Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to review this book.

Stars: This author obviously did a lot of research into this Biblical story of Miriam.

Wishes: I wish this book didn't read like a YA novel. There were too many points of view, the characters were not developed enough in my opinion, and I believe much of the content could have been edited down. I didn't love this one.

This is a difficult review to write, in so many ways. First, to be totally honest, I had trouble finishing this book. Like, I was finishing the book earlier today, when I was supposed to have the review already written and posted . . . a problem with procrastination? Maybe. But I seldom procrastinate when it comes to reading.

This was a great concept, to be honest. The story of the Exodus, told from Miriam's perspective? Sounds like I'd learn a great deal! I mean, Miriam would have a different perspective than Moses, being that she didn't experience everything Moses did, and being that she was raised as slave and Moses was raised in opulence, and being that she's a girl, and Moses is a guy. And maybe, if the book had a different cover and a different title, the whole concept would have worked. But there isn't enough of Moses, and Miriam is older during most of the story, and I'm pretty sure I went into the book expecting more of Miriam and less of Moses.

The storyline and plot followed the biblical account really well -- and I really enjoyed that. But I *know* the story of Moses, and when it comes to Biblical fiction, I like to leave thinking, "hmm . . . I've never considered that before . . . " andI just didn't with this book. There were one or two parts, but in a 400 page book, I'd like a few more of those "hmm . . . " moments.

And then there were the parts when the story *didn't* follow biblical guidelines and there was way too much "modernness" to fit into the biblical account. Women in this period of history had little to no voice -- that is the historically accurate fact. And there were times when Miriam came across as a bit pushy, a bit too forward, too opinionated, too . . . liberated, almost. For her to be the only woman in a council meeting and speak up and share her thoughts and not one man to say anything to her is a bit far fetched, to my thinking. There weren't many of these scenes, but still. These were details added to the biblical account that I wish weren't, while I wish more details and musings had been added to Miriam's earlier life that we don't know.

And I kinda had trouble following the time gaps and the leaps in the years. It made the story seem choppy, and I was never able to connect with the characters, really. To me, it seemed like an historical narrative of the exodus, and not an historical fiction book. Which there's nothing wrong with, per say, but I just wasn't expecting that.

Bottom line: This would be great to read if you homeschool and like living history books and want to study ancient Egypt in a safe way. The historical facts were amazing, even if they did bog the story down some, and I did learn about the ancient Egyptian culture. There were discreet mentions of birth, a few beatings and murders, and the story mentioned the gods the Egyptians worshiped in a *safe* way. I would hand it to a 12 year old for a school assignment, but as a fictional book, it just didn't work for me. As a history book, it was pretty great!

*I received a copy of this book from the publisher and NetGalley, and was under no obligation to enjoy this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.*

Miriam's Song may be Jill Eileen Smith's best book yet! I've read all of her other biblical fiction and I am always impressed with the detail and accuracy she brings to each story. If you've not yet read one of her books you need to treat yourself soon.

In the biblical account Moses is the main character, as he should be. Miriam is his older sister and we meet her with the account of her brother's birth. After that the story shifts primarily to Moses. But who is Miriam? What was going on in her life in the intervening years between Moses' birth and the time when the Israelites are set free?

Jill fills in the gaps with information we know and what we can assume was taking place. Before I read one of her books I like to read over the biblical account so I can keep in mind what is fact and what is fiction. Every time I have been impressed with her ability to merge the two while remaining dedicated to the historical record.

If you've never read biblical fiction because you are hesitant about the fiction aspect I urge you to give Miriam's Song a try. I think you will lose yourself in the beauty of the story of a woman chosen by God to uphold His servant Moses. I highly recommend this book and look forward to reading many more by her.

I received a copy of this book to facilitate my review.

