Finished reading on 4/22/09:

MICHAL, by Jill Eileen Smith, 2009.

I read this in order to write a review for the Historical Novel Society, but I wanted to read it anyway, as I enjoy historical fiction concerning King David and his wives. Have read quite a bit of it by this point in my life, and found this to be an enjoyable story. The author did a good job in her portrayal of Michal and David especially--it showed the struggles Michal faced in being loyal to her family, to David, to her faith in God, and to herself. Even though she at times turned away from God, and against David, she redeemed herself and made peace with her inner turmoils, and her faith in God grew stronger for her troubles. David is shown as being charismatic, courageous, caring, and heroic, as he slays Goliath, keeps himself out of Saul's clutches, and remains a friend to Jonathan. This isn't a preachy book, but a gentle one. Good, accurate historical details, good characterization, fleshes out the Biblical passages from Samuel without straying from the traditional stories.