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The Preservationist
"Noe says, -I must build a boat.
-A boat, she says.
-A ship, more like. I'll need the boys to help, he adds as an afterthought.
-We're leagues from the sea, she says, or any river big enough to warrant a boat.
This conversation is making Noe impatient. -I've no need to explain myself to you.
-And when you're done, she says carefully, we'll be taking this ship to the sea somehow?
As usual, Noe's impatience fades quickly. -We'll not be going to the sea. The sea will be coming to us."
In this brilliant debut novel, Noah's family (or Noe as he's called here)-his wife, sons, and daughters-in-law-tell what it's like to live with a man touched by God, while struggling against events that cannot be controlled or explained. When Noe orders his sons to build an ark, he can't tell them where the wood will come from. When he sends his daughters-in-law out to gather animals, he can offer no directions, money, or protection. And once the rain starts, they all realize that the true test of their faith is just beginning. Because the family is trapped on the ark with thousands of animals-with no experience feeding or caring for them, and no idea of when the waters will recede. What emerges is a family caught in the midst of an extraordinary Biblical event, with all the tension, humanity-even humor-that implies.
-A boat, she says.
-A ship, more like. I'll need the boys to help, he adds as an afterthought.
-We're leagues from the sea, she says, or any river big enough to warrant a boat.
This conversation is making Noe impatient. -I've no need to explain myself to you.
-And when you're done, she says carefully, we'll be taking this ship to the sea somehow?
As usual, Noe's impatience fades quickly. -We'll not be going to the sea. The sea will be coming to us."
In this brilliant debut novel, Noah's family (or Noe as he's called here)-his wife, sons, and daughters-in-law-tell what it's like to live with a man touched by God, while struggling against events that cannot be controlled or explained. When Noe orders his sons to build an ark, he can't tell them where the wood will come from. When he sends his daughters-in-law out to gather animals, he can offer no directions, money, or protection. And once the rain starts, they all realize that the true test of their faith is just beginning. Because the family is trapped on the ark with thousands of animals-with no experience feeding or caring for them, and no idea of when the waters will recede. What emerges is a family caught in the midst of an extraordinary Biblical event, with all the tension, humanity-even humor-that implies.
256 pages, Paperback
First published July 1, 2004
29 people are currently reading
646 people want to read
About the author
David Maine
8 books82 followersI was born and raised in Connecticut but spent much of my adult life overseas, living in Morocco from 1995-98 and in Lahore, Pakistan from 1998-2008. Since 2008 I have been living and teaching in Honolulu. I began getting published in 2004, with The Preservationist, a retelling of the Noah story from Genesis. This was followed by Fallen, which reexamined the stories of Eve/Adam and Abel/Cain. In 2006, my novel The Book of Samson was released. All three books were published by St Martin's Press in the US and Canongate in the UK.
My first non-Biblically-oriented story, called Monster, 1959, was published in February 2008. It generated a lively mix of responses. My next "literary fiction" novel, An Age of Madness, will be forthcoming in 2012 from Red Hen Press.
In my immediate future is the summer 2011 release of an eBook through my agent at Folio Literary Management, and available at all the likely places (Amazon, B&N, the Apple store, etc). The new book is entitled The Gamble of the Godless and it is an epic fantasy in the Lord of the Rings tradition, complete with sorcerers, talking animals, telepathic owls, drug-addicted cheetahs and (of course) a threat to the entire known world. It's all tremendously fun, and although it represents a new direction for my publishing career, it's actually a return for me to the type of books I grew up reading--and loving.
I'd like to thank the readers and reviewers of this site for their many responses, even the negative ones. As a writer, I would much rather have someone read my book and respond negatively to it, than feel no response at all. And of course, thanks for the many positive responses too!
More info about me, my life, my writing and much else can be found at davidmaine.blogspot.com . Come take a look. I'm also on Facebook, so come friend me up. Thanks a lot, and cheers.
My first non-Biblically-oriented story, called Monster, 1959, was published in February 2008. It generated a lively mix of responses. My next "literary fiction" novel, An Age of Madness, will be forthcoming in 2012 from Red Hen Press.
