by Sisi Theo
ISBN: 978-1-60266-902-4
Review by Heather Froeschl
Even today, unfortunately, cultures sometimes clash. Marriages are made and discoveries of incompatible traditions and beliefs must be worked through. What if such a marriage were highly public and important? In “Conversations with Asenath” by Sisi Theo, readers see the contrast between Egyptian and Israelite as wife and husband.
Asenath is a religious Egyptian woman who follows her upbringing’s beliefs. She is the daughter of a priest of On, and marries an important man whom her own father had a hand in helping in an interesting way. Joseph goes from slavery to prison to the palace, earning respect. A marriage is arranged by the Pharaoh, as Asenath desires. Asenath and Joseph have two sons, but Joseph gives them Hebrew names and this makes Asenath wonder. She meets her brother in law, Benjamin, and the two, over the years, have discussions regarding the betrayal of Joseph by his brothers, the naming of his sons, the raising of their sons away from Asenath, and the customs of both cultures, as seen from their quite different perspectives.
What comes out in these conversations is each side’s point of view, if there must be sides, and the personal joys and ramifications of beliefs and traditions. It is a wonderful study in sociology. Theology comes in and the question of free will is examined closely. This book is captivating in its descriptions of life in Egypt, its easy to read style, and the intimate look at one woman’s self examination. In the recent trend of retelling of Bible stories, this is a more personable attempt and makes for an enjoyable read.
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