Judging Noa - Softcover

Strutin, Michal

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1945805749 ISBN 13: 9781945805745

Publisher: Bedazzled Ink Publishing, 2018

Synopsis

Noa, at sixteen, sets out with the twelve tribes of the Exodus, dreaming of a life of freedom and the Promised Land that her father says will be theirs. When religious fanatics kill her father, Noa and her four sisters are in danger of being sold into bondage. Noa vows to win women’s rights of inheritance to protect her sisters and herself. Pleading her case before ever-higher courts, Noa encounters a malicious judge and the dark side of power.  

Gaining strength and complexity as she approaches the highest judge, Noa and her pursuit causes turmoil among the tribes: she is a notorious troublemaker, accused of witchery. And she is heroic. Based on a few biblical verses, the turbulence of Noa’s life is set against the sweeping turbulence of the Exodus. In Judging Noa, her quest for justice is a journey that has as much meaning today as it did then.

About this title

About the Author:

Michal Strutin is an award-winning author of eight books on natural and cultural history, including Places of Grace: the Natural Landscapes of the American Midwest, Discovering Natural Israel, and two volumes of Smithsonian Guides to Natural America. Her articles on travel and natural and cultural history have appeared in the New York Times, Los Angeles Times, Tablet, Outside, Rolling Stone, and other newspapers and magazines.

Review:

"Noa is determined to achieve justice for her family and begins to plotways to convince judges of their case....With great attention to detail,Strutin takes these obscure characters--who are mentioned in only threeBible verses--and spins out an in-depth account of the joys and hardships of womanhood in the ancient world....There's a great deal ofinterpersonal drama and intrigue that will keep even nonreligiousreaders engaged in the tale of Noa's sheepherding family. A good choicefor readers who love historical tales of strong-willed women."  -- Kirkus Reviews

"Strutin...succeeds very well in depicting both theBiblical landscape and women's lives in this novel. Noa, her sisters,and even minor figures are well-rounded characters. I enjoyedexperiencing the Bible stories about the Exodus from a different, female point of view. Fans of Biblical-themed fiction and those interested inwomen's history will enjoy this book."
--B. J. Sedlock, Historical Novel Society Reviews

"The author's atmospheric writing carries us along on this journey, not just of the horde of people but also the life journey of Noa and hersisters...The author succeeds in conveying the difficulties of such amassive undertaking: the feuds, loves, small but significant incidentsthat shapes her characters. It is also a book about the centuries-oldstruggle for women's rights and Noa's frustrations are well portrayed."
--Richard Tearle, Discovering Diamonds
Independent Reviews of the Best in Historical Fiction

"Judging Noa is an impeccably researched and richly detailedstory of one woman's struggle against a patriarchal system thatthreatens notonly her freedom but her life. Noa's courage anddetermination make foran empowering and thought-provoking read."
--Rebecca Kanner, award-winning author of Esther: A Novel and Sinners and the Sea: the Untold Story of Noah's Wife

"Noa's quest is the focus of this imaginative retelling of the briefbiblicalstory of Zelophechad and his five daughters. With her immenseknowledgeof the flora and fauna of the wilderness, Michal Strutin tookme on amulti-layered, sensual, and sense-laden journey."
--Peninnah Schram,teacher and renowned storyteller, whose most recent book is Jewish Stories of Love and Marriage: Folktales, Legends and Letters with Sandy Eisenberg Sasso.

"Michal Strutin's debut novel, Judging Noa, brings the Exodus to life in language that is spare and lyrical.Noaseeks justice from a patriarchal society that is loath tochangeanything in the midst of the wrenching cultural upheaval that isturning them from slaves to a free people."
--Mary F. Burns, author of J - The Woman Who Wrote the Bible

About this edition

• Publisher: Bedazzled Ink Publishing
• Publication date: 2018
• ISBN 10: 1945805749
• ISBN 13: 9781945805745
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 260