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    Daughter of Sand and Stone
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    Daughter of Sand and Stone
    Unavailable
    Daughter of Sand and Stone
    Audiobook11 hours

    Daughter of Sand and Stone

    Written by Libbie Hawker

    Narrated by Heather Wilds

    4.5/5

    ()

    Currently unavailable

    Currently unavailable

    About this audiobook

    When Zenobia takes control of her own fate, will the gods punish her audacity?

    Zenobia, the proud daughter of a Syrian sheikh, refuses to marry against her will. She won't submit to a lifetime of subservience. When her father dies, she sets out on her own, pursuing the power she believes to be her birthright, dreaming of the Roman Empire's downfall and her ascendance to the throne.

    Defying her family, Zenobia arranges her own marriage to the most influential man in the city of Palmyra. But their union is anything but peaceful-his other wife begrudges the marriage and the birth of Zenobia's son, and Zenobia finds herself ever more drawn to her guardsman, Zabdas. As war breaks out, she's faced with terrible choices.

    From the decadent halls of Rome to the golden sands of Egypt, Zenobia fights for power, for love, and for her son. But will her hubris draw the wrath of the gods? Will she learn a "woman's place," or can she finally stake her claim as Empress of the East?

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherBrilliance Audio
    Release dateDec 1, 2015
    ISBN9781501278020
    Unavailable
    Daughter of Sand and Stone
    Author

    Libbie Hawker

    Self-described as a “bona fide history nerd,” Libbie Hawker writes historical and literary fiction featuring deeply human characters, with rich details of time and place. She is the author of eleven novels, and she lives in the beautiful San Juan Islands of Washington State with her husband. Learn more about her at www.LibbieHawker.com.

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    Reviews for Daughter of Sand and Stone

    4.5/5

    8 ratings4 reviews

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    Review must be at least 10 words

