Love Amid the Ashes

This story is about the biblical character of Job and the people who stood by him during his suffering. It’s a very interesting story; since the book of Job in the Bible mostly consists of lengthy dialogues between Job and his friends, this story added a lot more plot points and additional characters to flesh out the narrative.

I loved the relationships that were formed between Job and the people who took care of him when everyone else had abandoned him. There was one scene in particular near the beginning of the book between Job and his wife, Sitis – whom I didn’t like very much at that point in the story – but the way Job treated her made it so clear how much he loved her, despite their differences and hardships, that I show more couldn’t help but root for them!

Another thing I loved about this book is the way it managed to make animal sacrifices seem beautiful. I’ve always thought of it as a very gross, messy, but necessary thing that the Israelites had to do to cleanse themselves of sin, but in this the focus was on the feeling of freedom and forgiveness that came when the weight of sin and shame was lifted. I will never think of sacrifices the same way again: it truly was beautiful! show less

They say a picture is worth a thousand words, but Love amid the ashes surely is the opposite. The author's writing has transformed a well-known Bible book into a tapestry of vivid imageries and colour that leaves a lasting impression on the mind.

Love amid the ashes brings the story of Job and Dinah alive, giving you a glimpse of Job's experience in the most difficult time in his life. That the author has taken the time to study other books, and the timeline is a remarkable tribute to her ability and skill and a worthy testimony of Job's faith.

When we read the Bible, we forget sometimes the backstory and how everything fits together. The timeline interlinked to give you a broad picture of life and how everything fits together. Though I show more have read of Dinah, the daughter of Jacob, I never really gave her much thought. Now I am thinking differently about this beautiful woman and her faith. It felt like I was walking along with Job, as she nursed him back to life and a love so wide as the desert that formed against them.

Sitis was another wonderful woman worthy to be mentioned. We don't read about her other than that she told Job to curse God and die. Her name doesn't even appear within the book of Job. But through the historical background, we get a glimpse of this woman's path and her own restoration with God Almighty, before she left this earth. I think the author did a wonderful tribute to her as well. When you lose everything that is dear to you in one heartbeat, you lose it. I know a little of that myself. Therefore, my admiration for this woman just grew exponentially.

Job's path is written with so much empathy and understanding that I have a new admiration for this man who was loved by God. His strong character shines forth within each page. His relationship with God is a testimony of his true faith. What stood out most was the place where most of the story takes place, the ash heap in his kitchen courtyard. Here he was confronted with unbearable pain, rejection of his most trusted friends and betrayal of those who seek his position and riches for themselves. In the end, their greed and power hunger cost them more than just poverty or death.

On this ash heap, he had to learn to trust God unconditionally even though worms were eating his flesh away. The stench that accompanied him was unbearable to read but touching as you witness Nogahla and Dinah's devotion to care for him.

The supporting characters each played an integral part in this story, Aban and Nogahla, Nada and Sayyid, the widow, Esau, Jacob, Joseph, the three friends Bildad, Eliphaz, and Zophar. They created more depth and believability to the storyline and in the end, they all either withered or got to know El Shaddai through the lives of Job and Dinah.

The land of Uz played a big role in the story's buildup, as the author described the carved palaces and dangerous siq to enter the city. We don't always think about how life really was and the difficulties these people faced.

I love the role that the hoopoe played throughout the storyline. Its divine intervention at the most difficult times was always a sign of hope and trust in the divine plan of El Shaddai. A worthy ally who added greater depth to the plot.

A marvellous book that touches every part of our walk as we discover who God is and the relationship He wishes to have with us if we only let him.

Praise to the writer for this marvel.
Thank you for this wonderful gift. show less

I am pretty leery about historical fictions that take their core premise from the Bible, but when I do give a Biblical historical fiction a chance, it is normally by Mesu Andrews, thanks to her obvious devotion to bringing Biblical stories to life. I finally had the opportunity to listen to her first book Love Amid the Ashes on audiobook, which focuses on Job, a Biblical character that is very well known for having his life taken away from him, and his faith tested, but what brought him to that point? How did he endure such excruciating strife, and what was his life like afterwards?

In Love Amid the Ashes we get to see Job's life played out, but told from the point of view of Dinah, a woman known in the Bible as Jacob's only daughter, show more and the woman that was obsessively pursued and raped by Shechem (reference Genesis 34). I enjoyed learning more about Dinah, seeing her life played out in a realistic way, and the love between her and Job.

