Jezebel
A Novel
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Jezebel
Narrated by:
Perdita Weeks
Buy Now for £12.99
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Narrated by:
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Perdita Weeks
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By:
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Megan Barnard
About this listen
"Historical fiction at its finest," (Louisa Morgan) this propulsive novel is a stunning reimagining of the story of a fierce princess from Tyre and her infamous legacy
Jezebel was born into the world howling. She intends to leave it the same way.
When Jezebel learns she can't be a king like her father simply because she’s a girl, she vows never to become someone’s decorative wife, nameless and lost to history. At fifteen she’s married off, despite her protests, to Prince Ahab of Israel. There, she does what she must to gain power and remake the dry and distant kingdom in the image of her beloved, prosperous seaside homeland of Tyre, beginning by building temples to the gods she grew up worshipping. As her initiatives usher in an era of prosperity for Israel, her new subjects love her, and her name rings through the land.
Then Elijah, the prophet of Yahweh and her former lover, begins to speak out against her. Bitter at having been abandoned by Jezebel, he lashes out, calling her a slut. Harlot. Witch. And the people, revering their prophet’s message, turn on her.
As ancient powers and faiths are pitted against each other, bloodshed descends on Israel and Jezebel faces the fall of her legacy. Determined despite the odds to make Israel a great nation, she must decide how far she's willing to go to protect her family, her throne—her name. A stunning revision of a notorious queen’s story, Jezebel is a thrilling lyrical debut about a fierce woman who refuses to be forgotten.
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Critic reviews
“In Megan Barnard’s debut novel, “Jezebel,” the titular wicked queen of biblical lore gets a spirited makeover… Redeeming the novel from well-worn tropes of female disempowerment is Barnard’s subversive counternarrative… This audiobook is a homage to the innate right to be heard.” – New York Times Book Review
"[A] stunning first novel...A riveting story reinforcing the notion that there are two sides to every story. Barnard’s eloquently written debut is perfect for fans of Madeline Miller’s Circe or The Song of Achilles." – Library Journal, *starred review*
“Rich with historical detail and a fresh and convincing perspective…Like so many strong women, Jezebel is loved, feared, and hated, especially by the men she rules. Megan Barnard's Jezebel is also strong, determined, and resourceful…historical fiction at its finest." – Louisa Morgan, author of A Secret History of Witches
"Ambitious...a provocative concept." – Publisher's Weekly
"[A] stunning first novel...A riveting story reinforcing the notion that there are two sides to every story. Barnard’s eloquently written debut is perfect for fans of Madeline Miller’s Circe or The Song of Achilles." – Library Journal, *starred review*
“Rich with historical detail and a fresh and convincing perspective…Like so many strong women, Jezebel is loved, feared, and hated, especially by the men she rules. Megan Barnard's Jezebel is also strong, determined, and resourceful…historical fiction at its finest." – Louisa Morgan, author of A Secret History of Witches
"Ambitious...a provocative concept." – Publisher's Weekly
Beautifully red
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Outstanding novel and narrator
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Imaginative, evocative, touching, full of romance and endeavour it's a box of delights. And with a faultless narration by Perdita Weeks.
Captivating Retelling of an Icon
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Much of the narrative, however, feels padded and repetitive. We are repeatedly reminded that Jezebel brought peace and prosperity to Israel, while her moments of self-reflection recur with such mechanical regularity that they begin to sound like a chorus on loop.
Some stylistic choices are particularly jarring. For example, the line “I had just climbed out of the pool and was reaching for a towel when a cloud of dust appeared on the road. A lone chariot was coming down the road at speed…” evokes not 9th-century BCE Israel, but rather the image of the author herself stepping out of her garden pool in 2020, about to see a sports car pull up to her gate. The language and tone often feel more suited to a bored American housewife than to the formidable Queen of Israel.
At times, the melodrama reaches such proportions that several scenes would not be out of place in an episode of the 1980s soap opera Dynasty—all glittering emotion and theatrical confrontation, but little historical texture.
These tonal inconsistencies undermine what could have been a powerful reimagining of a complex historical figure. In the end, Jezebel seems written not for readers seeking depth or authenticity, but for those content with a glossy, modernised retelling.
A weak book well read
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