In Feast or Famine: A Novel [Paperback]

Thrust into an arranged marriage, the daughter of ancient Egypt’s high priest plays a pivotal role in Joseph’s biblical narrative in this powerful novel from the award-winning author of Potiphar’s Wife.

After four-year-old Asenath’s mother is murdered by Egypt’s foreign rulers, the child is raised to be a priestess by her overprotective father—high priest of Egypt’s sun god. For fifteen years, Asenath is sequestered in the upper levels of Ra’s temple, convinced it is her destiny to heal the land by becoming queen to the next Egyptian pharaoh. But when Egypt’s foreign king instead gives her as a bride to the newly appointed vizier—a Hebrew named Joseph—her entire world is shaken. 

Beyond the walls of her tower, Asenath discovers treachery, deceit, and conspiracy that force her to redefine her destiny and weigh where her true loyalties lie. Can she still trust the gods of Egypt? Or is Elohim, the foreign God of her husband, the one who will heal her nation during the feast and famine to come?“Mesu’s talent for intertwining extensive research with riveting storytelling breathes freshness into the ancient and beloved story of Joseph. I highly recommend this fascinating glimpse into his life and faith journey, along with that of Asenath, the often overlooked Egyptian woman at his side.”—Connilyn Cossette, Christy Award–winning and ECPA bestselling author

“In the pages of In Feast or Famine, Mesu Andrews shines light on the little-known but beloved wife of Joseph. With deftness and deep insight, she brings her characters to vivid life, lifting Asenath from obscurity to multifaceted daughter, wife, future mother, and ultimately a l£d