Okay, I think I’m stretching here a little, but I’m counting this one in the mythology category for the Once Upon a Time III Challenge. I hope that doesn’t offend anyone. My apologies if it does.
Eve has always had an almost mythic quality about her in my mind. Adam and Eve seem to be somewhere between God and us mere mortals. But, Elissa Elliott’s portrayal of Eve both in the Garden of Eden and after the fall is so wonderfully human. Eve’s failings – continuous questioning, a stubborn streak – are also her strengths and they are familiar human qualities. Eve’s story is told in a chorus of women including herself and her three daughters – Naava, Aya and Dara. Each of Eve’s children struggle with their own conflicts but the jealousy between Cain and Abel is something more than sibling rivalry. Why would Cain kill his own brother? Elliott does a wonderful job of filling in the gaps in their story. I felt that Eve was a sympathetic character even in the moments when her whole family seems to resent her and even when she can’t stop questioning even for a moment. Elohim says that is what makes her special and it’s true. I savored reading this book – a chapter or two at a time. There were moments when I wished I knew more biblical history, but the story was so engaging that even if you knew nothing of Eve, you would still find this a compelling story of survival.
For more about Elissa Elliott (did I mention this is her first novel?) you can visit her website. She has an interesting blog, too.
This sounds interesting. I love to read about the imagined lives of historical or mythological characters.
What an interesting perspective for a story. I like trying to fill in the emotional blanks in well-known stories from history. Nice review!
Thanks. It seems hard to believe that no one has done it before.