This epic saga shares the fictionalized story of Miriam, the older sister of Moses. The author weaves a credible account based on the limited information found in the Bible and using historical details and her imagination to craft a believable retelling. Some things the author chose to include that surprised me were that Miriam was only five when she watched over her baby brother in the Nile and that she married and had children. The sweeping drama of slavery in Egypt and the Exodus draws readers right into the action and makes them feel like they’re in the midst of it too. I appreciate the cultural details and the possibilities she explored for some elements that Scripture doesn’t provide specific information, like about Moses’s Egyptian wife. Whether you’re familiar with the tale or not, this novel will take you back thousands of years to experience what the Israelites did in those days. I think it would make a good book for group discussion. I received a copy from the publisher through NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
#MiriamsSong #NetGalley

This book brings to life the story of Miriam, and things she might have faced as Moses' sister. I always enjoy biblical fiction as a way to gain a deeper understanding of people from those long ago Bible days.
The author was careful to not stray from what is written in the Bible, but to stay as accurate as possible. There are a few minor details added, which are necessary when writing this type of fiction, but mostly it just sticks to the Biblical accounts.
I was just a little disappointed that she didn't elaborate more on Miriam's life. I think there are lots of interesting and intriguing possibilities there. However, I also understand that it could be quite difficult to write in a way that stays completely true to the biblical account, so I can empathize a bit with the quandary the author might have found herself in as she wrote this story!
If you enjoy biblical fiction, I do recommend this book. It is very interesting to read this story about how the Israelites suffered in Egypt, and then were delivered, and their very long and tiresome journey to the Promised Land.
Disclaimer: I receive complimentary books from various sources, including, publishers, publicists, authors, and/or NetGalley. I am not required to write a positive review, and have not received any compensation. The opinions shared here are my own entirely. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255

It was nice to get a new perspective of how Moses grew up. I really enjoyed reading about what Miriam went through all of the years before Moses came to lead the people out of slavery. This really gives you a different look at what the people went through. I really liked Miriam. I received a copy of this book from Revell for a fair and honest opinion that I gave of my own free will.

A wonderful story of truly Biblical proportions! I loved the way this book was written even though a character asking for ‘snacks’ did jar a bit. I felt that names from the Bible both familiar and less well known were brought to life.

I love the story of Miriam and Jill Eileen Smith captures the essence of her so well in this book. Rich in historical details with a healthy dose of possibility, I felt like I was walking alongside Miriam during many of her powerful life experiences. She becomes relatable and personable, not just Moses’s sister who lived so long ago. Told from the perspective of others, you get to see Miriam through the eyes of those who knew and loved her best. The story drove me to reread what I thought I knew about Miriam and enjoy the possibilities merged with what is known to be true. A highly recommended Biblical fiction! I received a complimentary copy from the publisher through NetGalley and all opinions expressed are my own, freely given.

RATING 3.5 STARS

I appreciate the difficulty in the undertaking of writing in the perspective of Miriam. She is the elder sister of Moses and is known for her obedience to make sure her baby brother is safe from the edict of Pharaoh. The movie the 10 Commandments may be the only version of Moses many know and the bible of course is told in the bigger story which is God redeeming mankind and using the people of Israel to do that. Not much is told of Miriam and what is told is written in Miriam's Song. What led to the leprosery of Miriam and how did she feel about Moses and why. There was jealousy of course because we all are human. I have to say I did feel better about Miriam's story after I read the author's note to the reader and agree with her that Miriam's Song reflects the holiness of God.

God deals with Miriam with her insecurities and questions and her relationship with her brothers Aaron and Moses. What God was teaching the people of Israel and why did they have to wander for 40 years. My personal opinion is that Israel's story is prophetic to the churches and the return of Christ. We must realize the holiness of God and let it be the way we draw near to him and his plan for redemption. Miriam's Song is our story as well. A story about working out our faith to a holy God.

A Special thank you to Revell and Netgalley for the ARC and the opportunity to post an honest review.

Miriam plays an important place in Bible history, but we do not really know much about her life except where Moses is concerned. Author Smith gives us a fictional account of what may have transpired for Miriam and her family.

