Review of Daughter of the King by Carlene Havel and Sharon Faucheux

 

 

Daughter of the King by Carlene Havel and Sharon Facheux

When I received this book, I was unsure of how much I did not remember from the Bible.

A good and really fast read that kept me interested in the story of the first wife of King David, Michal.

When they first met, David was a young man and Michal was a princess, the daughter of King Saul. Michal remembered the first time she saw him at the age of six. page 16. David was the son of Jesse of Bethlehem.

King Saul, betrothed her sister Merab to David and Michal was devastated. "But it came to pass at the time when Merab Saul's daughter should have been given to David, that she was given unto Adriel the Meholathite to wife. 1 Samuel 18:19." page 33.

Michal was always in love with David. "And Saul saw and knew that the Lord was with David, and that Michal Saul's daughter loved him 1 Samuel 18:28" page 141

"Samuel 18:20 says that Michal loved David, the only place in the Bible where a woman's love for a man is recorded, according to footnotes in The Jewish Study Bible from http://ancienthistory.about.com/od/Women-Of-The-Bible/a/021511-CW-Michal.htm."

The story concentrates on the life of Michal and her family. Her father is not a kind king and has a bad temper. The mother of Michal, Ahinoam, knows this and has learned what to do or not do.

Saul marries Michal to Phalti[el] saying that David is dead. "But Saul had given Michal his daughter, David's wife, to Philti[el] the son of Laish, which was of Gallim. 1 Samuel 25:44" page 1

The book begins with the death of King Saul and then goes back to the time David and Michal meet.

There is a verse at the beginning of each chapter that usually describes the chapter.

"and they anointed David king over Israel. David was 30 years old when he began to reign.... II Samuel 5:3,4" page 175

Many interesting facts about this time era with the foods, clothing, wars, modes of transportion, God, and the lives of women.

I learned a lot about David and his life. He had eight wives with Michal being the first. He had many children and the book says how he loved them. "Now, these were the sons of David, which were born unto him in Hebron: the firstborn, Amnon, of Ahinoam the Jezreelitess; the second, Daniel, of Abigail the Carmelitess; The third: Absalom the son of Macchah the daughter of Talmai king of Geshur: the fourth, Adonijah the son of Haggith: The fifth, Stephatiah of Abital: the sixth, Ithream by Eglah his wife. Chronicles 3:1-4:. page 102.

It was not easy to share a husband and there were conflicts. All the women had a chore given to them. Michal loved her dyes and yarn and that was her chore. I was surprised to find knitting during those Biblical days; I always thought of medieval times. I knew of weaving and this is also mentioned. I first became interested in dyes when I read The Purple Quest by Frank G. Slaughter about the Phoenicians and the purple dye. I have used this interest to do natural dyes.

The authors, Carlene Havel and Sharon Facheux did a good job of writing a Biblical and a lot of facts for a book of fiction about Michal. "This is what we think might have happened" on page iii.

A lot of research was done to write this book and this is one reason I used some of the verses to help describe the Daughter of the King. It should get the reader interested to do more research on David and Michal. I love the cover of the book and the reader will read when Michal wears green.

I give Daughter of the King a 5 star for all the knowledge in the book and also that it held my attention. I received a complimentary copy from Carlene Havel to read and review. The opinions are my own.

Leona Olson

www.mnleona.blogspot.com