You maybe already know some of the story of David, that Biblical king who slayed a giant as a young boy and rose to greatness before his collapse into the kind of behavior that is unbecoming of man who honors his friends and respects his own household. This retelling of David’s life is told from the perspective of his prophet and counselor Natan. He holds back nothing and allows David to be seen in all his glory, yes, but also in his weakness and shame.
This is the kind of historical fiction that truly allows your brain to sink into another place and time. It is sometimes the harshest terrain you can imagine - battlefields and tents of skins where nations are made and broken. Olive groves and walled cities and small dusty compounds and shining palaces - no matter where you go in this book, there are so many horrible choices worthy of real lamentation. I found moments of beauty and there are characters that I connected with, luckily, to balance out so many power-hungry and hateful people. Most especially lovely are the descriptions of Daniel and his music.
If you enjoy Biblical-based fiction and can handle reading about violence both in battle and of an abusive nature, you may like this. I didn’t LOVE it. I loved the redemption at the end and the writing is so good but the story was both familiar and depressing.
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