[.ca] Hadassah: One Night With the King: One Night With the King (ISBN 0764228935)

Tenney has given readers a source of wonder and conversation:
The Biblical tale of Esther, based on its Hebrew version (known as Megillah Esther, or The Volume of Esther), goes something like this: King Ahasuerus (now known as Xerxes) of Persia called for his wife, Queen Vashti, to appear at a banquet. When she refused (some theologians believe he meant to parade her naked before his guests), he banished her from the throne and decided to choose a new queen. While conducting a sort of beauty pageant of candidates, Ahasuerus was captivated by Esther, young woman whose Jewish identity was carefully concealed. He crowned his chosen new queen with diamonds. But while Esther had hidden her identity, she had not forgotten it. When the uncle who raised her, Mordecai, learned of a plot to kill the king, she was able to save her husband's life and to bring her uncle to his attention. Later still, when the king's villainous minister Haman ordered destruction of all the Jews in the kingdom on the 13th day of the month of Adar by lots, or "purim," Mordecai urged his niece to plead with the king to save her people. Going before the king without a summons could mean death, so Esther's courage in doing so was great. She persuaded the king, using all her feminine wiles, to grant her any wish, and he did --- the Jews of Persia were saved and destroyed their enemies. The 14th and 15th days of Adar were then set aside as a feast, to be known forever after as "Purim." Because of Esther's acceptance of her fate (hiding her faith and going willingly to the King's bed without benefit of marriage), her story has been denounced over the centuries by different Jewish and Christian commentators and clergy. Add to these criticisms the fact that the ten-chapter Book of Esther does not once mention God's name, and you have a tale that is not easy to tell as a Christian novel of redemption! Tenney gets around some of the story's difficulties (perhaps why he enlisted fiction writer Mark Andrew Olsen as a "contributor?") by 1) limiting the "action" during Esther's first night with Xerxes to hours of deep conversation and 2) using the Orthodox Jewish trope of referring to God as "G-d" or "YHWH" so that readers will begin to believe that the absence of His name in The Book of Esther was pious and not premeditated. Still, it's shocking at first to read Esther's calm, calculating reasons for allowing herself to be prepped for King Xerxes, and even more shocking to read of her growing desire for what would have been a lawless coupling: "I found that soon I began to desire the King in a wide variety of ways: to crave his presence, his words, his trust --- as well as that moment of our physical union." However, Tenney tries very hard to connect Esther's desire for the King with her growing desire for The King, or "G-d." He also, by framing her story with that of one of her descendants, a young contemporary Jewish bride-to-be, tries to connect Esther's elaborate knowledge and use of female adornments and beauty and sensitivity with the Judeo-Christian ideal of marriage. Tenney's success in making these connections has its problems, in literary terms: the framing device is simply not strong enough or long enough for his purposes. His success in making these connections may have other problems, as well. But he does succeed in bringing Esther and her world vividly to life (at times HADASSAH: One Night with the King is reminiscent of Anita Diamant's THE RED TENT), and this can be connected to an important lesson that many theologians have made about The Book of Esther. For Esther and other characters in the novel (including Mordecai and a young Jewish boy made into a eunuch), God's presence can seem farthest away when it is really closest. Jews celebrate the fact that Esther followed her path and used what she had to save her people. We may never know whether or not Esther followed that path because she believed God was guiding her, or not. Nevertheless, her story can instruct modern believers in having courage and struggling on despite the course of events. By re-imagining this rich, historic tale, Tenney has given readers a gift similar to that Esther gave Xerxes: a source of wonder and conversation. --- Reviewed by Bethanne Kelly Patrick

fantastic retelling of the story of Jewish holiday Purim:
Hadassah fails to grasp the ritual that her father puts her through until he provides her a letter handed down by generations of her ancestors and written by the biblical legend Esther. In ancient times, Esther's family is slaughtered because of their religious beliefs. Her cousin Mordecai adopts the young and they flee to Persia. Mordecai teaches his ward about being a Jew, but also warns her to hide her religion from others if she wants to live. The King of Persia orders all virgins to come to the palace so he can choose a new queen. Esther using the name Hadassah is among the participants. She vows to G-D (written in reverence this way) to risk her life to free her people if she is the chosen one. Though selected as the next queen, Hadassah realizes how foolishly dangerous it would be to reveal her Jewishness. Still, her people including her beloved Mordecai are in trouble so Esther no longer can remain silent in the lap of luxury much longer even if speaking out means "If I perish, I perish". Once the changing between eras stop (until one final turn) with biblical Esther taking center stage, readers obtain a fantastic retelling of the story of Jewish holiday Purim (just past) that provides deep insight into the heroine. The key that takes the tale beyond the strong retelling of Esther the queen (often told) is filling in the blanks of her childhood and her learning to become the monarch's wife. Aimed at a religious audience, anyone who appreciate a powerful rendition of a classic bible tale will enjoy eating Hamentaschen while spending one night with Tommy Tenney and Mark Andrew Olsen. Harriet Klausner

Excellent!:
I really enjoyed "Hadassah", already knowing the Biblical story of Esther, it was nice to see a fictonal background story. Although we don't really know what it was really like, "Hadassah" is a lovley story with vivid characters and plenty of emotion. You can almost feel the characters hurt and desperation as well as their joy and passion. I would definatley recommend it!

A Real Life Fairy Tale:
In this era of fantasy and make believe it is sometimes easy to forget how engrossing and fantastic history can be. Tommy Tenney writes a compelling tale of finding God's will in the most dire of circumstances. In this story Esther discovers that God can work even when it seems that things are happening that go against everything she's been taught. Her struggles with doing the right thing, and finding God's presence during the most difficult times of her life are issues to which everyone can relate. I really enjoyed the historical context that is woven into the story. I look forward to reading any new fiction Mr. Tenney writes.

A Great Work of Historical Fiction:
Hadassah: One Night with the King instantly grabs your attention. The story opens with Hadassah following her father through an apparent maze to take part in a family ritual. She doesn't grasp the significance of the ritual right away. That is, until she realizes that a part of the tradition is reading a private letter written by Esther, a famous queen of the Bible and for whom she is named (Hadassah translated means "Esther"). The remainder of the story details the contents of the letter that Esther wrote to a young woman to communicate the importance of her forthcoming marriage. Esther's story begins with her becoming an orphan after her family is killed because of their religious affiliation. Her cousin, Mordecai, takes care of her and they flee to Persia. He instructs her in Hebrew history and tradition but tells her to conceal her Jewish roots to avoid succumbing to the same fate as her family. Mordecai obtains a position with the King of Persia and Hadassah is able to obtain a glimpse of the environment of royalty, both good and bad. When all virgins are summoned to replace the queen, Hadassah spends a year preparing for the day she would meet the king. Within that time she obeys all the instructions she is given and when requested by God, vows to free her people. She is successful but the path to success tests her devotion. When the story returns to modern day, the present day Hadassah finishes the story and embraces the message conveyed in Esther's letter. In Hadassah: One Night with the King, Tommy Tenney presents a great piece of historical fiction. You can't help but to become enthralled in the predicament Esther is tasked to overcome and inspired by her devotion to God and her people. Tenney's story has all the elements of a drama; it contains romance, adventure, suspense, and irony. When you finish reading the story you will want to read the biblical version of the story from which it is influenced.