Much more than the tale of a beauty queen, Esther is a literarily advanced historic novel. The book of Esther tells the story of a Jewish woman living under Persian rule who becomes queen only to then risk her life in order to save her people from annihilation. The book is set during the Jewish diaspora, when many Jews lived outside of Israel, under foreign rule. It's a story of survival, identity, courage, and providence, told with dramatic tension, irony, and a strong moral arc. Though God is never named, the narrative is saturated with theological meaning: it invites readers to see divine providence at work behind the scenes, even in a world that feels secular or hostile.