Traces the arc of King David's journey from obscurity to fame, from shepherd to soldier, from hero to traitor, from beloved king to murderous despot and into his remorseful and diminished dotage.
I'm a huge fan of Geraldine Brooks. To date, 'People of the Books' is one of my favourite books. 'The Secret Chord' did not disappoint. It is a vibrant and emotional look at Jewish history through the biblical David. Where Brooks really excels where very few writers do is in conveying a sense of the ancient past using contemporary language. While the names are biblical, the writing style was not, and yet she still masterfully conveys a sense of time and place. The plot was gritty and dark, and the characters were engaging and well realised. Geraldine Brooks is truly a master of the genre.
