As an ELA teacher and lover of reading, I have subscribed to several YA book subscription boxes and even moderated for one until it went defunct last year. I moderated romance novels (not my genre of choice, but the only opening they had) for about five months before I was able to switch to literary fiction. As a moderator and public school teacher, my recent reading has been inundated with secular themes and characters. The bookstagram I started when I started moderating took off and I realized that I could be using that social media platform to promote books that would promote Christ-likeness.
There was a slight problem, though. Christian fiction I have read in the past left a bad taste in my mouth. Like the romance novels I proctored, the majority of Christian novels I had read in past felt shallow and focused on eliciting an emotional response, failing to challenge the reader to be introspective on how they could change themselves or the world around them. Plot lines and characters seem to fall out of a mold, removing creativity and uniqueness from the story.
So a few months ago when a friend of mine who reviews Christian fiction encouraged me to sign up to be part of the launch team for a book to be released in May, I jumped at the chance to reintroduce myself to a genre I had avoided for so long.
The Heart of a King: The Loves of Solomon is a compilation of short stories about four of the wives of King Solomon. I was apprehensive from the start as this book seemed to fit into my preconceived notions of what I would be reading.
And it was: a chick-flick romance novel.
If you are looking for a romantic view of Israel's (and the world's) wisest king, then this is the book for you. Smith introduces you to four wives of different histories from different times in Solomon's life.
Naamah the Ammonite, his first wife and a friend of his youth. Namaah seeks to know Solomon and his God in a more personal way. She also hopes Solomon will obey God's commands to kings and be the husband of one wife.
Abishag, the young wife-nurse of David selected by Bathsheba knowing Solomon would marry the young wives of his father. Solomon and Abishag fall in love through grief and love of music.
Siti, the young Egyptian princess who gives Solomon Gezer, but refuses to give up her god, Bastet and demands a palace of her own.
Nicaula, the virgin Queen of Sheba who seeks Solomon's wisdom and a trade agreement. In her search, she finds wisdom for herself in a relationship with the God of Israel.
Personally, I struggled to read this novel. After reading the selections about the first two wives, I set the book down and it glared at me for nearly two weeks. I legitimately could not read anything else knowing I agreed to review the book honestly, which I refused to do until I finished the novel, but I had no desire to finish (see my predicament?). Eventually, I did push through and finish the novel. I enjoyed the conflicts present in the last two wives better than the first, but not enough to say that I love the book.
What I didn't like:
- Solomon woos several of his wives with the same poems and sayings, including calling each of them "my dove" and a passage describing Solomon holding and kissing intimately them prior to marriage, resulting in a sexual rise from the lady, only to say "we must wait until love awakens"as he walks away.
These descriptions bothered me as Solomon did not reveal himself as a man in love, rather he sounded like a sexual predator, manipulating his most current victim. While I understand many readers may not interpret Solomon's words and characters in this way, I could not shake the feeling that Solomon was a master manipulator.
After reading Siti's section, I was more understanding of Solomon's motivations to keep peace via marriages to princesses of other lands, but then he manipulated Nicaula into a marriage and child after she showed her unease and asked to call off the marriage. His wording in this section, again, reminded me of a sexual predator offering confidence in the midst of insecurity rather than listening and backing off. - Solomon is a whiny crown prince and comes off as incredibly selfish throughout the book, although the selfishness does lessen toward the end.
- Solomon's relationship with Adonai seems weak. Namaah and Abishag mention the strength of his faith, but it is not apparent to the reader. Yes, we are give the prayer when God offers Solomon anything and grants him wisdom and descriptions of his obsession with the building of the temple. The temple obsession is not a convincing argument for his love of Adonai, just his love of his father and fulfilling a duty.
What I did like:
- The characterization of Bathsheba as Queen Mother. While I am certain her position was difficult, I appreciated how Smith used her as a friend, confidante, and adviser to each of the wives. Bathsheba also showed wisdom in how she addressed, encouraged, and reprimanded her son, even after he was king.
- The revelation that wisdom is not equal to morality or prudence. Solomon knew what he was supposed to do, but often foolishly chose to indulge his passions. I have done this in my own life, so I'm sure being the richest, wisest king of his era made temptations that much greater. I appreciated that Smith used the wives to challenge his foolishness.
- Not all of the wives are believers. The contrast between the four wives adds interest in the book. I particularly enjoyed the dissonance between Siti and Nicaula.
I must admit, Smith's book did not change my opinion on Christian fiction, but I know there are books in this genre that I will enjoy. I just need to keep looking. And maybe avoid romances.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
