Reviewed by Anne Boling for Readers' Favorite

Deborah was one of the Judges of Israel. She was well respected. She knew the Torah. She would sit under a tree and the people came to her for words of wisdom. I have long admired Deborah and was eager to read her account. I suppose I had her on a pedestal for I was disillusioned as I read this book. The Judges were flawed people. Consider Samson and his anger. He played tricks on his friends and enemies. He was responsible for the death of many. He allowed a woman to beguile him and betray him. So why was I surprised that Deborah was portrayed as a divorced woman that lay with a man out of wedlock. I believe the author may have taken a few liberties with Jewish law when it came to a divorced woman not being held responsible for lying with a man outside of marriage. Putting aside my preconceptions of the character The Triumph of Deborah is an excellent read. The story is told from Deborah and Asherah’s point of view. Asherah was the daughter of King Jabin of the Canaanites. They worshiped many idols including the one Asherah was named after.

Eva Etzioni-Halevy weaves a fascinating tale. This fictional account is based on fact. The account of Deborah is told in Scripture. She along with Barak led the Israelites into battle against the Canaanite Commander Sisra. The young Israelite Commander Barak refused to go into battle unless Deborah was at his side. The Canaanites battled from chariots. They were defeated by the Lord when their chariots mired down in mud.

The author successfully transports readers to the past where they will relive the battle and triumph. The characters are multidimensional. They come to life on the pages. The plot is informative and entertaining. I’m a little sad that Deborah is so human in her desires. Nogah was one of my favorite characters she had great depth. The Triumph of Deborah is history, suspense and romance all rolled into one. Excellent reading!