Eve by Elissa Elliott

Title: Eve A Novel of the First Woman
Author: Elissa Elliott
Publisher: Delacorte Press
Publication Date: January 27, 2009
Format: Hardcover, 432 pages
Age Group: Adult

Eve A Novel of the First Woman tells the story of Adam, Eve, and their children after they leave the Garden of Eden. The story is told through the memories of Eve and her daughters. Eve recounts the events that led to her and Adam's expulsion from the Garden and also the events leading to the tragedy between Cain and Abel.

Each chapter in the book is told by a different character and they are clearly labeled. I did not have difficulty keeping track of who was relating the story. One aspect that was jarring was that most of the chapters are told in first person but Naava's chapters were told in third person. For me, it would have made more sense to write all the chapters in first person or write Eve's in first person and all of the daughters' chapters in third.

Eve's chapters meander through her memories, which is a fitting method to tell her tale. She contemplates her life and her relationships with her children, Adam, and Elohim. The reader also learns about Eve through the stories of her daughters and her relationship with her sons.

Elliott uses lyrical language to capture Eve's questions and doubts. While Elliott has researched the Biblical story of Adam and Eve, this is a work of fiction and as such, she has taken artistic license with the events to create a compelling tale.

Eve A Novel of the First Woman is a beautiful, historical novel that inspires contemplation of ones own life.