A Cry from Egypt (Book One, The Promised Land) by Hope Auer

Published: May 24^th, 2012 (Great Water Press)

Pages: 176

Rating: 5/5

Goodreads ~ Buy the book here

Adventure, excitement, love, and faith come together when Jarah and her family, Israelite slaves in ancient Egypt, find themselves at the culmination of four hundred years of history.

 Review:

 Twelve year old Jarah lives in a world very different from the one we live in now. Her home, her prison, is ancient Egypt. Her Israelite family, like all the other Hebrews of that time, is forced to serve their captors. Jarah struggles to see Yahweh’s Hand in a family of different faiths, but as He works miracles with plagues, she progressively begins to see how strong her God really is. This story of courage, faith, and love will not only entertain the whole family but remind them of the awesome power of God.  

I have to say, hands down, that this was the best historical “fiction” that I’ve read in a long time. I was surprised at how accurate and real the story seemed, and how smoothly the made-up parts fit with the true, Biblical facts. Hope’s writing style is engaging, entertaining, suspenseful and easy to read. I kept thinking as I was reading how great this book would be as a read-aloud for families. It would also make a great supplement for family devotions.

To be honest, when I first heard that the main character was a twelve year old, I thought that maybe this book might be too young for me. I wasn’t expecting it to be as diverting as it was. Also, the subjects that are addressed in the story range a wider age-span than I expected. It’s fantastic for younger kids, but it also presents issues that would be great discussion starters for tweens and teens, too. There’s only one scene that I might advise parents to skip if they’re reading to very young kids (two siblings are beaten by an Egyptian; description is brief but might disturb very young children).   

In conclusion, A Cry from Egypt is definitely one that every family needs to read together. Hope does a fabulous job of making Jarah’s story appealing for girls and boys of all ages. I loved getting to dive into the story of the Israelite’s plight and God’s amazing work to free them. The historical detail and accuracy is like none that I’ve ever read, which makes this book truly unique. You’ll realize that you wish there were more books like this one; thankfully, there’s a sequel to look forward to! I highly recommend this book especially to families, but also to anyone of any age who would like to know more about what it was like to live during the plagues of ancient Egypt, and to see God’s Mighty Hand at work among His Chosen People.

Quick Content Review: *may contain spoilers*

Language: None

Violence: Mild (Israelite slaves are beaten; brief description)

Sexual: None