The Bronze Bow's richly developed characters and universal themes make it one of the most extraordinary books ever written for young adults. Speare creates a story that reveals her respect for the minds of young readers; the novel invites deep thought and contemplation of such fundamental human concerns as love, friendship, religious faith, and how to lead a meaningful life. At the same time, the book is a suspenseful, romantic adventure set in a time of political and religious upheaval. The believable adolescent characters battle their own feelings as they fight Roman oppression. Speare's realistic descriptions of how people lived then bring alive the ancient biblical time in which the action takes place.