New York Times bestselling author Ted Dekker delivers the gripping story of Maviah, a slave who becomes a queen in Arabia, A.D. 33.
They call her the Queen of the Outcasts. Maviah, a woman whose fate was sealed on her birth by this world-unwanted, illegitimate, female, a slave-subject to the whims of all. But then she met a man named Yeshua who opened her eyes. She found strength in his words, peace from the brutal word around her. Because of what he taught her, she has gathered her own traveling kingdom of outcasts deep in the desert, wielding an authority few have seen. But when her growing power threatens the rulers around her, they set out to crush all she loves, leaving her reeling as a slave once more. She must find Yeshua to save her people, but when she does, she will be horrified to discover that he faces his own death.
Enter a story full of intrigue, heart-wrenching defeat, uncompromising love and staggering victory-one that re-examines everything you thought you knew about the heart of Jesus's stunning message and the power that follows for those who follow his easily forgotten way.
A.D. 33 continues the story of Maviah, a woman trying to save her people from an evil conqueror. After her encounter with Yeshua (in A.D. 30), she has become a leader of outcasts. When her son is taken captive, she and her faithful companion Saba go in search of Yeshua once more, and they find him just in time to witness the events leading up to and directly following his crucifixion. If Yeshua is dead, how can he save her son...and how can she follow the Way?
Once again, Ted Dekker has written a powerful novel that clearly points the reader to Christ. What I found so appealing was viewing the events from the triumphal entry through the crucifixion through the eyes of an outsider. Maviah is not a Jew and knows little of Jewish tradition, and seeing her interpretation of Yeshua's words and actions helped me see those events not as someone who has been around the Bible her whole life but as someone hearing the story for the first time. The shift in perspective is important, I think.
Reading A.D. 33 was a very personal experience. What I mean by that is I could see shades of myself in Maviah—in her lack of trust, in her faith, in her confusion, and in her surrender. I felt like I was experiencing all of those things along with her. This is a book that will cause you to think about your own faith.
While I loved this novel, I did struggle through some of the sections, especially near the beginning before Maviah found Yeshua. However, you should not let getting bogged down at the beginning stop you from finishing A.D. 33. It's a powerful novel that is definitely worth reading. 4-1/2 stars.
Note: While I definitely recommend reading at least the abridged version of A.D. 30 prior to A.D. 33, Dekker has written A.D. 33 in such a way that you could pick it up without having first read A.D. 30—you just won't have a full understanding of the characters.
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Read my reviews of Dekker's A.D. 30 Abridged (5 stars), Green, Immanuel's Veins, Forbidden (written with Tosca Lee), and Tea with Hezbolla (written with Carl Medearis).
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free for review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. Also, some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase an item, I will receive an affiliate commission. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."
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