Review Tales Magazine Review
Vashti’s Daughter by Raven West is an intricate and captivating novel that weaves historical elements with a modern-day narrative, creating a mesmerizing story that challenges traditional perceptions and explores the power of legacy and truth.
The protagonist, Anna Steine, a young, newly divorced owner of a publishing house, finds herself embroiled in a mysterious and supernatural journey that begins with an unassuming manila envelope labeled Vashti’s Daughter. Initially dismissive of the manuscript, Anna’s life takes a surreal turn as she experiences vivid dreams and unexplainable occurrences, drawing her deeper into the story of Vashti and her daughter, Adara.
The novel skillfully blends the past and the present, with Anna’s personal struggles mirroring the historical plight of Vashti and Adara. The character development is robust, with Anna’s transformation from a skeptical publisher to a passionate advocate for Vashti’s story being particularly compelling. The introduction of Dr. Nathaniel Braverman, an expert in Bible and Ancient Near East studies, adds an additional layer of intrigue and romance to the plot.
West’s narrative is rich in detail and symbolism, with the Purim festival and the story of Queen Esther and Vashti serving as a backdrop for exploring themes of female empowerment, truth, and the rewriting of history. The supernatural elements of the story, including Anna’s dreams and her sudden proficiency in Farsi, add a mystical quality that keeps the reader engaged and curious.
The climax of the novel is both dramatic and satisfying, with Anna and Nathaniel uncovering ancient artifacts that validate Vashti’s story and challenge long-held beliefs. The resolution, which includes a marriage proposal and the publication of a revised Bible, ties up the story neatly, offering a hopeful and empowering ending.
Overall, Vashti’s Daughter is a thought-provoking and imaginative novel that offers a fresh perspective on a familiar biblical story. It is a testament to the enduring power of storytelling and the importance of questioning and revaluating historical narratives. Raven West has crafted a novel that is both entertaining and enlightening, making it a must-read for those interested in historical fiction with a contemporary twist.
Jeyran Main – Editor-in-chief – Review Tales Magazine
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Raven West Wins Third Place in Women’s Fantasy for her novel Vashti’s Daughter at The BookFest® Awards Spring 2024
The BookFest is thrilled to announce Raven West is a Third Place winner at The BookFest Awards Spring 2024 for Vashti’s’ Daughter. The book is honored in the Women’s Fantasy category.
The BookFest honors authors who create outstanding works of fiction and nonfiction. The BookFest’s mission is rooted in the belief that literature has transformative power and, in a desire to support and celebrate those who create it.
Desireé Duffy, Founder of The BookFest, says, “Today, more than ever, it is important to recognize authors and creatives for the vital part they play in crafting the stories that shape our world and define our humanity. Books bring us to new worlds, take us on adventures, give us a means to evaluate our lives and instill a sense of empathy within us. I believe that by acknowledging authors and their literary achievements, we lift literature in our world, and lift each other in the process.”
West says, “Being selected as a winner of The BookFest Awards is an incredible honor. I am grateful to be recognized for the hard work and dedication that went into creating Vashti’s Daughter. I hope this award will inspire Vashti fans (from the book of Esther) worldwide to pursue their own literary passions.”
Desireé Duffy, Founder of The BookFest, says, “I am delighted to announce Raven West as the Third Place winner in the category of Women’s Fantasy fiction at The BookFest Awards. This year’s competition was exceptional, and Raven should be very proud of her outstanding accomplishment.”
For more information about The BookFest Awards and to see the list of winners, please visit the Awards Page on The BookFest website.
Author Raven West 
A Fictional Series that All Too Real
Raven West ♦ February 11, 2024 ♦ Leave a comment
I recently watched Good Girls Revolt on Amazon Prime. It’s a 2016 fiction series about a New York weekly magazine set in 1969-1970 where women were not allowed to become reporters, even though they were doing a great deal of writing for the men!
It was a fictional setting; however, the content is VERY much based on reality…mine!
Although I did not work at a magazine in the 70’s, I WAS denied the opportunity to work for State Farm as an insurance agent WAY back in 1974 when I was working as a secretary at an agency in Culver City, California. When I asked the District Manager (Roy Dunlap) what I needed to do to become an agent, he simply replied “State Farm doesn’t hire women agents.”
Being from New York, and a very young 22, I just thought it was a strange policy, but figured it was a California thing and didn’t think much of it.
Until 1988, when I received a letter asking me if I’d ever not been allowed to be an agent and if so, would I like to join a class action case: Kraszewski v State Farm. Which, unlike the TV series where the complaint was filed in only a few months with 13 women at one magazine, our class was over 800 women across California and was LARGEST award under title 9 history and why now there are HUNDREDS of women agents, not only at State Farm, but all other insurance companies as well. (You’re welcome!)
If anyone is interested, the case # is 912 F.2d 1182 – and the story behind the event is in Saperstein’s book Civil Warrior.
And it’s far from over. We are all still fighting aspects of discrimination, including anti-Semitism that companies, large and small STILL think they can get away with today. (Trust me when I say YOU CANNOT!!)
That being said, as far as sexual discrimination goes in these CRAZY WOKE times…it’s very simple: Humans CANNOT alter their DNA, no matter what drugs, they take, or what operations they have, or what sex they “identify” as, pronouns or anti-nouns!
WOMEN have fought way too hard for far too long to EARN our place at the top of the awards podium in competitive sports to allow a few eunuchs to push us off and steal our ultimate reward. Not to mention physical injuries simply due the physical advantages that XY-ers are naturally born with!
To help Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson, there is a very simple answer to the question “What is the definition of a woman?” She should have been prepared for the easy answer: A woman is a human being born with XX chromosome.” End of argument. (Or the one I like better… a human being who is born with the equipment to aim their PEE STANDING UP!)
Simply put “XYs CANNOT BE ALLOWED TO COMPETE WITH XX in SPORTS. XYs CANNOT ENTER A XX ONLY LOCKERROOM OR BATHROOM! But, we ALL should be hired and paid the same based on experience, qualifications and CHARACTER! Nothing else.
I’m pretty confident there are going to be MANY more lawsuits to come in the future to make what should be common sense the norm!
YOU GO GIRLS!!
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