The Woman from Lydia - (The Emissaries) by Angela Hunt (Paperback)

I love biblical fiction and I'm a fan of Angela Hunt, so I was especially anxious to read this book. The Woman from Lydia features the apostle Paul, his traveling companion Silas, and Euodia, who is mentioned in Acts 16 as Lydia, a seller of purple cloth. Much of the story is told from Euodia's point of view as she valiantly tries to free a girl from slavery after the apostle Paul casts a demon from her. Euodia's determined efforts to free Sabina from a retired Roman soldier's possession are equally matched by his intentions to use Sabina's gift of divination for his own personal gain! Will Euodia succeed in thwarting Hector's intentions? Hunt possesses a wonderful talent for weaving facts with fiction and this book is a perfect example. I enjoyed the relationship that evolves between Euodia and her new husband Ariston, along with those that she shares with Phebe and Syntyche. I gained a new perspective on Paul's missionary journeys, and relished the explanation of slavery versus freedom, in both physical and spiritual terms. I know that an author of Biblical fiction has succeeded when I find myself reading my Bible to verify a fact, or searching a Bible commentary to learn more about a scene. I did both of these while reading this book! This is a story that will inspire Christian readers and challenge non-believers, and I'm thrilled to have it as my church Bible group begins its study of The Book of Acts. I highly recommend The Woman from Lydia and I look forward to the next book in The Emissaries series! I was provided an ARC courtesy of Bethany House through Interviews & Reviews and a complimentary copy from Bethany House. These are my own thoughts.

This was a beautiful written Biblical story of the New Testament’s Book of Acts, about the woman of Lydia who sold purple and was the first convert of Paul in Philippi. It was a heart-tugging story that touched me deeply. It depicts perfectly the period of time, a mix of the roman and greek -pagan- traditions, the jewish culture, to the early start of christianity. I was amazed at how adequate everything sounded. I felt totally transported to the era of the first Christians, which contrasted to the way of living of the gentiles. And Euodia -also called Lydia or “the Lydian woman” as the author explains at the end of the book why she thinks she was called both names- is a grieving widow with a purpose. After losing her husband and daughter to an illness, she has moved to Philippi to start anew, where she has met Paulos and converted to Christianism, and subsequently opened her Villa for gatherings with other new believers, starting the first “ecclesia” or church in Philippi. Her new purpose, aside from her new faith, is helping other women in need with her business of purple cloth, and helping slaves by freeing them. One day, she is surprised to witness how Paulos frees a young girl -a slave- from an evil spirit. She decides to buy her so she can free her and nurture her to health, physically and spiritually. But after buying her and helping her a bit, she is confronted by one of the co-owners of the slave, who wasn’t willing to sell the girl because he wanted to restore her divination gift. So, the story follows Hector, the cruel villain, escaping with Sabina, the slave girl to search for a necromancer who can restore her supernatural gifts. And Euodia, all heart and compassion, feels called by the Lord to pursue them, accompanied by two servants, and rescue the girl. The story is full of adventure in their quest to rescue Sabina, who tore deeply at my heart. But the best part for me were the characters, and the faith inspired message woven through the journey, about serving God as he wishes to be served, about serving others above yourself, and about trusting this God will guide you to do His Will. Euodia was a wonderful woman, heavy with guilt about the deaths of her husband and daughter, even if it was not her fault. She had a huge heart to help others, and I loved her determination to save Sabina in spite of the heavy difficulties that made the task almost impossible, without God’s help and providence. She had a gentle heart in the right place. I learned so much from her. And Ariston was my hero, her faithful servant. With a loyalty to her mistress that was not common for a freed slave. I don’t want to spoil the story, so I won’t say much more. But there is so much to learn from the characters. Even Phebe, Euodia’s maid, was a loveable character as well. I have to say the story captured me from the first page until the end. And I loved the end! There were also unexpected twists to the plot that made it even more interesting. The POV of the villain was interesting too! And I loved how the author explains at first how to pronounce the different foreign words, and how she explains at the end why some of the things in the book are real and the research she did about them I vividly recommend this story to anyone, not only Biblical fiction lovers! It left me feeling inspired! I received a complimentary copy of this book from the Publisher but wasn’t required to post a positive review. This is my honest and unbiased opinion.

This book was excellent! Rich in historical content and mystifying in content, I was enamored by the cast of characters and their journey. The people, places, relationship dynamics and cultural curiosities made for a dynamic and attention-arresting read. The story was excellent and there was more than one jaw-dropping and unexpected twist! I could not be more satisfied with book one in The Emissaries series and will be eagerly anticipating the next addition!