Being true to "fiction" in historical fiction, there were liberties taken as far as the story in comparison to what we know from the Bible, and I have to admit that they were numerous, and several I did not agree with, but I believe that is based on personal preference, and doesn't take away from the Biblical account. Having the author's note at the end to explain her reasonings for taking certain liberties did help tremendously.

What bothered me more than anything was the simplicity. I felt like the whole story was "skin deep," not digging deeper into the characters and their motivations, which was bothersome to me, as I hungered to connect more with them, especially Dinah. The story itself was intriguing, but where is the emotion?

All in all I enjoyed this reading experience, and though there are some issues with the story itself for me personally, I would still recommend a listen. I do believe Mesu Andrews has only gotten better in her writing over the years but, even at the beginning, you can see that she has a gift for storytelling, and truly did bring Job's story to life.

*I have voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book which I received from the author/publisher through JustRead Tours. All views and opinions are completely honest, and my own. show less

I was looking for something a little different when I chose Love Amid The Ashes by Mesu Andrews. It is always a risk when a book is about a Biblical character — the Biblical account can be lost or obliterated. And by placing Dinah, Jacob’s daughter, in the middle of Job’s story seemed like a big risk. Well, I am happy to say that despite my first misgivings, I really liked Love Amid The Ashes.

The action of the novel begins 20 years after the massacre of Shechem by Jacob’s sons. Dinah has lived a life of shame, but has been sheltered by her grandfather, Isaac. Now Isaac is dead and Job, the grandson of Esau, has vowed to give Dinah a home with his oldest son. On the eve of arriving in Uz, the testing of Job begins. Both show more characters face loss, betrayal, shame and finally restitution.

It is very apparent that Mesu Andrews undertook painstaking research in writing Love Amid The Ashes. The culture and customs of the time come to life. The Biblical characters included in the book are true to their characters and are fleshed out in a very satisfying way. Jacob and Esau are still at odds with each other and are true to their deceptive and blustery personalities. Job is a righteous man in all ways and still very human. His trials are depicted in a way that is both believable and inspirational. The theme of God’s grace in restitution is powerfully portrayed. In the afterword, Andrews explains her process for fictionalizing the Biblical account – a plus for the reader.

If you like fiction based on the Bible, Love Amid The Ashes is definitely a book you need to check out.

Recommended. show less

This is a must read for anyone who enjoys biblical fiction. I was so intrigued by Job and Dinah’s story and couldn’t wait to turn the page to see what would happen next. I was most impressed with Mesu Andrews’ ability to use her imagination based only on scant factual detail to come up with a story so intriguing. Read the author’s notes as the end. You will find that Mesu spends inordinate amounts of time and exhausts every resource in researching what is known and making it into a story to grab our hearts and minds. She put us in the story where we can feel Job’s pain and Dinah’s hurt as we cheer them on to the ultimate victory we know will come in the end. This book made a Mesu Andrews fan of me and I will be reading her show more other books very soon. show less

NCLA Review -Who would want to read a novel about longsuffering Job? Isn’t the original story tragic enough without filling in ghastly details? Yet Mesu Andrews’ creativity, intelligence, and diligence pull the reader in and don’t release the spell until the final page. Job—and Jacob and Esau and their quarreling offspring as well—come to life, shaped by intensive research. Amazingly, she makes of Job’s tale a cluster of love stories, laced with fictitious connections between well-wrought characters of the patriarchal era. A family tree at the beginning, and at the end an Author’s Note explaining the sources on which Andrews based the fictitious aspects are helpful. I found it hard to keep up with the Biblical names and show more presumed family ties, but still, it is a whale of a tale. (Oops, that was Jonah!) Rating: 4 —DKW show less

As Job said, "Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked I will depart. Yahweh gave and Yahweh has taken away; may the name of Yahweh be praised." Or how about "Though He might slay me - He is still my God, my only hope of deliverance.". These are hard sayings to live by when everything you have is taken from you and only your life is spared, and even that life you have is close to death. But as a friend said in this book, "El Shaddai is beyond our reach. Fear Him, yes, but recognize His work as a loving expression to draw a man closer, not crash or repel him."

The author did a good job of taking the book of Job from the Bible and giving her thoughts on how everything happened when God allowed Satan to test Job's love for His God. It show more made me appreciate and understand all that Job endured. This is fiction, but it is based upon the Bible and although the true story can get lost in the fiction, I believe the author did a good job of remaining true to all that Job endured. show less