An excerpt can be found in the back of Dark Hour. ”
Tyora Moody wrote this review Saturday, August 4 2007.
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