As an avid reader of Jill Eileen Smith’s Biblical fiction, I must confess that I was concerned when I discovered her latest project was to be a re-telling of Eve’s story. Comparatively little is known about Adam and Eve, aside from the creation account, the fall, the murder of their second son by his elder brother, and the incredible length of Adam’s life. The Bible does not even tell us whether they had more children apart from Seth, although we presume they did, because God gave mankind the mandate of populating the earth. How would Jill Eileen Smith depict the first human couple? Would she be able to create a compelling story based on just a few pages of Genesis?
The story begins in the angelic realm, as we get a glimpse into the events of creation. WE meet the angels Gabriel and Michael, and of course Satan or the devil. I am always wary of any author’s attempt to depict heaven, or how things were before the beginning of time, but on this occasion, the portrayal was convincing. It wasn’t sensational. There was enough detail to make it believable, but much was left to the reader’s imagination.
Life in the Garden was naturally depicted as perfect. I’ve always been fascinated by thoughts of Adam and Eve moving amongst the animals, who all came to them tame and eager to be cared for.
Throughout the book, events on earth are interspersed with those in heaven. At key moments, we see the battle between good and evil. The account of the fall itself was beautifully crafted. I think it is fair to assume that since Adam and Eve walked with god, angels were familiar in their environment. So they probably would not have been as surprised as us when we read about their conversation with the serpent. Did Satan only appear as a snake after the evil deed was done? We must allow some room for imagination, since this is Biblical fiction. If the author simply presented the text as it was written, her book would be very short and hardly worth the time or effort.
I loved the way Jill contrasted life before the fall and after, how she wrote of the breakdown in relationships, the blame and the quarrelling that didn’t exist before they ate the forbidden fruit. I was drawn in as Adam and Eve lost their innocence and learned to exist in a harsh and scary new world. There were so many things I’d never thought to question, such as how would Eve know she was pregnant? How would she have known what to do when the time for childbirth came? Did God still interact with them at all?
This book covers many centuries, since Adam would have seen several generations of his family come and go. Obviously, we don’t know how long Eve lived, but the author works with the presumption that her lifespan was equal to her husband’s.
Familiar names such as Seth and Enoch are mixed with characters created to enhance the story. Cain is presented as an unrepentant man who went from bad to worse, and I appreciated the description of the Nephilim and their activities amongst the daughters of men.
When writing about this time period, every author must take a theological stance, and Jill Eileen Smith’s may differ from that of some of her readers. It felt comfortable, as I have always agreed with her interpretation of the beginning of Genesis 6.
My favourite part was the section about Enoch. Jill brought him to life in a way I’d never imagined before. I loved her descriptions of Enoch walking with God, especially when he was surrounded by heavenly light and beautiful colours. This is exactly how I imagine the glory of God. Jill drew from other scriptures, such as the book of Jude, to present him as a preacher of repentance, rather like a for-runner of John the Baptist, who pointed towards Jesus as the Messiah. Old and new Testament principles blend seamlessly, and the promise of a coming Redeemer shines throughout.
My one criticism is that the author seemed determined to depict Eve as some kind of heroin and spiritual guide to her family. This may well have been true, but in all her books, Jill seems to elevate the women in her stories over the men. This appeals to some female readers, but I sometimes find it a little frustrating, as I imagine Eve had just as many battles of the flesh as Adam.
Daughter of Eden is an excellent read, and I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys Biblical fiction. It has a lot to add to our understanding of the old Testament, as it brings these characters to life in ways that will refresh and enhance our Bible reading.
Check out Daughter Of Eden on Goodreads here