Whirlwind – Whispers on the Wind, Book 2
Having read Rain by Dana McNeely last summer, I was really looking forward to the next instalment in the Whispers on the Wind series, Whirlwind. Back in my own genre of Biblical fiction, Dana did not disappoint with her second novel and I’m delighted to review it for you here.
Whispers on the Wind series
Rain (Book 1) imagines the life of Elijah the prophet during the events detailed in 1 Kings chapters 17-18 (up to Mount Carmel). It was written predominantly from the perspective of a fictional character called Aban. Destined for a life in the temple of Ba’al Melquart, he runs away and later turns out to be the son of the widow of Zerephath and the servant Elijah speaks to in 1 Kings 18:43.
Whirlwind (Book 2) continues the story, based on the account of 1 Kings 20 through 2 Kings 2. As previously, Elijah’s story provides the structure for the narrative but this time we leave Aban behind, following instead the lives of two fictional characters, Miriam, the niece of Naboth the vineyard owner, and Dov, the captain of King Ahab’s guard. Both were minor characters in Rain. I’d picked up on the hints of a sequel by the reference to Naboth in Rain, so I was excited to send more time with Naboth and his family, despite anticipating their very sad story.
King Ahab & his pagan wife Jezebel are notorious for being the worst monarchs in Isreal’s history, yet God showed them an incredible amount of grace, giving them chance after chance to repent, despite the fact Jezebel did her utmost to destroy Yahweh worship in Israel at that time. This can be something that it’s hard to get your head around and that’s where biblical fiction can be so helpful, drawing us into the historical world and giving us a springboard to further study and understanding. Dana McNeely’s books certainly achieve this.
Points of View
Point of view is very much on my mind at the moment because I’m editing my Work in Progress The Tower on the Plain and in it I have six characters who take it in turns with the point of view! One or two is normal, six is rather challenging (but I do like a challenge). So I was pleased that Dana McNeely included several points of view in her writing and that she balanced it so well. It encouraged me to persevere!
Miriam and Dov
Although Rain alternated between characters as well, it was very much biased towards Aban so Whirlwind felt a little different. If you have previously read Biblical fiction, and you are a fan of Connilyn Cossette, you will feel right at home reading Whirlwind because the bulk of the narrative lies with Miriam and Dov, whom you realise early on have a destiny together (but you don’t know how they are going to get there). Both characters have spiritual, emotional and physical challenges to overcome to reach where we want them to be. In this regard also, Whirlwind felt quite different to Rain. Rain was not predominantly a romance, but Whirlwind could certainly be categorised as such. Another similarity to Connilyn Cossette. The anticipated romance had the benefit of driving the story forward, ensuring that this quite long book (400 print pages) was certainly not dull. But, even though it could be called a romance, don’t let that put you off if romance isn’t your cup of tea. There is tons in this storyline that is not romantic; lots of meat to sink your teeth into outside of that plot line.
Ahab and Jezebel
Part of this is the development of the Ahab and Jezebel storyline, as mentioned above. Because we also get to spend a small amount of time in Jezebel’s head, which is fun (I do love to get inside the head of a baddie – hence writing The Wanderer Scorned!) Their characters are both brilliantly portrayed, giving us a fantastic glimpse into the lives of the most notoriously evil royal couple in Israel’s history. Having the events of Kings fleshed out in such a way has been extremely beneficial for my understanding of those times, and as always, Dana McNeely has done a tremendous amount of research, so we really feel like we are there inside the Old Testament narrative.
Elijah
Spending more time with Elijah in Whirlwind was the highlight for me. Obviously, I love the character of Elijah the prophet (I did name my firstborn son after him.) What I particularly like in Dana’s portrayal is his quirkyness. In Rain we got to witness Elijah’s low times, his insecurities and struggles. In Whirlwind, Elijah is living life amongst the community of rescued prophets. He has come into his own as an older man; he is using what the Lord has taught him to bless others. Elijah’s sense of humour and sacrificial generousity shines through in this story. It was an absolute delight to read.
Eagles
Even cooler, we get the point of view of an eagle in this story – for just one short section. But the eagle displayed on the cover (with Elijah) is an important part of the storyline. I’ll leave you to find out how!
Nuggets of wisdom
As I mentioned, Miriam and Dov each have obstacles to overcome and lessons to learn. Elijah too shows character development. One nugget of wisdom Elijah shares with Miriam, who experiences immense suffering, is the need to listen to God, and obey one thing at a time:
Elijah listened. “Yahweh does not speak of that now.” He put a hand out in appeal. “Since he first spoke to me, I have learned He gives me what I need to know at that particular moment. What I need for the next step. One step. Never the whole journey.”
Whirlwind by Dana McNeely
At another point, Dov is having a conversation with his senior officer, the man who trained him (who also has a spiritual journey). They consider what their actions should be, when they know Ahab’s fate and character but are still conscripted to his service. Through these characters, Dana highlights the difficulty of acting with integrity in such a situation:
“You have said it. Do what you think is right. This is always what a follower of Yahweh must do.”
“Then we will die together.”
Dov replied slowly, “Do not underestimate the power of the Lord…”
Whirlwind by Dana McNeely.
There are battles in this book. Spiritual battles and physical battles. It is set during the time period when Ben-Hadad of Aram was attacking Isreal. In fact, the opening scene is the – very powerfully described – Siege of Samaria. The warfare is brilliantly depicted throughout, taking you right into the action without being too overwhelming, and you really got an opportunity to see God’s heart behind all that was happening at that time, and the numerous ways he kept reaching out to the people, longing to redeem them even when they didn’t want his love or reign. One final quote refers to these battles, and it is perhaps my favourite in the book:
“He (Dov) had always seen the right and wrong of things, in that, he’d not changed. But lately he saw something beneath the surface, a battle being waged by a different army. The army of the Lord. In which the battle was always about right and wrong, with a finer edge to it, like that of a sharp sword.”
Whirlwind by Dana McNeely.
It is a timely reminder that we cannot control the events of the world. But God is in control. All we must do is listen carefully, faithfully taking one obedient step at a time.
About the author
No stranger to drought, Dana McNeely lives in an Arizona oasis with her hubby the constant gardener, two good dogs, an antisocial cat, and migrating butterflies.
Her debut novel Rain spins the tale of a mysterious prophet, a desperate youth, and a relentless queen. Rain and Whirlwind, the second novel in the “Whispers on the Wind” series are contracted by Mountain Brook Ink.
I thoroughly recommend Whirlwind which can be ordered from all good bookstores or via my affiliate link below. It is also available to Kindle Unlimited subscribers.
This review represents my honest opinion. I was not influenced in any way by the author. I will receive a very small commission if you purchase via my affiliate link.