Product Description

This is the tale of Bilqis, the Queen of Sheba, who rules the spice lands and bows before the will of the Goddess.

This is the tale of Solomon, the King of Israel and Judea, who built the golden temple to Yahweh in Jerusalem. Once he prayed that he might rule wisely.

This is the tale of Solomon's wives, of his concubines ... and of his daughter Baalit, more beloved than any son. Here are their voices, their mysteries, and their deepest secrets. Here they sing their songs and weave their tapestries.

As the queen's search for a true heir to her throne takes her to the court of the wisest man in the world, both she and the king learn how to value truth, love, and duty...and the king's daughter learns that not all the world is ruled by men.

Wisdom's Daughter is a vivid and richly textured rendition of the biblical tale of King Solomon and the Queen of Sheba. Told in a tapestry of voices that ring with authenticity, Wisdom's Daughter profoundly reveals the deep ties among women in a patriarchal world.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #886911 in Books
• Published on: 2004-10-11
• Released on: 2004-09-23
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 432 pages

From Booklist
Like her previous novel, Queenmaker (2002), Edghill's latest fictionalization of an Old Testament story will appeal to the Red Tent crowd, both for its emphasis on the role of women in ancient Israel and for the author's ability to bring history to life. Edghill transforms a didactic fable, the story of King Solomon and his brief interaction with the Queen of Sheba, into a powerful love story of a man and the queen who won his heart. Rotating among multiple narrators-- including several of Solomon's 40 wives; his daughter Baalit; Bilqis, the Queen of Sheba; Solomon's war general; and Solomon himself--Edghill tells the story of why Bilqis came to King David's City and why Solomon lavished her with gifts and eventually gave her his daughter. Leisurely paced and focused on the wisdom of Solomon and the burdens of his reign, this atmospheric story is packed with political intrigue, illuminating the curious mixture of cultures and religions among the women of Solomon's court. Jennifer Baker
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Review

From the Inside Flap
Praise for Queenmaker: A Novel of King David's Queen by India Edghill

"With her vivid attention to historical detail, Edghill keeps readers captivated.... A majestic debut."
- People magazine

"Think The Red Tent, only much better."
- Rocky Mountain News (Denver)

"A riveting debut tale...In the tradition of Anita Diamant's The Red Tent---and as good."
- Kirkus Reviews

"Excellent writing, dynamic character, and galloping pace...highly recommended."
- Library Journal

"A tantalizing glimpse into the past."
- Publishers Weekly

"Splendid."
- Marion Zimmer Bradley, author of The Mists of Avalon

"Queenmaker beguiles not only because it opens our eyes to the pure ordinariness of mythical figures, but it also exposes the foolishness and shortsighted passion that can make fools of the most exalted heroes. Its greatest richness is in creating the courage, compassion, and sheer canniness of the shadow queen, Michal, the betrothed bride of King David, the Eleanor of Aquitaine of the Bible, a monarch in full."
- Jacquelyn Mitchard, author of The Deep End of the Ocean

Customer Reviews

Sumptuous historical novel set in King Solomon's time
I did have a chance to see the galleys of this novel before publication last year and even give an opinion or two back to the author, and I thought then that this book looked to be very promising. Now, reading it in published form, I think "Wisdom's Daughter" is even better than India Edghill's previous book "Queenmaker"--the story of Queen Michal, Saul's daughter and David's consort.

In "Wisdom's Daughter", Edghill recreates the court of King Solomon and of Bilqis, Queen of Sheba. The author poses an answer to the riddle of the reason behind the Queen's long journey from far-off Sheba to Israel. What were the questions she wished to have answered that were so perplexing? It is rare that a queen would travel for months away from her realm and offer riches beyond imagination for information! Some have speculated that, in the Bible "all she desired" was to have a child by Solomon. Edghill proposes a far more intricate answer.

The writing is stylized though not overly florid, as befits the subject, and the imagery is rich and colorful. The stories of the other queens of Solomon are as interesting as Bilqis' own; a Sword Maiden from Troy, a sorceress who charms snakes to peer into the future, a breeder of tiny dogs, a Northerner whose blonde hair and pale skin is considered exotic and a princess of Cush (Nubia) who is "black but comely" as the Song of Songs states.

Bilqis is joined by Baalit, the splendid daughter of Solomon. She is brilliant and wise enough to rule as a Queen, but in Israel, her brothers, who are by and large quite inferior to her, will succeed to the throne. Characters from "Queenmaker" also make a reappearance, so this novel is in a sense a continuation of the first book. Howver, it stands entirely on its own as a novel. Together, they are fascinating historical fiction, more in the mythical style than in the factual, and filled with romance and adventure. A fine, pleasurable read. Recommended for those who love historical or fantasy fiction.

A brilliantly imagined ancient world
In Wisdom's Daughter, Edghill continues the saga of the women in the households of David and Solomon. Each of the wives and concubines emerge as memorable individuals. The author provides a strikingly original premise for the Queen's journey to the court of Solomon; my only criticism is that the ultimate outcome is predictable from an early point in the story, however, the lush descriptions of settings and the well developed characters more than make up for the lack of suspense. Some readers of her first novel (Queenmaker) objected to Edghill's depiction of King David; in this second novel, the primary characters are shown in a more sympathetic light. I was surprised to find how little is known about the real historical figure (the Queen of Sheba), and enchanted by the invented character in this book.

A really good read!
This is a great story of what could have, may have or may not have happened when the Queen of Sheba visited the court of King Solomon. I found the novel filled with wisdom and strength from both the female and male characters. It's a fresh and intriguing view of a world long past, with ageless truths sprinkled throughout its pages. In short, I highly recommend this book.