To be honest, the first part of this book was so jarring I almost put it down. I had to go and read reviews to see if I should continue reading it. I ended up pushing through, and I'm glad I did. The beginning of Rebel Daughter, by Lori Banov Kaufmann, addresses so many topics that are relevant today, but due to the time period the characters had to "turn the other cheek." I, as the reader, felt powerless. That being said, the book was meticulously researched, and I truly felt as if I were transported to the first century in Jerusalem. Kaufmann wrote in such a way that I felt I was there from sights, sounds, and even smells from the point of view of a Jewish girl, Esther, under Roman oppression. We follow Esther as she tries as hard as she can (which is difficult since she is such a rebel at heart) to be a dutiful daughter. Her journey develops as she attempts to save her family and is increasingly drawn to a freed slave who may be able to help them. There are several strong and poignant relationships, and Esther learns important life lessons. I will be careful who I recommend this to in my library, but I WILL be recommending it!

This was a brilliantly written, brilliantly researched book! The beginning gripped me by the coat tails and I fell in love with the characters straight away! The research for this book was astounding, you really felt as if you were "there." I can only applaud, Kaufmann for her brilliant and thorough research. Couple that with an evocative, heart wrenching and poignant narrative, and you have a book which stays in your head and heart, long after you have finished it.

The book is faced paced in the beginning, slows down in the middle so you can get your breath back and then picks up a stomping great pace towards the end, leaving you no alternative but to race through the pages! The themes are thought provoking and its a difficult emotional read at times, but boy, does it pack a punch!

And the ending? Well, it was satisfying, hopeful, poignant and heartbreakingly brilliantly done!

I cannot recommend this book enough!
Well done Lori Kaufman! You did an amazing job with Rebel Daughter. Thank you to Lori and NetGalley and the publisher for letting me read this amazing book!

This book was certainty well researched. It is more historical fiction than any other genre. As such, I felt the history overpowered the story at times. I had a hard time connecting with the characters. It was also a heavy read given the historical period. I probably needed something lighter, but not the author's fault.

Best for older teens or adults. Thanks Netgalley and publishers for free EArc

Rebel Daughter by Lori Banov Kaufmann

I have to say this book has left me wanting more!!! Soon as I finish this review I’m looking this author up for more books!!! The characters was written so wonderfully they blended together perfectly! I fell in love with each and every character! I can’t wait to read more!!!

5 stars

Rebel Daughter by Lori Banov Kaufman
“Maybe, someday, someone would remember her too.”
Esther Bat Hanna is the daughter of a Jewish Temple priest, and helps keep the family together; she does what she needs to do to keep the house running. She loves to learn and be with her father in his office. Yet one day Esther is angered and upset at her parents decision to form a marriage contract with someone she doesn’t want. Esther has eyes on another suitor and wants this certain man to see her as a woman and not a girl. Then there is the fact that a certain Roman Freedman has drawn her and has said, “I like to draw beautiful things.”
As the months go by Romans and the Jews grow more intense with each other and it is no longer safe to stay inside of their home. They must flee, but by the time they realize the unsafe environment; it’s too late.
What awaits Esther in her path now? What will happen to the remainder of her family? Is she strong enough to survive this, like her father said she is? Why does she have a feeling that Roman Freedman is part of someone’s plan for her? Can….can a Roman and a Jew get along?
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This was an amazing book! The beginning was so incredible, especially with the careful detailing and character descriptions. It was also very interesting how Kaufman used Bible verses at the beginning of every new section and sometimes there was a reference to the Jewish Wars or another document. I can tell Kaufman took a lot of time into her research for this book and it was very well done and well put together.
Yet in all honesty the middle of the book got a little repetitive while describing the same situations for multiple days on end. So for me; the middle was a little hurdle that I had to push myself over. Once you get over the hurdle the ending is extremely emotional and fast paced. Readers will have to make sure they are paying close attention towards the end, otherwise the ending can fly right past you. The ending was really joyful and filled me full of hope. I was able to take a breath of relief when the final events took place for Esther and the pieces fell in place.
Kaufman did an amazing job overall with Rebel Daughter and it was a complete honor and amazing experience to read and review her book as an ARC. Thank you NetGalley as well for letting me read this amazing book!

