I agree with a previous reviewer who said the author made the "good" people (Sarah, Abraham, Lot) almost TOO good and the "bad" people (Quira, Hagar) too self-absorbed and obviously wrong. Don't know if this was a male author thing, but it detracted from the story. The writing was middle-of-the-road stuff. I doubt that I'll read the other books in the series. ( )

The author has done his research on women in the old testament of the Bible. He said that some of the information contradicted other documents so he made decisions also based on what made good fiction. I like that he is paying attention to women who don't get much credit or much mention in the Bible. This made for interesting reading starting with Sarai being a young girl in her father's home (a former king). Abram (later called Abraham) arranges the marriage of Sarai''s (later Sarah) sister to Lot. Abram promises to return within 10 years to marry Sarai and does so. Card had two other books in this series, Rebekkah and Rachel & Leah. I am not particularly religious but have liked other books about characters in the Bible. These books made these people and their lives real and explains how the stories about them may have started.

I've always enjoyed OSC's writing... but was hesitant on this one...certainly not sci-fi! But Card did an amazing job of making you like you were right there, and you knew Sarah! ( )

I read this one long ago also. When I learned that Card had written a couple of books about women in the Old Testament, I sought it out. (Also Rebecca, if I recall correctly.) I remember that I liked it, although I thought it departed a bit from what little is known from the scriptures. ( )

Gives a history and a personality (both thoroughly fictional) to a woman crucial to the story of the Jews, but often overlooked in her roles as Abraham's wife and Isaac's mother. Humanizes an enigmatic icon. ( )