In my immediate future is the summer 2011 release of an eBook through my agent at Folio Literary Management, and available at all the likely places (Amazon, B&N, the Apple store, etc). The new book is entitled The Gamble of the Godless and it is an epic fantasy in the Lord of the Rings tradition, complete with sorcerers, talking animals, telepathic owls, drug-addicted cheetahs and (of course) a threat to the entire known world. It's all tremendously fun, and although it represents a new direction for my publishing career, it's actually a return for me to the type of books I grew up reading--and loving.
I'd like to thank the readers and reviewers of this site for their many responses, even the negative ones. As a writer, I would much rather have someone read my book and respond negatively to it, than feel no response at all. And of course, thanks for the many positive responses too!
More info about me, my life, my writing and much else can be found at davidmaine.blogspot.com . Come take a look. I'm also on Facebook, so come friend me up. Thanks a lot, and cheers.
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November 8, 2007
Hey, at least my own books aren't the only ones I've reviewed...
January 13, 2022
In this retelling of the Biblical Flood, author David Maine fleshes out the real people in the story. Noe (Maine uses the spellings of the names in the 1914 Douay Bible) is a man of faith and visions who takes his unnamed wife for granted. Sem is a man who seeks signs in every detail, married to Bera, a woman who used to be enslaved. Cham left home to be a shipbuilder and married a shipwrecked northern woman, Ilya. Japheth is the youngest and most irresponsible but he's married to Mirn, a young woman whose observations and intelligence are overlooked by everyone.
I've known this story for my entire life but this take felt fresh enough to keep my interest. I just re-read the King James version and I appreciate the way that Maine wove together the bare bones of an epic tale into something that feels more human somehow. Even with the visions and miracles, Noe and company felt like people I know. They squabble, have doubts, get bored out of their minds, shirk work, and get overly superstitious. Mostly, they get really, really tired of being trapped on the ark and endlessly mucking it out. Who can blame them?
The book is fairly short, at 230 pages. The section describing being on the actual ark, floating for 150 days even after the rain stopped, could have killed the pacing. But the author showed us just enough to let us know how mind-numbing it would be. A few events happen and then he moves on to after the waters recede. It was deftly handled.
What I really liked is that we finally see more of the women in the story. In the King James version (the one I grew up with), none of the women are named. I don't know if that's different anywhere else. I liked that Maine remained true to his source and leaves Noe's wife's name a mystery--and that her namelessness bothers her. Whether for the sake of clarity or using a source I'm unfamiliar with, the daughters-in-law have their own names and stories that feel true to the times. A former slave, a trader's daughter, and an orphan (I believe). I loved that they made their own invaluable contributions to the survival of all life upon the earth and that they have their own ideas and observations--and are at the heart of some unrecorded miracles.
I wish you could see the real cover of the book. The flood waters are the dust jacket. When you remove it, you see Noe's family loading the animals on the ark. It's very nicely done.
I recommend this as an interesting take on an old, old story. I could have ripped through it in a day but I chose to savor it over about a week instead.
I've known this story for my entire life but this take felt fresh enough to keep my interest. I just re-read the King James version and I appreciate the way that Maine wove together the bare bones of an epic tale into something that feels more human somehow. Even with the visions and miracles, Noe and company felt like people I know. They squabble, have doubts, get bored out of their minds, shirk work, and get overly superstitious. Mostly, they get really, really tired of being trapped on the ark and endlessly mucking it out. Who can blame them?
The book is fairly short, at 230 pages. The section describing being on the actual ark, floating for 150 days even after the rain stopped, could have killed the pacing. But the author showed us just enough to let us know how mind-numbing it would be. A few events happen and then he moves on to after the waters recede. It was deftly handled.
What I really liked is that we finally see more of the women in the story. In the King James version (the one I grew up with), none of the women are named. I don't know if that's different anywhere else. I liked that Maine remained true to his source and leaves Noe's wife's name a mystery--and that her namelessness bothers her. Whether for the sake of clarity or using a source I'm unfamiliar with, the daughters-in-law have their own names and stories that feel true to the times. A former slave, a trader's daughter, and an orphan (I believe). I loved that they made their own invaluable contributions to the survival of all life upon the earth and that they have their own ideas and observations--and are at the heart of some unrecorded miracles.
I wish you could see the real cover of the book. The flood waters are the dust jacket. When you remove it, you see Noe's family loading the animals on the ark. It's very nicely done.
I recommend this as an interesting take on an old, old story. I could have ripped through it in a day but I chose to savor it over about a week instead.
