Miriam's Song by Jill Eileen Smith {Book Review}

**I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher for consideration. All thoughts are my own. 

In her eventful lifetime, Miriam was many things to many people: protective older sister, song leader, prophetess, leper. But between the highs and the lows, she was a girl who dreamed of freedom, a woman who longed for love, a leader who made mistakes, and a friend who valued connection.

With her impeccable research and keen eye for detail, bestselling author Jill Eileen Smith offers this epic story to fill in the gaps and imagine how Miriam navigated the challenges of holding on to hope, building a family in the midst of incredible hardship, and serving as a leader of a difficult people, all while living in her brother's shadow. Follow Miriam's journey from childhood to motherhood, obscurity to notoriety, and yearning to fulfillment as she learns that what God promises he provides--in his own perfect timing.

Jill Eileen Smith is the bestselling and award-winning author of the biblical fiction series The Wives of King David, Wives of the Patriarchs, and Daughters of the Promised Land, as well as The Heart of a King and Star of Persia: Esther's Story. She is also the author of the nonfiction books When Life Doesn't Match Your Dreams and She Walked Before Us. Her research into the lives of biblical women has taken her from the Bible to Israel, and she particularly enjoys learning how women lived in Old Testament times. Jill lives with her family in southeast Michigan. Learn more at www.jilleileensmith.com.




I must admit that I am a little iffy in general when it comes to biblical fiction... I love the idea of it as it can be a great way to give us a better idea of who these faces in the Bible might have been outside of their mentions. While these are works of fiction and should be treated as such, a good Biblical fiction has put in the research and really just helps to bring these stories to life in a more reader friendly way. That said, I'm a little more picky on books in this genre... the stories have to be good to make me want to read them. 

I was drawn in when I saw the title of this one. Miriam is a name that we are all quite familiar with as the sister of Moses and I thought it would be interesting to see more about her--- yes, even in this fictional avenue. I really expected the story to focus on her and her life based upon the title. I found this one to be more about Moses' story... just from Miriam's POV. There is certainly nothing wrong with that, but was a bit of a disappointment from what I had been expecting. 

While I am far from knowing all the ins and outs and history of the Bible (perhaps another reason why this genre isn't as high on my list as it could be), it seemed to be well researched and thought out. It was well written and while I personally struggled a bit to get into, I can always appreciate good writing and evident thought when I see it. If you are a fan of Biblical fiction and are looking for a fictional take on the life of Moses, this is definitely one to check out.