“Three Philippians whose lives were changed by Paul–a jailer, a formerly demo-possessed enslaved girl, and the woman referred to as Lydia–find their fates intertwined,” the back jacket states in Angela Hunt’s novel, The Woman from Lydia. ~ What ~ The first book in the Emissaries series, this three-hundred-and-fifty-two-page advanced reader copy targets those interested in Biblical fiction during the Apostle Paul’s missions. With no profanity, topics of illness, slavery, sorcery, murder, and death may not be appropriate for immature readers. With an explanation about the series and map at the beginning of the book, the ending includes the author’s note, eleven questions and answers, references, the author’s biography, and advertisements. This story involves a widow named Euodia from Lydia who has come to know the Lord through Paulos (the apostle Paul) and how she is determined to save a young slave girl she had purchased to offer her freedom. While some chapters are written in first person by Euodia as she dyes and makes purple clothing, other chapters cover Hector, a retired Roman soldier, who insists on the gods protecting him and his once-profitable property. As the woman tracks down Hector with the help of her friends, it is a race against time to keep the girl from further harm. ~ Why ~ I love reading Biblical fiction, especially if it lines up with the Word of God. Having read Hunt’s novels for decades, I felt this one about Euodia is captivating and interesting as it takes you to a few towns where Paul walked while explaining the physical and spiritual differences between slavery and freedom. I appreciated learning about making dyes from snails, handling necromancers, and dealing with slave ownership. The concept of trusting in the Lord above all else shines throughout the story. ~ Why Not ~ Those who do not have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ may not like this story of how God always takes care of those He loves. Some may not like reading about witchcraft, animal sacrifices, or being demon-possessed. Others may not like the ample liberties taken writing about a woman only mentioned twice in the Bible. ~ Wish ~ Since this is the beginning of a series, the back jacket mentions a jailer, yet he was not a focal point of this story, so I am hoping he will be in the next one. ~ Want ~ If you love Biblical fiction and want to know more about Lydia in the Bible, this first book in the series will help you consider choosing who you serve–whether it be something, someone, yourself, or God. Thanks to Bethany House and Interviews & Reviews for this complimentary book. I am under no obligation to give a positive review.

It's been a long time since I've picked up an Angela Hunt Biblical fiction. My very first Christian fiction was Esther by Angela Hunt, and I've loved Christian fiction, particularly Biblical fiction, ever since. This book is a little different from her older books in that much of the circumstances and premise are fiction. I did love how the author created this entire book of redemption, hope, and faith from the mention of Lydia in Acts 16. Paul's words and Jesus' teachings are straight from the Word, which I appreciated. I learned a lot about purple cloth dyeing process as well as the culture and attitude in Philippi and Macedonia, which were truly fascinating. The plot had some interesting twists and turns that kept me on my toes. The author’s notes at the end answered many questions and showed how thorough her research had been. Euodia was a great combination of steel and silk, strength and compassion, determination and humility. Her first person voice carried the bulk of the story and her pursuit of Sabrina seemed like a metaphor of God’s relentless and sometimes illogical pursuit of us. Ariston, though he doesn’t have a voice in narration, was a delightful hero with loyalty and noble intentions etched into his actions and words. Hector represented the abominable villain who was truly despicable. Though I loved Ariston, I didn’t fully connect with Euodia. And Hector made me cringe with each scene. The plot and premise didn’t seem totally believable and though I enjoyed the story, I didn’t completely love it. I received the book from Bethany House via NetGalley and was under no obligation to post a positive comment. All opinions are my own.

There are many lessons we can learn from the people in the Bible. Euodia or Lydia is certainly one of them. As a business woman, Lydia was a creator of beautiful purple cloth - the kind that very few could afford to buy. She employed a number of women to help her with the process. As well, she had former slaves that she had freed, as her employees at home. With a great deal of detail, the author takes us into what it was like in AD51. Life was worth little to those who owned slaves, unless those vassals did not earn money for the owner. Sabina, a young slave girl, had been a diviner, but was released from the demon by the prayer of Paulus. Can her owner, Hector, possibly find someone who will send the demon back into her? Will Lydia’s attempts to rescue and free Sabina come to fruition? This first book in The Emissaries was received through Bethany House Publishers and Baker Publishing Group. These thoughts are my own and were in no way solicited.