I LOVE that this book was inspired by a first-century tombstone that revealed clues to a bygone love story. The author turned meticulous research into a captivating and gut-wrenching tale that I could not put down. I was living and breathing in ancient Jerusalem as I followed Esther's incredible journey. I'm always happy when I thoroughly enjoy a book and learn something new about history at the same time. Congratulations to the author on such an amazing debut!

Thank you to NetGalley and Delacorte Press for access to this arc.

I really enjoyed this book. It is a darker period of history and the violence may be hard for some readers. That said I thought the author did a great job of balancing the need to be honest and show the horror people who lived through this war went through without being gratuitous and also keeping it age appropriate.


I really loved the main characters they had a great family dynamic that was really interesting to read about and highlighted the roles each member of the family occupied in society in that time. I particularly loved the relationship between Esther and her sister in law and how different their views were but also how much they tried to support and protect each other. Esther is an amazingly brave character and I appreciated getting to see both her strength and her flaws and fears. Her journey and character development was so well done. All around this is a great look at the time period and loved learning about the real inspiration for this story.

I got an early peek at this tale set in biblical times of family, passion & resilience. The story is packed full of well-researched details, bringing the period of 70 CE & the destruction of Jerusalem to life. I read an author interview that Kaufman worked closely with some of the world’s leading archaeologists and scholars while researching for the book, spending years learning more about this time period. The result is a story that is beautifully realised without feeling as though we're getting a history lesson. Kirkus Review says the book is "remarkable, mysterious, and meticulously researched. I have to agree. The book gets lots of stars for the research, clarity of prose, and the sheer chutzpah of embarking on so ambitious a story...I'm not sure I could swing it! Also because I'm very much a lover of contemporary work which means getting me to read and enjoy anything that is set earlier than, say, Tuesday is near-impossible. So, three cheers and five stars for Lori Banov Kaufman! YA but would also suit adults.

Definitely adding to my classroom library! Anyone familiar with Queen Esther or the Book of Esther from the Bible will find this such a great read, especially as a YA book. Highly recommend it!

this book transported me to a whole new world, I keep turning the pages wanting to get a bit more of the story, the background was also amazing, to know how people lived back then and their culture, for me it is a mix between and I darken and the hunger games.

Rebel Daughter is a historical story that focuses on Jerusalem during 70 CE, where Jewish people and the Romans were in conflict. The story follows Esther, a girl who starts off the story as a 14-year-old girl who is lovestruck, and turns into a brave woman who helps her people.

The story was great because I learned a lot about a time period that I wasn’t taught much about while in school. The characters were well written, and the love interests played a smaller part in the story than I was expecting, which was a good thing.

I received an advanced copy of this nook in exchange for my honest opinion.

I am utterly in awe of the research that went into Rebel Daughter. Kaufmann expertly tells the story of Esther, a Jewish girl living in Jerusalem during the Jewish revolt against the Roman empire. Esther is a compelling and strong-willed heroine. I quickly fell in love with her and this story. Esther is easy to root for and kept me turning the page. The writing is vivid and descriptive, transporting me to the first century. The historical detail in this novel is mind blowing and impressive. Five stars from me – an unforgettable debut!

Thank you to Netgalley for providing a copy!

A stunning YA historical debut that was in turn heartbreaking and hopeful.

I was absolutely blown away by this book. As a fan of young adult historical fiction, I entered into this story with anticipation and was not disappointed. This is a love story, but first and foremost is about a young woman’s journey to love herself. The characters, relationships, plot, and world were all developed with such incredible detail, care, and respect that I found myself feeling as though I had lived this alongside Esther. I was so impressed by the author’s willingness to directly grapple with such difficult subject matter, while still weaving in threads of hope. It is a beautiful thing to be given the chance to grow in empathy and understanding through a story, and I am so grateful to the publisher, author, and Netgalley for an e-arc.

This novel is profound, moving, and unforgettable. An absolute preorder for me!

Review!
Rebel Daughter by Lori Banov Kaufmann

“I trust you,” he continued “and I can’t live without you. I love you. You said you… that you might love me too.”

I could not put this book down!

I started reading yesterday mid-morning and just finished reading today! I blew through 400 pages in less than 24 hours, it. Was. That. Good!

