August 1, 2010 by B&H Publishing
Paperback, 368 Pages
Review Copy
In this place, there is no death, no pain, no birth. Havah awakens in splendor, opens her eyes to beauty and beholds the exquisite world around her. With no cognition of birth, sin or fear, her awareness is only that of knowing and that of pure innocence. The beauty of nature, the taste of pleasure and the intimacy of Adam.
After waking, a lush detailed account of her time in Paradise awaits the reader. As days turn to weeks and weeks turn to months, Havah tells a story of intoxicating love and pleasure, of happiness and the day that everything came crashing down. During her and Adam's time in Paradise, we see the couple living with nature, in tune with the animals around them, the physical nature of their sexuality and the delightful joy of being alive. We also see that inevitable character the serpent make his appearance and tempt Havah with the lie that something better was out there, she falls and ruin follows.
When Havah and Adam are cast out of Eden, we see the horror of what it must of been like, almost like an Apocalypse of their own making. Scared and alone, the two struggle to make a life together, always fighting against the weather, the land and the anger in their marriage for the choice they made. Thoughts of jealousy, unsaid communications and a countless number of children bring rivers and deep mountains into the relationship, most that go unresolved and lead to bitterness. After her children are born we hear the inner dialog of a mother, a worn out woman, a woman who fears her own daughters will bed her husband, a woman who fights against her sons illogical sexual feelings and a woman who feels the pain of all she lost. To walk where she had walked, to go from youth and freedom to years of child bearing, jealousy and envy, Havah leads us through 900 years of a very long yet short life in the midst of the biggest mistake ever made.
Havah tells the story of the first woman according to Old Testament that was created in the voice of Eve from the Bible. With her exotic detail to the brilliant world around her, Eve's/Havah's voice was radiant describing Eden, the love she had for Adam and the oneness she felt with God and the world. Her voice was also devastating and horrific when she described the fall, being cast from Eden, being plunged into the unknown earth and taking on the fears of human nature. At times even when her voice took on a sharp bitter edge or a weepy pathetic woman, she was a believable protagonist to a vast amount of human emotion.
I was intimidated to review this novel and only because I feel in this case Tosca's story is so special I cant find the words to bring it justice, what I can say is that this novel stood out due to Havah's inner dialog and her common yet highly relatable struggles with faith, her husband, her children and her sexuality. Beyond the actual account of Eve in the Old Testament what Havah did was to reach beyond Biblical Eve and bring forth how utterly catastrophic her actions must have been. In the seldom times that I have personally thought of Eve, I never thought of what it must of been like to be thrown out of Eden or how terrifying it must have been to be cast into the unknown. Her plight obviously was heightened by a thousand due to where she came from, but she was amazingly the same flawed woman we all are.
Tosca Lee did not shy away from sensual aspects in her story including sexual intimacy {which most of the book is about} multiple pregnancy's, incest and fidelity. Lee wrote these factors in with the utmost care using sensual language in way that didn't offend and left the characters vulnerable in the readers hands. Many parts of the novel had a very erotic undertone, each sentence heavy in word pleasure, even in the way Havah viewed the Garden and God, the writing felt raw and alive if that makes any sense. I'm thrilled to have a novel so rich in detail and honesty in human emotion, I would recommend this to anyone who
enjoys inspirational fiction, history or even tragic romances. Havah was a story of intimacy, deep longing and pain, loneliness, sexuality and the profound uniqueness of being a woman.
enjoys inspirational fiction, history or even tragic romances. Havah was a story of intimacy, deep longing and pain, loneliness, sexuality and the profound uniqueness of being a woman.
Rating
Recommend to adult readers. Advisory content includes: Sexual aspects including: sexuality, child birth and body parts, death, murder, grief and loss. Havah also touches on Creation, love, intimacy, forgiveness and faith.
5/5- Inspy-Fiction
Thanks to B&H for review copy
Even though I'm pretty sure this is not the book for me, this line made me swoon:
ReplyDelete"each sentence heavy in word pleasure"
What a beautiful way to describe the writing Tina! Gorgeous, gorgeous review:)
Thank you...:) And I know religion is a personal topic but the novel was beautiful...<3
DeleteDoesn't sound for me but I'm glad you liked it.
ReplyDeleteIt sounds very good and thought provoking.
It was a very bold take....her writing is what just blew me away!
DeleteThis sounds really interesting. I like books like this and it sounds like the author takes some risks, too.
ReplyDeleteKate @ Ex Libris
Kate, that's what I loved about the story it was in deed a total risk and the images were beautiful and terrifying....I wish all inspy fiction took more risks like Lee did.
DeleteWow! Dude, I am surprisingly intrigued by this one!!! Like WHOA! Not my usual "type" of read... But I'm thinking I MUST get this one!
ReplyDeleteOh my gosh the zombie queen reading an Inspy...that is AWESOME...:D
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