Daughter of Cana by Angela Hunt
#1 in the Jerusalem Road series
Published 2020 by Baker Publishing Group/Bethany House Publishers
Genre: Christian, Fiction, Historical - Ancient World, Romance
4.5 Stars!
Summary/Description
Thomas and Tasmin, twin siblings hired to oversee a wedding feast in Cana, worry when the host runs out of wine . . . until a guest tells Tasmin to have the servants fill the pitchers by the gate with water from the cistern. Reluctantly, she obeys and is amazed when rainwater turns into the finest wine ever tasted in Cana. When Thomas impulsively decides to follow the teacher from Nazareth, he and Tasmin argue--since the twins have been together since the womb, Tasmin cannot accept losing her brother to some magician-prophet. Aided by Jude, younger brother to Jesus of Nazareth, she decides to follow the Nazarene's group and do whatever she must to mend the fractured relationship and bring her brother home.
Daughter of Cana was a delight to read! It is filled with descriptively clear specifics that drives me to the center of the action. The author, Angela Hunt, is a terrific writer as she incorporates cultural details, rich characters - some Biblical, some fictional -- emotionally-charged scenes, and events in the Bible that had me seeing the truths in Scripture come alive in vivid ways. I’m very thankful that God Almighty has gifted Angela with an imagination that has me saying in my mind many times “Wow! This could have happened.” Or “Wouldn’t that have been something to see?” Or “Imagine that! Wouldn’t it have been awesome to feel that and be there for that?”
Daughter of Cana covers the Biblical time period from the wedding in Cana of Galilee where Jesus performed His first public miracle (John 2:1-11) through Jesus’ death, resurrection, and His ascension (Acts 1).
This imaginative book gives brilliant insight into the possible twin relationship (Doubting) Thomas had … along with the imaginary personality of Jude, Jesus’ half-brother. The characters were well-developed and fun travelling companions on the journey Angela orchestrated.
I’m thankful for books like Daughter of Cana. The cultural facts are engaging and fun to learn and experience. Additionally, Biblical fiction like this helps me engage my mind, heart, and emotions as I see Scriptural individuals and events in a new way (always remembering what is God’s Word and what is fiction) as I draw closer to the one and only Triune God.