Rebel Daughter

By: Lori Banov Kaufmann

Narrated by: Ellen Archer

National Jewish Book Award Winner • Christy Award Finalist

A young woman survives the unthinkable in this stunning and emotionally satisfying tale of family, love, and resilience, set against the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 CE.

Esther dreams of so much more than the marriage her parents have arranged to a prosperous silversmith. Always curious and eager to explore, she must accept the burden of being the dutiful daughter. Yet she is torn between her family responsibilities and her own desires.

Meanwhile, the growing turmoil threatens to tear apart not only her beloved city, Jerusalem, but also her own family. As the streets turn into a bloody battleground between rebels and Romans, Esther's journey becomes one of survival. She remains fiercely devoted to her family, and braves famine, siege, and slavery to protect those she loves.

This emotional and impassioned saga, based on real characters and meticulous research, seamlessly blends the fascinating story of the Jewish people with a timeless protagonist determined to take charge of her own life against all odds.

©2021 Lori Banov Kaufmann (P)2021 Listening Library

Critic reviews

"[A] carefully researched and well-crafted narrative.... Highly recommended.” (Jewish Book Council)

“Highly readable and compelling...will hold your interest from the first page to the last.” (Blu Greenberg, author and founder of the Jewish Orthodox Feminist Alliance)

“Esther’s remarkable, mysterious, and METICULOUSLY RESEARCHED story is one that demands to be told.” (Kirkus Reviews)

Inspiring and gripping

I loved this book and would stay longer in my car to listen to the end of a chapter. The subject is intriguing and we have so little written about this period and the historic research behind the story added a deep layer of authenticity and interest. That alone makes it a book everyone should read. The book drew me in from the very first chapter and kept my interest because the story is told through the eyes of a strong young woman. We often read historic fiction in Biblical times only from the perspective of a man. The story was inspiring. A book I will never forget.

Fantastic historical fiction!

Well written and fascinating story based on real people and events in 1st Century Judea. well researched by the author and beautifully rendered. narrator was excellent as well. Nice use of scripture and Jewish rituals to add color and meaning to the story!

Highly recommended!

Beautiful things comes with streggle

To the writer thank you for the time you have taken to write this beautiful book .it moved me ,every part of this book was written ,so we done again thank you..

Making history real

An engaging story based on rich historical detail bringing to life a period of history that has not received enough attention .

Excellent

This book is incredibly well-researched and very engaging. I felt like I was living with the heroine in her day to day life as she navigated a tumultuous time in history.

This book gave me a good insight into history

I liked the story. The Hebrew pronunciations were not correct. I learned a lot about Jewish history.

Rebel Daughter

It was my intention to give this book 5 stars across-the-board, but I could not get the stars next to the story to fill in all the way. Particularly the story and the resource it was done was most impressive!

Engaging story brings history to life

I love this story for so many reasons! The characters and storyline are well-crafted and fit neatly on known historicsl facts, making the story believable from beginning to end. I also love the rich details about daily life and culture in Jerusalem and Rome that the author imbued in the story. I also love that I have gained a deeper and different understanding of this important chapter of history. More nuance, more insight into recurring human conflicts through time, more lessons for us to heed today. Excellent, simply excellent.

Very good story.

learned a lot about the early Jewish religion I don't know before. the narrator is very good. Story was well writing.

Beautiful story

Loved it!
What a beautiful story of the struggle for freedom, love, and forgiveness. the narrator did kind of get on my nerves a little in the beginning when she would do the men's voices, but I was finally able to get past it! Still highly recommend this book