Here we start Miriam's story before Moses is even born. We watch her as a little girl as she witnesses the cruelty of the Egyptians in the slaughter of innocent Hebrew baby boys. We watch as her family keeps her baby brother's birth a secret and tries to hide him from their slave masters. We go with her as she acts as guardian for him until he is found by the princess and until he must live at the palace permanently and all the way to when the spies are about to enter the Promise Land.

I was brought into the story of Miriam's life, her young one, as a wife, as a mother, and eventually as a continual helper to her brothers. I watched her grieve, rejoice, pray, and most of all to wait. That stood out to me the most, how even when she felt like giving up, she continued to pray for deliverance. Even though God remained silent through the 400 years of their slavery and her faith sometimes waivered she continued to trust in the God of her ancestors.

I have read author Mesu Andrews work on Miriam and the Pharaoh's daughter that had me going back and researching history. Author Smith takes a different direction on who Pharaoh's daughter was and I found that intriguing as well. There is also some poetic license taken on who was Miriam's children. We do get to see the events as they unfold through the other women's eyes, and I found that a great help to see from different perspectives.

I did enjoy this book and found the weaving of Author Smith's research into the Biblical account interesting. I did receive a copy of this novel from the publisher. I was not required to post a positive review and all views and opinions are my own.

Miriam's Song
by Jill Eileen Smith
Back of the Book: “In her eventful lifetime, Miriam was many things to many people: protective older sister, song leader, prophetess, leper. But between the highs and the lows, she was a girl who dreamed of freedom, a woman who longed for love, a leader who made mistakes, and a friend who valued connection.
With her impeccable research and keen eye for detail, bestselling author Jill Eileen Smith offers this epic story to fill in the gaps and imagine how Miriam navigated the challenges of holding on to hope, building a family in the midst of incredible hardship, and serving as a leader of a difficult people, all while living in her brother's shadow. Follow Miriam's journey from childhood to motherhood, obscurity to notoriety, and yearning to fulfillment as she learns that what God promises he provides--in his own perfect timing.”
Impressions: Moses’ life is a big timeline to cover in one book. If felt as long reading too. Although I appreciated revisiting Moses’ ministry through a new lens, I’m not sure how I felt about this book.
Rating: Plagues, Murder
Liked: I enjoyed Miriam’s perspective of Moses ministry and her faithfulness shown during Israel’s slavery and exodus. I always enjoy the Bible told in story form as it expands on life during Bible times and cultural context. It makes the Bible come to life and humanizes the people.
Disliked: The length of time this book covered was frustrating. To fit everything in there needed to be time gaps which created a disconnect with the reader in my opinion.
Quotes:
“He could not tell whether he feared the Lord more than he feared Egypt. He simply knew that he did not want to do this… I am not worthy, Adonai.” – This is so true of how I have felt when God has placed me in challenging situations. “I can’t homeschool my kids… I can’t make this relationship work… I can’t…” But God doesn’t ask me to do these things alone. He asks me to trust Him and be willing. I can only pray that I have a willing heart when God calls because His ways are so much greater than mine. The Bible is full of examples of God calling for obedience and walking along his children to lead them on His path. When they are willing and obedient the reward is great.
“’Some of the women resent us. And all of the people resent Moses and Aaron. How are we to help the women if they see us with such disdain?’ She looked at Miriam as they stopped in a patch of moonlight several paces from their homes. ‘We can only do what God allows. We cannot make them see. Hopefully our God will act, and then they will listen to us again.’” – Miriam and her family have survived with little injury over the years of Egyptian slavery. As she tries to reach out to the other women of the community, she hits walls of resentment from those who have suffered greatly. I can see how both women are now hurting. Miriam wants so badly to help these women come back to God while the other women are truly hurting as they try to make sense of their lives on their own. They had lost faith over the years. I can relate to Miriam in this. Sharing my faith can feel challenging when I talk about Gods work in my life. I feel like only the blessings are seen and make me look as if I’m holier than thou and privileged. Miriam’s life was known to those in her community but her struggles and failures were only seen by those close to her. With social media people might think they know me but my stresses and struggles remain private. Miriam’s heart was right with the Lord despite the bitterness from other women and show how faithful she was to Gods desires in her life. I hope that I can bravely pursue the hard conversations in my life despite my fears of rejection or disregard.
“We are to be separate and distinct from those around us. We have only the truth to offer them. If we fail to act in obedience to Yahweh, whey should the Egyptians do so?
“Do we trust our God or not?”
I received a copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review shared here.

