The Song of Hannah: A Novel - Softcover

Etzioni-Halevy, Eva

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0452286727 ISBN 13: 9780452286726

Publisher: Plume, 2005

Synopsis

In the tradition of the international bestseller The Red Tent comes a beautiful, sexy novel featuring Hannah, one of the most well-known and beloved heroines of the Old Testament.

Hannah and Pninah, once close childhood friends, become rivals for the attention of Elkanah, the man who has married them both. Pninah, passionate and independent, easily bears Elkanah many children, but bitter that he has taken her friend as a second wife, seeks fulfillment with her own secret lover. Hannah, the epitome of goodness and grace, remains completely devoted to her husband, but remains childless for many years, until a promise to God brings her the son she has yearned for.

Despite their differences, these two women must learn to live together, protecting their own interests as well as each other’s, while sharing not only the love of their husband, but that of Hannah’s son Samuel, who will become one of the great prophets of the Jewish people.

About this title

About the Author:

Eva Etzioni-Halevy is professor emeritus of political sociology at Bar Ilan University in Tel Aviv. This is her first novel.

From Booklist:

Exploring the varieties of love between a man and a woman, as well as the practical aspects of obeying God's commandments, this debut novel by an Israeli sociologist fictionalizes the story of the prophet Samuel. Illuminating ancient Hebrew and Canaanite culture, the tale reminds us that humanity rarely changes, either in its bondage to sex or in its perceived relationship to a creator. Hannah, the mother of Samuel, begs God to open her womb, promising in return to dedicate her first child to him. Thus, her boy Samuel grows up in the temple, blessed with wisdom but cursed with an unholy desire for his father's first wife. Falling somewhere between the feminist slant of Diamont's Red Tent (1997) and Edghill's more romanticized Queenmaker (2001), this dramatic retelling of Samuel's story, which reminds the reader that even God's beloved servants are susceptible to temptation, may offend the sensibilities of devout Christians and Jews alike, but its sensuous detail and emphasis on human foibles will appeal to those who prefer more secularized interpretations of biblical history. Jennifer Baker
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

About this edition

• Publisher: Plume
• Publication date: 2005
• ISBN 10: 0452286727
• ISBN 13: 9780452286726
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 292