This Dark Heart by Christa Laird 

Well researched historical fiction that captures well the maelstrom at the centre of Herod’s reign

This Dark Heart
By Christa Laird
The Book Guild
ISBN 978-1-915122-73-5
Reviewed by: Jeannie Kendall

 
Fiction with a tie to the Bible is not everyone’s favourite genre, so this book will not be for everyone. The book is based around Simon, a fictional character and son of the bodyguard to King Herod – Herod the Great, the particular Herod in power at the time of Jesus’ birth.

Nine of the twenty one main characters featured in the book, and helpfully listed at the start, are historical. Ms Laird has clearly done her general historical research and certainly the book captures well the maelstrom at the centre of Herod’s reign, balanced with an acknowledgement of his undoubted prowess at building.

Without giving any spoilers, there was at least one significant departure from the biblical account. Some novels with a biblical link really help the reader to engage with the biblical text; this sits more as a general novel, and is classed as young adult on the back.

Perhaps it is because I am no longer in that category, but I did not find myself caring sufficiently about the central character, which is so crucial in a novel. For those who love the genre, it is well worth a try - but with an eye to history rather than increasing biblical understanding.
 

Jeannie Kendall is a retired Baptist minister, a current tutor on the Pastoral Supervision course at Spurgeon’s College, and the author of Finding Our Voice and Held in Your Bottle, with a third book Heroes or Villains? due out in July 2023