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Talia Carner

Dear Librarians,

In the vein of The Red Tent and A Thousand Splendid Suns comes a novel of a young ultra-Orthodox woman at the end of the Ottoman Empire's rule who must choose between her faith and her passion.

Esther Kaminsky's duty is to marry and produce many sons to help hasten the Messiah's arrival. But when her French teacher discovers Esther's extraordinary artistic talent and gives her colored pencils, Esther breaks the Second Commandment, "Thou shalt not make any graven image." A tragedy that strikes her family, though, forces Esther to sacrifice her yearning for painting and become an obedient "Jerusalem maiden."

The years in which Esther suppresses her desires end when a surprising opportunity hurls her off her pre-ordained path. As Esther's beliefs clash with her surging passions, she must confront the question: to whom must she be true, to God or to herself?

Thank you,
Talia Carner
www.TaliaCarner.com