THE BOOK CORNER

Zipporah, Wife of Moses (Book Two of the Canaan Trilogy)

by Marek Halter

Halter continues with the second installment of his trilogy on biblical women, which began with Sarah in 2004. He again uses the the frame of a biblical story --here, Moses' relationship with Zipporah, the daughter of Jethro--but this time the tale he tells is more overtly feminist. Zipporah is a Cushite, a black woman, and though she found love and acceptance in her adoptive family, it's unlikely she will fine a husband. then she dreams about an Egyptian prince, and before long, Moses appears--but a diffident Moses, very differenct from the biblical version. The focus here is clearly on Zipporah rather than Moses or even God. The great happenings of Moses' life, including the 10 plagues, mostly occur offstage. The strongest part of the book, not surprisingly, is the intense rendering of Zipporah. Halter builds her character not only by re-creating her most intimate thoughts but also by providing vivid details of her daily life in the desert. Less successful is the exploration of race relations, which seems forced. The last book in the trilogy will focus on Lilah, sister of Ezra.

Review by Ilene Cooper