March 10, 2010
A realistic and practical account of the Biblical story of the flood. When reading stories from the Bible, it is easy to gloss over the facts and not truly comprehend them. Maine brings it all into focus with this novel: these are real people, who somehow built a floating barn in the middle of the desert, collected animals from both north and south, and did it all without know why or how it would all happen. Characters from the Bible, some of which are not even named, are given shape and feelings and opinions, and we truly come to know them and care for them.
One thing that all of the characters wrestled with was why God sent the flood, and they never really come to a consensus. I like what Mirn says at the end though, when she says, "Did Papa say God reigns over everything or did he say God rains over everything and does it matter? Because I'm pretty sure it does. It seems like one of them says, God is in charge so watch you step. And the other says, God can take away everything but he'll give back everything too, so it's up to us what to make of the sun and rain and all the animals and whatever else we find." I think Mirn is right, and what he really meant was "God rains over everything." Mirn was my favorite character - so matter-of-fact, calm, simple, hard-working, and deceptively smart.
I'm looking forward to reading more of Maine's books.
One thing that all of the characters wrestled with was why God sent the flood, and they never really come to a consensus. I like what Mirn says at the end though, when she says, "Did Papa say God reigns over everything or did he say God rains over everything and does it matter? Because I'm pretty sure it does. It seems like one of them says, God is in charge so watch you step. And the other says, God can take away everything but he'll give back everything too, so it's up to us what to make of the sun and rain and all the animals and whatever else we find." I think Mirn is right, and what he really meant was "God rains over everything." Mirn was my favorite character - so matter-of-fact, calm, simple, hard-working, and deceptively smart.
I'm looking forward to reading more of Maine's books.
November 30, 2007
Generally, I'm not a fan of stories that "re-invent" Biblical tales. They usually seem to be pushing a social or political agenda, and even if it's an agenda I agree with, it still annoys me.
But that's not what David Maine does. In this retelling of the Noah's Ark story, he lets Noah be Noah. Noah is very much the same man depicted in the Bible, and very much a product of his time. In other words, Maine stays true to the source material, but mines it for all the drama, pathos and humor that couldn't possibly be crammed into four short chapters of Genesis. The result is a great book, and a humdinger of a tale.
But that's not what David Maine does. In this retelling of the Noah's Ark story, he lets Noah be Noah. Noah is very much the same man depicted in the Bible, and very much a product of his time. In other words, Maine stays true to the source material, but mines it for all the drama, pathos and humor that couldn't possibly be crammed into four short chapters of Genesis. The result is a great book, and a humdinger of a tale.
April 1, 2017
This was the third novel by Maine that I have read, and quite possibly my favorite. Told in turns by each of the characters in first person (except the chapters for Noe which were told in narration), we are introduced to a family who was chosen by God to survive the Flood.
Following the family throughout the building of the ark, the gathering of the animals and their time on the boat...(cleaning the animal dung, telling stories, and watching day after day for a sign that the waters receeding)
An interestingly modern telling of a biblical story.
Maine gives each character depth and reason, showing us thier inner strengths as well as thier faults. Thier histories as well as thier present lives.
I really enjoy reading Maines novels. The writing is effortless and flows just like the waters of the flood!
Following the family throughout the building of the ark, the gathering of the animals and their time on the boat...(cleaning the animal dung, telling stories, and watching day after day for a sign that the waters receeding)
An interestingly modern telling of a biblical story.
Maine gives each character depth and reason, showing us thier inner strengths as well as thier faults. Thier histories as well as thier present lives.
I really enjoy reading Maines novels. The writing is effortless and flows just like the waters of the flood!
October 4, 2008
SUMMARY (from BN.com)
"Noe says, -I must build a boat.
-A boat, she says.
-A ship, more like. I'll need the boys to help, he adds as an afterthought.
-We're leagues from the sea, she says, or any river big enough to warrant a boat.
This conversation is making Noe impatient. -I've no need to explain myself to you.
-And when you're done, she says carefully, we'll be taking this ship to the sea somehow?
As usual, Noe's impatience fades quickly. -We'll not be going to the sea. The sea will be coming to us."