If you are a lover of historical fiction, you need to read this book.
If you are a lover of strong, fearless women, you need to read this book.
If you are a lover of books, you need to read this book!

Esther is a young Jewish woman living in the year 65 CE where her only concern is getting herself out of a marriage contract to a man she feels she could never love. As Roman forces get closer to her home, threatening everything she loves, Esther soon learns that there are worse fates than not marrying for love.

When I read the synopsis for this book, I had assumed this was a romance story. And it is, but its more a tale of a young girl and her will to survive and do anything to protect her family.

Esther is brave, strong, and beautiful. Exactly the kind of roll model I love reading about in YA fiction.

Speaking of that, I am surprised this book is being marketed as YA. There are a lot of heavy themes in this book. Murder, death (sometimes graphic), slavery, abuse, etc. Not for the faint of heart.

When I say that Esther is strong, I am not kidding. The losses she suffers are incomprehensible to me. I couldn’t imagine living through her life, but I’m so glad I got the chance to read about her. It really makes me appreciate the life I have today.

Did I mention this book is “based on a true story” which just makes it that more powerful.

The ending is perfect. I do not want to spoil anything but I feel like Esther got the ending she deserves.

An absolute 5 star read for me!

I cannot wait for this book to come out in hard copy! It will make a beautiful addition to my Roman Fiction shelf! February 9, 2021 cannot come soon enough! Be sure to add this to your 2021 TBR!

Thank you Netgalley, Lori Banov Kaufmann, Random House Books, and Delacorte press for this gifted digital copy!

Yes, there was a Queen Esther in Jewish history who helped deliver her people from harm, but this is not her story; this is about another Jewish daughter named Esther several centuries later--strong-willed and rarely obedient.
This book takes place during the Great Revolt in the first century. The Jewish people rose up in rebellion against the powerful Roman Empire. Not knowing much Jewish history outside of the Bible and the Holocaust, I was impressed with the abundance of research that was done in order to accurately tell this story; it is a blend of fact and fiction during this particular season of civil war and internal conflicts--both within a country and within a family. I enjoyed seeing the Jewish customs and unrest from a teen girl's perspective.
Again and again, throughout history many have attempted to annihilate Jews; yet they overcome. They have been tested and somehow endure with unshakable faith. But, the cost... the cost is almost unbearable.
Rebel Daughter is unforgettable.

Rebel Daughter taught me a lot about a time period that I did not learn about in school. The main characters Esther, Tiberius, and Joseph were based on real people that lived in Jerusalem during 70 CE in the height of turmoil and destruction between their fellow Jews and the Romans. The only con was the summary depicting Esther as being stuck between two suitors while her city and family collapse around her. In actuality, the romance plays very little part in the story. Esther fawns over Joseph at the beginning, but he never returns her feelings and she soon forgets him. She doesn't even like Tiberius until the end and so there never was a romance component which was fine with me. The novel follows a five year timeline where we meet Esther as a lovestruck fourteen year old and watch her transform into a strong and brave young woman after enduring so many hardships.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC.

Content: mature themes including war, slavery, rape, and molestation - Roman culture
16+

I received a copy of this book through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I've never read anything set in this time period before. I don't know of anything else that's been written. I have always had a special interest In history and recently it has taken a turn toward the Jewish culture, particularly around the time of Christ. When I stumbled on this book I knew I had to read it.

As a Christian, I have a deep appreciation and reverence for the Jews. I feel great compassion and sadness for all of the suffering they have experienced. But I don't possess a lot of actual knowledge about their history between the time of Christ and WWII. This book was very educational. The history is well documented and supported. The fiction is lovely, realistic, and promotes buy in from the reader. The reader gets all the feels. I am not a cryer, but I teared up. I got angry. I felt betrayed. I was repulsed. I felt what Esther felt.

I have only one complaint and that is the passage of time. Meaning, it's sometimes difficult to tell how time is passing during the story.

I am sure this book was going to get good, however I couldn't keep on. I am marking this one as DNF. I liked the characters but the book drug on and on and it really didn't grab my attention enough to keep reading.

I really was looking forward to this too so I might revisit it later. It just fell short for me.

This book was pretty good in terms of keeping the reader interested. The plotline was interesting but sometimes I was a little bored. The characters though were fabulous and I really enjoyed them. I will be recommending this book to my friends.