Reviews
“[Naslund] shed[s] light on what the creation myth (and religious fanaticism) reveals about the human condition: that however formative our beginnings may be, they can always give way to the drama of rebirth. In Adam & Eve , Naslund asks, Which is really more important to us?�, [Adam & Eve] transcends the boundaries of the genres it flirts with. In teh hands of a lesser storyteller, it might degrade into a flimsy pastiche, but Sena Jeter Naslund's lyrical, exact prose kept me engaged., Exceptional...A richly detailed portrait of an opulent, turbulent time, revealing the Queen's journey from frivolity to responsibility, and from palace to prison cell to be one of striking beauty and terrible loss. 4 stars., Scrupulously researched and vividly presented.it's an irresistible story, and Naslund handles its big moments.with impressive assurance. Naslund has done her homework, and imagined her complex, bewitching protagonist in persuasive depth and detail. The result is an exemplary historical novel. , Adam & Eve has the potential of making not simply a splash, but a small tsunami. The novel is nothing less than a futuristic gloss on all creation, pitting religious fundamentalism against the discovery of extraterrestrial life, This is a wonderful, wonderful novel ...[Naslund] has blown a deep breath of life into Four Spirits., [Adam & Eve] transcends the boundaries of the genres it flirts with. In the hands of a lesser storyteller, it might degrade into a flimsy pastiche, but Sena Jeter Naslund's lyrical, exact prose kept me engaged., [Naslund] sheds light on what the creation myth (and religious fanaticism) reveals about the human condition: that however formative our beginnings may be, they can always give way to the drama of rebirth. In Adam & Eve, Naslund asks, Which is really more important to us?, Filled with the fear Naslund witnessed, the characters ...come to life ....Naslund succeeds splendidly in making history a page-turner., A wealth of period details...the queen faces imprisonment and beheading with both charm and a new dignity, even the most cynical reader will wish for a last-minute pardon., To describe the elements of this ambitious novel is to sound unhinged, but Naslund pulls it off. This thriller is rich in brilliant discourses on religion, fanaticism, the meaning of ancient cave art, the speculative future, and love., Naslund's insight and craftsmanship ...capture the complexities and cultural nuances of the times., Adam & Eve is a book about passions-a carefully crafted mosaic of devoted love, gut-wrenching betrayal, religious extremism, scientific inquiry, artistic expression&a wonderfully imaginative romp., An intense treat, powerfully written, Ahab's Wife is one of the best contemporary novels I have read in years.|9780061579271|, ADAM & EVE has the potential of making not simply a splash, but a small tsunami. The novel is nothing less than a futuristic gloss on all creation, pitting religious fundamentalism against the discovery of extraterrestrial life, “ADAM & EVE has the potential of making not simply a splash, but a small tsunami. The novel is nothing less than a futuristic gloss on all creation, pitting religious fundamentalism against the discovery of extraterrestrial life�, [A] charming parable...But along the way, Naslund weaves into the story an effective condemnation of dogma and religious zealotry as well as an understated plea for open-mindedness and tolerance.
Synopsis
"This thriller is rich in brilliant discourses on religion, fanaticism, the meaning of ancient cave art, the speculative future, and love." -- Library Journal Sena Jeter Naslund, the New York Times bestselling author of Ahab's Wife, Four Spirits, and Abundance explores both the dark nature of fundamentalism and the brightness of true faith in her dazzling novel, Adam & Eve. A provocative, eloquent, and deeply compelling story of a woman caught between two warring worlds--science and religion-- Adam & Eve raises timely questions about identity, innocence, and sin, and represents a new literary high-water mark for New York Times Notable author and Harper Lee Award-winner Naslund., Entrusted with her late husband's discovery of extraterrestrial life and enlisted by her dead husband's friend, anthropologist Pierre Saad, to help him smuggle a newly discovered artifact out of Egypt--an ancient codex concerning the human authorship of the Book of Genesis--Lucy Bergmann crash lands her plane on a slip of land between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers in the Middle East. Burned in the crash landing, she is rescued by Adam, a delusional American soldier whose search for both spiritual and carnal knowledge has led to madness