In this brilliant debut novel, Noah's family (or Noe as he's called here)-his wife, sons, and daughters-in-law-tell what it's like to live with a man touched by God, while struggling against events that cannot be controlled or explained. When Noe orders his sons to build an ark, he can't tell them where the wood will come from. When he sends his daughters-in-law out to gather animals, he can offer no directions, money, or protection. And once the rain starts, they all realize that the true test of their faith is just beginning. Because the family is trapped on the ark with thousands of animals-with no experience feeding or caring for them, and no idea of when the waters will recede. What emerges is a family caught in the midst of an extraordinary Biblical event, with all the tension, humanity-even humor-that implies.
MY OPINION
CAUTION: SPOILER ALERT and PG-13 LANGUAGE ALERT
I got this book from Paperback Swap several months ago and kept putting off because (I told myself) I had better things to read. Then, I accidentally listed on bookmooch as up for grabs. A very nice person in Israel wrote to me asking for it, and then when I ignored her (yes, I was hoping it would go away - sue me), she wrote a very nice letter explaining how badly she wanted this book.
So I scooped it up and thought I'd read it a little each night, and mail it to her within a week or so I expected it to be overly intellectual or to make fun of biblical stories or to simply be dull. Surprise.
This book is fantastic.
I finished it in about an hour and a half. I immediately regretted and didn't regret promising the book to the bookmooch person, and then I found it in overstock at Barnes & Noble for $4. So, yes, I'm buying her her own copy.
David Maine's voice is rich and vivid and honest and - how do I say this - embodies the feminist idea that God equally values both genders. The feats of imagination do nothing to dilute the tradition of the biblical story of Noah nor to take away from the meaning it holds for people who accept that faith as their own.
The chapters go back and forth between different characters (maybe Paolini took a note from Maine) without ever causing the reader to falter. Truly. The transitions are seamless, the plot intriguing, and then, all of the sudden, you're near the end of the book and you're crying.
Well, maybe you're not crying, but.....I am. Oh shut up.
The only downside to this story, I think, is there's a lot of "rutting" (a euphemism for "fucking") The reason I think that's a downside is that I think otherwise this would be a book that sophisticated middle-grade readers would enjoy, though it's obviously a book written for adults. It's one I highly recommend
"Noe says, -I must build a boat.
-A boat, she says.
-A ship, more like. I'll need the boys to help, he adds as an afterthought.
-We're leagues from the sea, she says, or any river big enough to warrant a boat.
This conversation is making Noe impatient. -I've no need to explain myself to you.
-And when you're done, she says carefully, we'll be taking this ship to the sea somehow?
As usual, Noe's impatience fades quickly. -We'll not be going to the sea. The sea will be coming to us."
In this brilliant debut novel, Noah's family (or Noe as he's called here)-his wife, sons, and daughters-in-law-tell what it's like to live with a man touched by God, while struggling against events that cannot be controlled or explained. When Noe orders his sons to build an ark, he can't tell them where the wood will come from. When he sends his daughters-in-law out to gather animals, he can offer no directions, money, or protection. And once the rain starts, they all realize that the true test of their faith is just beginning. Because the family is trapped on the ark with thousands of animals-with no experience feeding or caring for them, and no idea of when the waters will recede. What emerges is a family caught in the midst of an extraordinary Biblical event, with all the tension, humanity-even humor-that implies.
MY OPINION
CAUTION: SPOILER ALERT and PG-13 LANGUAGE ALERT
I got this book from Paperback Swap several months ago and kept putting off because (I told myself) I had better things to read. Then, I accidentally listed on bookmooch as up for grabs. A very nice person in Israel wrote to me asking for it, and then when I ignored her (yes, I was hoping it would go away - sue me), she wrote a very nice letter explaining how badly she wanted this book.
So I scooped it up and thought I'd read it a little each night, and mail it to her within a week or so I expected it to be overly intellectual or to make fun of biblical stories or to simply be dull. Surprise.
This book is fantastic.
I finished it in about an hour and a half. I immediately regretted and didn't regret promising the book to the bookmooch person, and then I found it in overstock at Barnes & Noble for $4. So, yes, I'm buying her her own copy.
David Maine's voice is rich and vivid and honest and - how do I say this - embodies the feminist idea that God equally values both genders. The feats of imagination do nothing to dilute the tradition of the biblical story of Noah nor to take away from the meaning it holds for people who accept that faith as their own.
The chapters go back and forth between different characters (maybe Paolini took a note from Maine) without ever causing the reader to falter. Truly. The transitions are seamless, the plot intriguing, and then, all of the sudden, you're near the end of the book and you're crying.
