ANGELS AT THE GATE
By T. K. Thorne
Publisher: Cappuccino Books
Publication Date: March 5, 2015
Price: $22.50/hardcover

Synopsis

Angels At The Gate Brings The Ancient World To Life Through The Eyes of An Extraordinary Woman

Little is known about Lot’s wife, the unnamed biblical figure who was turned into a pillar of salt as she fled the destruction of Sodom. But for writer T.K. Thorne, just one reference was enough to ignite her imagination and form the basis for her dazzling new novel, Angels At The Gate (Cappuccino Books, March 2015). Like Noah’s Wife, Thorne’s highly praised debut, this book brings the ancient world to life through the eyes of an extraordinary woman.

Based on historical, biblical, and archaeological research, visits to the Middle East, and a large measure of creativity, Angels At The Gate is the story of Adira, destined to become Lot’s wife. A daughter of Abram’s tribe, Adira is an impetuous young girl whose mother died in childbirth. Secretly raised as a boy in her father’s caravan and schooled in languages and the art of negotiation, Adira rejects the looming changes of womanhood that threaten her nomadic life and independence.

But with the arrival of two mysterious strangers – Northmen rumored to be holy or possibly even “Angels” – Adira’s world unravels. Raiders invade the caravan, and she loses everything she values most – her father, her freedom, and even the “Angels.”

Caught between her oath to her father to return to her tribe and the “proper life for a woman” and tormented by an impossible love, she abandons all she has known in a dangerous quest to seek revenge and find her kidnapped “Angel.” Now, Adira must use the skills she learned in the caravan to survive the perils of the desert, Sodom, and her own heart.

Angels At The Gate is a story of adventure and the power of love, exploring themes about choice – the importance of asking the right questions and walking the fine edge between duty and personal freedom.

Based on a simple mention in the Bible, T.K. Thorne has developed a complex and full-bodied character in the wife of Lot, a woman both ancient and modern, who will touch readers’ hearts, and live in their memories for years to come. As Dianne Mooney, founder of Southern Living At Home says, “For all those whose curiosity is piqued by how it might have been in the time of Sodom and Gomorrah, this is a must read!”

Review

If you liked The Red Tent then you will probably like this book. It is not a fast read because it is very complex, but it tells a tale of a woman who becomes Lot’s wife and what her life was like, well at least according to the author’s imagination. Adira is young, late teens, but leads an interesting life. She is portrayed as her father’s son for most of her life (at her mother’s wish before dying) and possibly to protect her and allow her the opportunity to learn more than she would as a woman. Women were not thought of very highly during this time and had she lived as a woman she may not have learned how to defend herself, how to speak many languages or earn the respect of those in her caravan.

The author weaves a tale that kept me interested from start to finish. I am not one that reads the bible on a regular basis or really knows the stories so I am always fascinated to see what someone else thinks about the lesser known individuals and how their life might have been lived and what they might have experienced. The author does a good job of combining stories from the bible in with this novel to make it feel more realistic to the reader.

We give this book 4 paws up!

Praise for the book

“A masterpiece of historical research, interweaving history and theology in a re-visioning of an ancient story from a woman’s perspective. Thorne is a dazzlingly gifted writer.”
–Sue Walker, Poet Laureate of Alabama, 2003-2012

“Thorne unspools an ancient adventure with crackling undertones of our contemporary lives. Lean, polished action sequences render a young woman’s life with both intensity and nuanced truth.” –Dale Short, public radio commentator and author of A Shinning, Shinning Path

About the Author

T.K. Thorne’s childhood passion for storytelling deepened when she became a police officer in Birmingham, Alabama. “It was a crash course in life and what motivated and mattered to people.” When she retired as a captain, she took on Birmingham’s business improvement district as the executive director. Both careers provide fodder for her writing, which has garnered several awards, including “Book of the Year for Historical Fiction” (ForeWord Reviews) for her debut novel Noah’s Wife. Her first non-fiction book, Last Chance for Justice, was featured on the New York Post’s “Books You Should Be Reading” list. She loves traveling, especially to research her novels, and speaking about her books and life lessons. She writes at her mountaintop home, often with two dogs by her side and a cat on her lap.

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Giveaway

I am giving away the ARC that the was sent to me for this review.  Open to US residents only since I have to mail it!
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