Wings of the Wind is the story of Alanah, a Canaanite woman bent on revenge after her father and brothers are killed by the invading Hebrew army in the battle with Arvad. Not a stranger to the weapons of warfare her arrow soon finds its mark. But Alanah hasn’t the time to rejoice before she is wounded. Buried beneath her fallen comrades, she is discovered by Tobiah, a Hebrew warrior.
When Tobiah realizes the wounded enemy he’s found is a woman, he rescues her from the battlefield and enlists the help of Shira, a midwife, to tend Alanah’s wound. Shira reminds Tobiah of the Law and tells him the only way to keep Alanah safe is to marry her. Tobiah agrees. However, Alanah’s secret soon separates them and puts her and a friend on the path of destruction.
Will Yahweh save her or will she die among those marked for destruction?
4.9 stars out 5 stars
My thoughts:
I like a feisty heroine, and Alanah didn’t disappoint. She was confident, vibrant, and self-sacrificing without being obnoxious or weak. I commiserated with her need for revenge, her pain of betrayal, and her ache to be loved. Her relationship with Yahweh caused me to reflect upon my own. There is nothing I would change about this character except…
Tobiah was a breath of fresh air. He was a warrior, strong and adept. His love for Yahweh was evident but in no way did it emasculate him. His love for his family made him stronger still. And his need to protect Alanah from the brutality forced upon women during that time endeared him to me even more.
Without giving away anything, I would like to share what didn’t work for me.
Although I thought the familial tie in the final chapters unique, I couldn’t wrap my mind around the way the historical character was portrayed. For instance, she often seemed clueless about the whole situation unless she was told the facts by Alanah. I understand this is a plot thread to give Alanah a reason for being there at that particular time.
Yet, when reading the account from the Bible, this particular woman understands the rumors flying around concerning the invading army and is very much aware of the fear and dread that has taken hold of her city. Her decision to leave seemed to be at the last minute. Something I find hard to comprehend when you know what’s about to happen.
All in all, I wouldn’t change Alanah’s and Tobiah’s story. It is a story I will remember and probably read over and over again in the coming years. In fact, I loved it so much I bought the first and second installments of this series. I highly recommend this series to anyone who reads biblical fiction.
I received a copy of this book from Bethany House. The above comments are my own.
Gail Johnson 