The Book of Esther

I was intrigued by the premise of this book, but ended up with mixed feelings. Many readers might be discouraged early on by the amount of Hebrew used with no translations provided. I enjoyed the alternate reality world that Barton constructed, and appreciated the overall message of religious tolerance. However, the book at times got bogged down by continuous theological arguments, and the ending was much too abrupt. Additionally, the unnecessary love triangle was frustrating as it detracted from the main story. Overall, a great fictional world but not a great story.