Jill Eileen Smith has been a favorite author of mine for a long time. When I heard she was writing a book about Miriam I became excited (just as I am with every book I hear about her writing!!).

After seeing the lovely cover, I felt even more drawn, and couldn’t wait to dive in.

Smith has worked wonders again in following this story through and writing about a difficult time. We get to meet characters that are delightful and realistic while we progress through the story. The story progression moves along well (it does cover many years, but Smith handles that well and seemlessly), as well as the character development being on par.

I can’t wait to see what Smith writes about next!

In Miriam's Song we get the Exodus story from Miriam's point of view. The difficult part in Ms. Smith's undertaking of this is that Exodus is told from Moses' point of view and as Ms. Smith states in her note to the reader "in order to understand Miriam, I had to follow Moses' journey. In doing so I found that I had to give him a point of view, and I also gave one to his wife Zipporah, because all three people saw things from completely different perspectives." Those are a lot of perspectives to understand and create just one character from.

Ms. Smith is a wonderful storyteller; creating characters that you care about and a story that you can get lost in.

I understand that historical authors take liberties with the facts to work them into a cohesive story however, for me, Moses having complete knowledge of the plagues after his encounter with God at the burning bush as well as the plagues correlating with different Egyptian gods was my only negative. I found myself combing through my memory bank and Exodus to see if I missed something which is what I love about biblical fiction. It always takes me right back to the source.

The beauty of the story is the sibling relationship that is shown between Moses and Miriam. No matter the calling on his life Miriam is still his older sister who is looking out for him just like she did as he floated in a basket down the Nile River.



Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publisher. I was not required to write a review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Title: Miriam’s Song
Author: Jill Eileen Smith

Ch: 54 plus epilogue

Pg: 416

Genre: Biblical fiction

Rating: 4 stars

Publisher: Revell



Jill Eileen Smith has become one of my go to author’s for Biblical fiction, and Miriam’s Song is no different. Though this is the first time I’ve read a Biblical fiction of Miriam from her point of view. I think the main reason that is simply because the Bible it’s self doesn’t give us that much information about her.



So Smith worked with what she did have as well as the history of the time to craft a novel that brings the story of Moses to life through the eyes and voice of his sister Miriam. When I read her novels it’s almost like I am transported to the time period in which she’s writing about.



And once I finished reading Miriam’s song I immediately pick up my Bible and read the story of Moses from its pages. I don’t know for sure, but I pretty sure that this was the response the author wanted her book to have.



I received a complimentary copy Miriam's Song from the publishers. I was not required to provide a positive review. All opinions expressed are mine alone.



I received a copy of this book from the publisher through netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are mine alone.

Jill Eileen Smith has written several books novelizing the lives of several well-known Bible characters. I always enjoy reading a broader description of Biblical women, especially. In "Miriam's Song," Smith gives us more information on the life of Miriam. I knew a lot about Miriam's childhood, specifically her involvement in Moses' adoption by an Egyptian princess. I didn't know a lot about Miriam in her adulthood and, in fact, Smith had to add a bit to what Scripture tells us because we simply don't know much. It was an enjoyable book.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

This was an interesting re-telling of the book of Exodus through the eyes of Miriam, Moses, and Zipporah. Because it covers such a long period of time, the story tends to jump forward by several years to sometimes 30 years from one chapter to the next. This is understandable, but makes it a little more difficult to connect with characters. This is too bad, since the title makes it seem as though the reader will come to know and connect with Miriam, specifically. I wonder if maybe we could have grown to know the characters better if this story had been told over several books, instead of just one.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the electronic copy of this book.

