Discussion Questions

1.  At the beginning of the book, Esther struggles with her identity. “Around women, she was a girl. Around men, she was a woman. With Jews from the Galilee or Jericho, she was a Jerusalemite. In the Lower Market, surrounded by peasants, she was the daughter of a priest, an aristocrat from the Upper City. With Romans, she was a Jew. But sometimes she wondered, who was she really?”

How does Esther’s identity develop over time?

What defines one’s identity? Religion, family, nationality or something else? 

2.  Women in first-century Jerusalem had clearly-defined gender roles as daughters, wives and mothers. They were expected to be modest, pious, and diligent in the domestic sphere.

Do Esther’s choices reflect her own values and desires or are they based on societal expectations?

Does the title Rebel Daughter accurately apply to her? Why or why not?

3.  Esther believes that Joseph is the one she loves and Tiberius is the enemy, but ultimately she discovers the opposite to be true. Throughout the book, Esther is repeatedly reminded of Miriam’s words “What you think you know isn’t always so.”

Explore the significance of preconceptions in the story. Have there been times in your life when it was hard to let go of certain assumptions?

4.  Family relationships are an important theme in the book. Esther basks in her father’s attention and bristles at her mother’s criticism. How do her relationships with her parents and her brothers influence her actions?

5.  The historian Flavius Josephus was born a Jew named Joseph. But after the rebellion, he moved to Rome and lived in the house of the Roman emperor. His fellow Jews felt betrayed and never forgave him for advising the Romans during the siege of Jerusalem. Yet some historians claim that Josephus actually tried to save Jewish lives. They point out that he spent the rest of his life defending the Jewish people in his writings as proof of his loyalty. Was Josephus a traitor or a hero? Why?

6. The ancient Jews lived according to the laws of the Hebrew Bible, which emphasize purity and holiness. These laws affected all aspects of daily life, including food, personal hygiene, and sexual relations. Is there a connection between spiritual and physical purity?

7. Archaeologists have determined that during the first century, Jews in Jerusalem collected the bones of the dead in small rectangular boxes, called ossuaries, so that the deceased could be physically resurrected in the future.

How does belief in an afterlife influence the characters in the story?

8. Both Miriam and Zahara play important roles in Esther’s life. How are female friendships portrayed in the book? Does Miriam remind you of anyone in your life?

9. At various points in the story Esther is forced to choose between her own interests and those of her family.

Does Esther makes the right decision when she agrees to marry Lazar even though she doesn’t love him?

During the siege of Jerusalem, Tiberius offers to help her escape, but Esther refuses to abandon her family. Does she make the right choice?

10. Esther struggles to understand how the Almighty could have allowed the destruction of his Temple and the death of so many innocent people, but she never ceases to believe in God. Discuss the role of faith in the book.

11. Esther feels conflicted about her love for Tiberius. Why? What causes her to overcome her reservations and agree to marriage?

12. At the same time that the Jews were defending themselves against the Romans, they were fighting each other. In fact, ancient Jewish sources claim that the real cause of the destruction of the Temple was “senseless hatred” among the Jews themselves. Do you see any parallels in other periods of history, including your own?

13.  Quotes from contemporary sources appear before each section of the book. Did you find these quotes interesting, or did they take you out of the story world? Did you find yourself wanting to know more about any of the real-life events or people in the book? If so, which ones, and why?