Book Review: Ben-Hur- A Novel for Lent

Enjoy this review of Ben-Hur by Ginny Hunsberger.

November is the ideal time of year to begin Lew Wallace’s historical fiction account of Judah Ben-Hur and to immerse yourselves in the times he lived—a story framed by the life of Christ. Wallace opens the story with vivid descriptions of Judea—the landscape, the customs, and the people. He introduces you to each of the Wise Men and how he imagines they were brought together.  If you begin reading in November and read it aloud a few hours a week, you will finish it around Easter. The first section of the book closes with the Wise Men meeting Mary, Joseph, and Jesus, and the last section of the book concludes with Jesus’ crucifixion and resolution or redemption for the characters’ Wallace creates.

The reader does not meet the title character until the second section of the book. Here begins the novel’s theme of redemption and the reader meets characters whose story will be followed to conclusion. We read from an edition that included a reader guide written by Joe Wheeler. This resource truly kept us reading. He warned the reader at the start that the first quarter of the book includes pages of description and little action. Yet, all of this was needed to fully understand the scope of the book.

If you are like me, you may be thinking that it would be easier to just watch the movie with your teens, but like many movies, the versions I’ve seen leave out the heart of this book. Reading the first section of Ben-Hur through the Advent season, captured our imaginations in a new way. It made us think about the details behind the familiar text in the gospels. What was it like to live in a dessert, to shop in a market, to give birth in a cave? What kind of man would journey to another country through the desert following a star? 

Through the dark of short winter days, we read of Judah’s betrayal and loss of all he held dear. We read of his hardships in early manhood, and how his loyalty and perseverance eventually leads to his freedom. This section satisfies the child who wants to hear of military battles and daring feats of heroism against great odds. Roman naval battles are described in detail. Friends are found and enemies are encountered.

If you only watch the movie, you will miss my favorite fictional hero—Simonides. His character is glossed over in movie interpretations. Reading through his story of faithfulness, his wisdom and shrewd business sense, and his loyalty and devotion to God and family will inspire even your calm and quiet children to cheer. Your extroverts may raise the rooftops. Simonides has been tortured throughout Judah’s years of exile. Broken in body but all the stronger in spirit, his role in Judah’s redemption is a pivotal part of the story. Reading about men like Simonides leads naturally into discussions about the kind of heroes your children aspire to become. Who and what is worth fighting for? What can you do now to prepare for difficult times to come? How does physical strength compare with mental agility?

Romance is another theme woven through this story. There are two women who catch the eye of Judah. Iras is an exotic, seductive beauty and daughter to Balthasar, and Esther is the beautiful Jewish daughter of Simonides. Judah’s heart struggles between these two women inspired discussion around finding love. What characteristics attract two people to each other? Do these qualities make a good choice in a spouse? Why or why not? Who should Judah choose? Who would you choose? Why does the good guy fall for the woman not loyal to him? When will his eyes be opened? It is easier to discuss topics like this about fictional characters before real life romance enters your child’s life, and it gives familiar conversation and experience to draw from after the reading is long past.

Wallace concludes his novel with the happiest kind of ending—one where characters are living lives of faithful service to Christ. Many modern books leave me feeling empty and hopeless. My favorite stories finish with redemption and characters whose eyes are set on eternity. If you want to inspire your children to dream about the men and women God has created them to become and the part of His story they can live into, then Ben-Hur is a needed resource to add to your home library and read aloud time. It is one of those rare books that leaves the reader changed for the better.