Author: Aggie Villanueva
Excerpts from Fran Lewis' Review. See full reviews here:
http://gabina49.wordpress.com/
http://meandyouandhim222.blogspot.com/2009/10/rightfully-mine-gods-equal-rights.html
Women’s rights and equal rights for everyone have been an issue since time began. When faced with adversity and dissension the women of Israel often looked to the men for solutions and answers. Outspoken, tenacious and fighting for the rights of women Ritzpah should have been born in the 20thcentury.
When Rizpah faces Moses and explains why she feels that her family (of women) should be included in receiving their inheritance, many of the men sneer at her, including the one who is proposing that she marry him. But, she declines and speaks up in front of the council and the result will surprise the reader and make you proud of her.Whether it is Susan B. Anthony, or equal rights in the workplace, or being allowed to speak up for yourself against the ideas and thoughts of men, women have been, and still are in many countries, not allowed to show a dissenting opinion against men. Women in Iran, Afghanistan and many other countries today would love to have someone like Ritzpah have the courage and foresight and wisdom to stand up to a council of men and be heard.
Rizpah’s father, before he died, blessed each of his children. Rizpah was called before him and this is where the author makes a real statement about what she is about to encounter and how what her father has bestowed upon will intertwine and envelope the character’s future and fate. “You will stand for justice and justice will circumcise you.” As she stood in front of Moses and the council fighting for her family and the land they so rightly deserved she hoped for justice and God granted it; but at what price? The author relates both what will happen if you disobey his laws and what the nation will reap if they live by his laws.
The author has helped to raise many questions that women addressed long ago and in many countries today. The world today is not so different from Biblical times, but they do not have Rizpah, who does remind the reviewer of herself in many ways.
Rizpah realizes that she spent her entire life pining away for things she could not have and a man that was not destined to be hers, and had a place where she felt safe, and where she could think about her life and what she had sacrificed and lost.
Freeing herself from the bonds that tied her thoughts to Caleb and the past, she finally realized her destiny (and took) up residence beneath the shadow of Elohim’s love, in the region that was rightfully hers beneath the towering willow. Rizpah learns many lessons about herself, her true feelings about family and her life, and finally finding her place when she thought she had none.
I give this book Five Golden Arks for everyone to follow God’s Equal Rights Amendments, and Five Stars for each of the five sisters in this outstanding and thought provoking novel.
Fran Lewis, ReviewerExcerpts: See full reviews here:
http://gabina49.wordpress.com/http://meandyouandhim222.blogspot.com/2009/10/rightfully-mine-gods-equal-rights.html
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