I have read most of Jill Eileen Smith's books in the past and most were great. Miriam's Song wasn't my favorite, but it was still alright. I feel like the story of Miriam is so scattered throughout Scripture that making an entire novel seems a huge undertaking. I think she did a good job with what little we read in the Bible about Miriam.

The story is mostly about Miriam and the author weaves in Moses and Aaron's stories as well. This book follows Miriam from the time Moses is born, until the end of her life. Of course, we don't know what happened back in Bible times, but I like the way Jill Eileen Smith doesn't sugar coat the harsh reality of life back then.

The only thing I didn't like, was that every chapter jumped years ahead. Three years, nine years, two years, fifteen year, the book jumps like a time machine on a roller coaster. Again, not the author's fault as she tries to fit a woman's entire life into three hundred pages.

If you are a fan of Biblical fiction, you should read Miriam's Song. Just be aware of time jumps and slow bits here and there.

Biblical fiction is a difficult genre to write, and it is evident that the author did a lot of in-depth research while writing this book. What a wonderful retelling of the Miriam/Moses story; I felt I was right there with them. The character development is extraordinary and I could envision myself on the very ground where they lived, worked, and traveled. Although, of course, a lot is fictionalized, I found myself wanting to reread the true story in Exodus as it afforded me some insight to be pondered.

Beautifully written, highly recommend.

I received a copy of this book from Baker Publishing Group through NetGalley and was under no obligation to write a positive review. All opinions are my own.

If you are looking for an imaginative re-telling of a Biblical story that doesn't stray far from the Scriptures, then Miriam's Song by Jill Eileen Smith is an excellent place to start.

Looking at Moses's story and Israel's redemption from Egypt through Miriam's eyes is a challenging task to write. Mainly because there is so little about Miriam in the Bible. We know she was a prophetess and watched over Moses when his mother placed him in the Nile as a baby. That's about it. So the author did a fantastic job of extrapolating what might have been and gives the reader a sense of being there during the turmoil of living as slaves in Egypt. And as they try to live as a people chosen by God.

One of the things that hit home to me in this novel was the differences between how Christians come to God now compared to how the Israelites approached Him. It made me wonder if we are too familiar with our mighty God. As if we have lost our reverence or awe of Him. We approach whenever we want and at times almost too casually. Yes, we have that privilege because of Jesus, but it is good to remember once in a while that we have a powerful and fearsome God. Something the author portrays quite brilliantly in this novel.

While the author brings the Bible to life through Miriam's eyes, I, unfortunately, felt nothing for these characters. I hoped for more of a back story from Miriam and the love story between her and Jephunneh. However, the author stuck to the story in the Bible and didn't really deviate from it. This is a good thing if you want the Bible brought to life, but not if you like to be invested in the story's characters.

While Miriam's Song didn't quite hit the mark for me, I still look for Jill's next book with anticipation. If you like the Bible brought to life, you would enjoy this book.

Jill Eileen Smith does such a great job of bringing stories from the Bible to life, while also trying to remain as faithful to the biblical narrative as possible. I never find myself doubting the authenticity of the story, even though I do know she needs to take some artistic liberties as an author to fill in the gaps of what we know, especially with some characters.

Miriam's Song mostly follows the perspective of Miriam, the sister of Moses. The story begins at the beginning where Pharaoh orders the Hebrew midwives to kill all the male babies birthed by the Israelite women. It then follows the birth of Moses and when he was adopted by the pharaoh's daughter. The reader then follows Miriam through her life, including through the plagues, the escape from Egypt, and the wandering in the desert. There are also some parts told from Moses's perspective as well as from his wife Zipporah.

Overall, I highly enjoyed this book, as I tend to do with any Jill Eileen Smith books. I tend to read more romance novels and while there is some in here as Miriam does get married and have a family, that's certainly not the main focus. Regardless, I still really enjoyed this book. Once the Israelites are wandering the desert, it does feel like it slows down considerable, but I feel like the Israelites must have felt the same way so it mirrors what they were going through pretty well.

I received a complimentary copy of this book and I'm leaving an honest and voluntary review.