Deborah Rising

Deborah Rising by Avraham Azrieli is a masterpiece, a compelling story of one of the greatest women prophets in Biblical history, a hard-to-put-down story depicting the early life of Deborah and her rise. She is only fourteen when this story begins, and the reader is immediately drawn to a world where women are discriminated against and pushed to the wall. Although the story took place in a long ago setting that powerfully depicts the political, religious, and cultural landscapes of the Jewish people, the themes are as relevant today as they were many years ago — sexism, misuse of power, effective leadership, and political repression.

The story starts beautifully with preparations for a public event, and the reader immediately gets powerful insights on what happened when a criminal was publicly stoned and the general atmosphere in which the act was committed. The itch to get into the story starts from the very first page and moves on unrelentingly until its satisfactory conclusion. Avraham Azrieli’s prose is elegant, and it is flowered with very powerful and vivid descriptions. Readers will be keen to watch how Deborah grows from a mere girl who suffers the indignities inflicted on women of her time to becoming a powerful leader and the voice of the voiceless. Her courage in the face of adversity is one of the qualities that come out clearly in this riveting story.

The conflict is so well-explored, and it is developed at different levels. Readers will be keen to watch as Deborah wrestles with thoughts of her own, which clash with her vocation to lead her people. From personal differences between the different compelling characters to the war between armies, readers witness conflicts that drive the plot forward. This is a great read for fans of visionary writing, Christian Literature, and historical novels. Azrieli has a powerful gift for plot and character and, of course, for making history come alive in the pages of a story.