Havah: The Story of Eve by Tosca Lee

I read an incredibly engaging book today; it's Eve's life told by Eve, or Havah, as "the adam" eventually calls her. I really liked everything from the beginning until the moments right after the fall, but everything after that took a few too many liberties with the Bible, creating characters for all of their offspring and describing flirtation between the siblings. It was just kind of strange, and clearly not biblical. It was neat to hear Eve speak to Kayin and Hevel's relationship, though, and what it felt like to lose a child. I LOVED the beginning, though, so I'm just going to talk about that.

It begins with Adam saying, "Wake", and she sees him for the first time. She says he bears the likeness of the One (God). He rejoices in her, and teaches her to live on the earth. They enjoy each other and they love freely. They are together, and with the One who was and who is.

But Havah begins to talk to the serpent. Adam tells her not to eat the fruit of his tree, but the serpent flatters Havah. Lee quotes the Bible, saying, "Did God really say not to partake of this fruit?" She entertains the idea of the fruit, until one day she finally grabs it. She brings it back to Adam, and even then she is still making her decision,

"The fruit was warm. It fit perfectly in my palm, its skin so taut that a tooth or nail might split it all the way round. I plucked it with a soft snick of the stem.

I turned to the adam with wonder. What did he see in me now? I had touched it. Was I now like God? Had I died the death? His breath quickened, and I felt his excitement like arousal, the possibility of the unthinkable adrenaline. I was heady with the idea of this act more singular and exquisite than that which we had performed through the night.

The fruit seemed inordinately heavy, a growing weight, in my hand, nearly unbearable, and I knew I must lift it to my lips and eat or drop it to the ground forever.

Our eyes met as I raised it to my lips.

'Wake,' I whispered, so softly I knew he heard it only in my thoughts. He might have stopped me.

He didn't.

I ate.

I, who had come second, went first. I, who had followed in the steps of every living thing before me, walked ahead" (57).

The larger text are honestly my favorite lines in the whole book. Eve's sin distorted the natural order of things. Adam did not keep her from sinning, and indeed joined her. The woman was the head and the man followed, and it went against created order, and devastation followed.

As I said, the rest of the book was alright, but not as insightful biblically so I was less interested, though it was a fascinating story - even if I could not keep up with all of their children! I'm not good at books with a ton of characters. This book was about 360 pages. It took me somewhere around 2 hours, and page 57 was worth it all. This author is writing a book from Judas' perspective, though, due out in February, and I really want to check that one out.