    • 4/5
      I had not heard of Zenobia when I was offered this book to review. I chose to read it because I love books that take place in ancient times. When I learned that is was based in fact I was even more excited to dig in. There are so few strong women in the historical record and to find one from back this far in time is remarkable.Zenobia was a daughter of a daughter of chieftan of Palmyra. While her sisters behave as women of the time do – marrying the men their father suggest – Zenobia feels she is meant for bigger things. When her father dies she decides to find her own husband and chooses the governor of Palmyra. A man already married and one who is loyal to Rome. Zenobia feels she is following her destiny. Where will that destiny lead her?Little historical record is left of this strong and amazing woman and most of that comes from Roman writings. Per usual, history is written by the victors and that history cannot always be trusted. Using what record there is Ms. Hawker has crafted a tale of a young woman chasing her future and almost besting Rome in the process. There is such an inspirational and powerful story here and I feel that the fullness of it was not fully realized. At times I wasn’t sure if I was reading a young adult novel and then the tenor would change. It was as if it just skimmed the surface of what could have been.There is richness of detail in the descriptions of the desert and the clothing worn as well as what it is like to ride a camel. Time passes with few reference points and in odd ways. The beginning of the book moves somewhat – I hesitate to use slowly because that would make you think boring but it is not boring. It just takes the time to develop character and environment. Then the back end of the book just flies along with little time to examine events or places.All in all though I did enjoy the book, I just wanted so much more. A character like this deserves more I think.
    • 4/5
      Zenobia of Palmyra was a notorious woman in the third century, responsible for a significant rebellion against the Roman Empire. Zenobia's story is not nearly so well known as the exploits of Boudicca in Britannia, though the potential impact of her actions was much greater. Daughter of Sand and Stone is Libby Hawkers' effort to retell Zenobia's story of bravery and tenacity.The story is engaging, and Hawker tells it well, but her well-written effort doesn’t bring Zenobia into full life. The reader, after slogging through a rather long introduction of time, place, and family history, encounters a young woman who sacrifices everything to her belief that she has a great destiny. That sacrifice is the driving force of the story. Zenobia takes great risks and enjoys much success. She tweaks Rome's imperial nose. The reader rightly deduces Zenobia will not win in the end, but reads on, hoping to engage with Zenobia as the character is drawn.Hawker traces the Zenobia's life without really letting Zenobia speak for herself. Zenobia willingly puts aside her birth family, engineers what appears to be a loveless marriage, abandons her son (into good hands, of course), and expects Zabdas, the loyal suitor she repeatedly rejects, to remain at her side through all her schemes. The reader learns nothing about Zenobia apart from her hubris -- her defiance of gods and men.The two characters who come through most strongly are the Emperor Aurelian and the Zabdas, the guardsman suitor. But while his dedication to Zenobia is believably unquestioning, Zabdas' lack of family or standing in his own community is not. An ambitious woman seeking ever greater heights and able to leave her young son to an uncertain future is, in my opinion, unlikely to give her love (such as it may have been) to a man of such low estate. Zabdas, by the way, is the author's gift to Zenobia.Emperor Aurelian did put down the Palmyran Rebellion against Rome, and brought Zenobia to Rome in chains. Roman generals often extended grudging respect to their more successful enemies. Aurelian exchanged several letters with Zenobia. No doubt this explains the believability of the interactions between the two.Hawker is a strong writer and an enthusiastic researcher. She tells a story that is worth reading. Hawker does a good service to historical fiction about notable women by bringing Zenobia to our attention. I just wish the reader could have gotten to know Zenobia better.
    • 4/5
      I had not heard of Zenobia when I was offered this book to review. I chose to read it because I love books that take place in ancient times. When I learned that is was based in fact I was even more excited to dig in. There are so few strong women in the historical record and to find one from back this far in time is remarkable.Zenobia was a daughter of a daughter of chieftan of Palmyra. While her sisters behave as women of the time do – marrying the men their father suggest – Zenobia feels she is meant for bigger things. When her father dies she decides to find her own husband and chooses the governor of Palmyra. A man already married and one who is loyal to Rome. Zenobia feels she is following her destiny. Where will that destiny lead her?Little historical record is left of this strong and amazing woman and most of that comes from Roman writings. Per usual, history is written by the victors and that history cannot always be trusted. Using what record there is Ms. Hawker has crafted a tale of a young woman chasing her future and almost besting Rome in the process. There is such an inspirational and powerful story here and I feel that the fullness of it was not fully realized. At times I wasn’t sure if I was reading a young adult novel and then the tenor would change. It was as if it just skimmed the surface of what could have been.There is richness of detail in the descriptions of the desert and the clothing worn as well as what it is like to ride a camel. Time passes with few reference points and in odd ways. The beginning of the book moves somewhat – I hesitate to use slowly because that would make you think boring but it is not boring. It just takes the time to develop character and environment. Then the back end of the book just flies along with little time to examine events or places.All in all though I did enjoy the book, I just wanted so much more. A character like this deserves more I think.
    • 5/5
      Zenobia bat-Zabbai is the daughter of a powerful and well-loved Syrian Sheik in 260 A.D.. All of her life she has known that she is destined for more than to be a dutiful wife at the side of a not so powerful husband. However, after her father goes to battle and does not return, Zenobia takes it upon herself to protect her city and fulfill her destiny. Along with a guard, Zabdas, Zenobia rides through the desert, battles soldiers and brings back her brother-in-law to rule. With her new found confidence, Zenobia is able to secure a powerful husband, who values Zenobia as a political confidant. As a second wife, though, Zenobia has an opponent in Fairuza, the first wife. As her husband’s powers grow, Zenobia believes more and more that she is destined to rule on her own. When her time comes, her place as a woman will not be without challenge.I loved reading and learning about this powerful and courageous woman in history that I knew nothing about. From the moment that a young Zenobia is introduced, I was in love with her strong sense of self, her pride and her confidence that she was destined to be more than a wife. I also liked that though fiction, the author incorporated much about the actual Zenobia’s little known life into the story, the real Zenobia must have shared these traits with the character in order to have accomplished so much. Zenobia’s story combines many elements, an exciting, educated heroine, who makes very thoughtful decisions, adventure and war, political intrigue, family drama and a bit of romance. I was very happy with the way the romance between Zenobia and Zabdas is done; it is by no means the plot of the story, just another element in Zenobia’s life. The ending moved very fast for me, and I almost felt like I was missing something, but I didn’t want to put it down. Overall, a courageous, moving and bittersweet story of an important woman in history. This book was received for free in return for an honest review.