Sulamith: A Romance of Antiquity

"Sulamith: A Romance of Antiquity" by A.I. Kuprin is a historical romance that probably tells about the famous love between King Solomon, known for being smart and rich, and a regular girl named Sulamith. Taking place in ancient Israel, the book shows off Solomon's fancy royal court but also looks at ideas like love, wanting something a lot, and the differences between being powerful and living simply. At the beginning, we see King Solomon when he's at the top, with lots of fancy stuff and big building projects happening for the temple and his home. Even though Solomon knows many women, the story pays special attention to his strong feelings for Sulamith, a girl who works in a vineyard and wins him over. When Solomon and Sulamith meet for the first time, you can sense how much they like each other, but there's also a feeling of innocence, because the king is totally amazed by how pretty and charming she is. The book paints very clear pictures of the characters and where they are, getting things ready for a story that mixes love, strong desires, and how people are complicated, all in an ancient time period.