Book Club: Book Review of The Sisters of Corinth

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Without knowing it, I picked book 2 in The Emissaries Series to review. While it would have been nice to have read the first book, I did not find it necessary to my enjoyment of The Sisters of Corinth by Angela Hunt. 

About the Book 

This work of Biblical fiction is set in Corinth during the early days of the Christian Church. Paul is in Rome and Aquilla and Priscilla visit our main character in the opening pages of the novel. The story revolves around two sisters—Mariana and Prima. The interactions with religions and the politics of the day surround the sisters and their family. 

Mariana and her mother, Hester, worship Adonai and trust in Yeshua. Prima, Mariana's stepsister, worships the Roman gods and goddesses (using the Greek name for some, as they live in the Greek city of Corinth). Prima visits the temple of Aphrodite throughout the novel and calls upon the goddess to help her. Narkis—the paterfamilias—worships the Roman gods but is not upset about his wife and stepdaughter worshiping Adonai. Prima is the one who sees this as an affront to the Roman empire.  

While Mariana merely seeks to honor Adonai, Prima is interested in wealth and social status. With the arrival of a new provincial governor in Corinth, Narkis, as chief magistrate, sees an opportunity to secure his power and fortune. And since Memmius—the provincial governor—has a young son who is an eligible bachelor, this provides the perfect opportunity to secure a betrothal for Prima. 

Much to Prima's dismay, things do not turn out to her liking, and she seeks the favor and assistance of Aphrodite. This leads to many visits to the temple and the gladiatorial arena. 

My Thoughts 

I enjoyed reading The Sisters of Corinth. It was definitely a page-turner. With chapters going back and forth between the viewpoints of the sisters, it was easy to keep reading.

The historical description was also very accurate. It is clear that Hunt does extensive research to help bring her novels to life. 

My only complaint is in regard to the character choices of Prima. She went to the arena to have relations with a gladiator, allowed the high priestess of Aphrodite to influence her morals, and frequented taverns. I would have preferred the author to share fewer details about the prostitute-like actions of Prima. 

If you enjoy Biblical historical fiction, I would recommend The Sisters of Corinth. 

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