Adonijah: A Tale of the Jewish Dispersion.

"Adonijah: A Tale of the Jewish Dispersion" by Jane Margaret Strickland, is a story set in the Roman Empire that follows Adonijah, a Hebrew man captured when Jerusalem is destroyed. He feels grief and anger as he becomes a slave, and the story looks at his faith and who he is, along with the battles between different cultures and religions. As the book begins, it is during Nero's rule, right before Jerusalem is destroyed. Adonijah is shown as a strong warrior who has lost everything, which makes him hate being a slave and lose hope. Strickland uses descriptive language to show the political problems and Adonijah’s inner struggle as he holds onto love for his country, fights against being controlled, and starts to have feelings for Lucia Claudia, a beautiful vestal virgin who represents a different religion. The beginning of the story pulls readers into a journey of trying to stay alive and find respect in the middle of a ruined civilization.