Well, maybe you're not crying, but.....I am. Oh shut up.
The only downside to this story, I think, is there's a lot of "rutting" (a euphemism for "fucking") The reason I think that's a downside is that I think otherwise this would be a book that sophisticated middle-grade readers would enjoy, though it's obviously a book written for adults. It's one I highly recommend
November 12, 2007
Overall I thought this was pretty good. Not fantastic or perspective-changing, but it's an interesting take on the Noah story.
What I liked: The quietness of the miracles, how things fell together so well but naturally, so the people involved didn't see it as a miracle until after the fact. I believe that most miracles are like that. God is fairly silent in this book, but the characters recognize his influence. I also liked that the family didn't know the big picture, didn't see themselves a pioneers or overly righteous. They just did what they were asked and tried to figure out what it all meant.
What I didn't like: All the "rutting" (sex), and the brutality of it. Why is it that only the "strange" woman from the north actually enjoyed sex, and the rest were left to the whims of their husbands? The husbands didn't mean to be brutal, but didn't take much consideration of their wives' feelings. Maybe it's supposed to be more historically accurate, or maybe the author is trying to make a statement about patriarchal vs. matriarchal societies (women rule in the north), or Jews/Christians vs. pagans. But if we're going for historical accuracy, religious observance is pretty anachronistic. No sacrifices or requirements (other than random assignments given to Noah), just love God and talk to him?
I also thought Japeth's transformation from lazy adolescent to mature adult was a bit abrupt, especially since the other brothers didn't change much.
What I liked: The quietness of the miracles, how things fell together so well but naturally, so the people involved didn't see it as a miracle until after the fact. I believe that most miracles are like that. God is fairly silent in this book, but the characters recognize his influence. I also liked that the family didn't know the big picture, didn't see themselves a pioneers or overly righteous. They just did what they were asked and tried to figure out what it all meant.
What I didn't like: All the "rutting" (sex), and the brutality of it. Why is it that only the "strange" woman from the north actually enjoyed sex, and the rest were left to the whims of their husbands? The husbands didn't mean to be brutal, but didn't take much consideration of their wives' feelings. Maybe it's supposed to be more historically accurate, or maybe the author is trying to make a statement about patriarchal vs. matriarchal societies (women rule in the north), or Jews/Christians vs. pagans. But if we're going for historical accuracy, religious observance is pretty anachronistic. No sacrifices or requirements (other than random assignments given to Noah), just love God and talk to him?
I also thought Japeth's transformation from lazy adolescent to mature adult was a bit abrupt, especially since the other brothers didn't change much.
June 18, 2009
There is a difference between "best" and "favorite". Sometimes your favorite is a first of something. Sometimes the best is the most thrilling. This is not the best novel, very much it is not. But it might be my favorite.
The book portrays Noah (Noe) in what would be "realistic" (in the way he treats women, his children, as per the period). The biblical tones are certainly a part of the novel but historical and emotional bonds take the precedent.
The book is written in chapters by different narrators, one of which is Mirn, a daughter-in-law of Noe. She is adorable and might be my favorite character of all time.
Whether you do your rosaries every morning or don't know a kippah from a Kia, read this book! Even if David Maine might be nuts.
The book portrays Noah (Noe) in what would be "realistic" (in the way he treats women, his children, as per the period). The biblical tones are certainly a part of the novel but historical and emotional bonds take the precedent.
The book is written in chapters by different narrators, one of which is Mirn, a daughter-in-law of Noe. She is adorable and might be my favorite character of all time.
Whether you do your rosaries every morning or don't know a kippah from a Kia, read this book! Even if David Maine might be nuts.
August 29, 2019
This was an extremely entertaining novel about Noah’s Ark. Told from the points of view of Noah, his wife, sons, and daughters in law. Wasn’t easy collecting the animals, riding the ark with them for months, and then repopulating the world!
December 26, 2025
There were two lines in this book that stopped me in my tracks. The first was, “Dawn crept in like a bad idea.” I don’t remember the second. Short, sweet, beautiful read.
January 17, 2022
Meh. 3 stars for the writing but the story itself was very blah. If I’m gonna read a novelization of a biblical parable, I want it to give me more than I got here.
The writing is beautiful though, and this book is definitely for someone. It just wasn’t for me.
5 stars for stunning cover art though.
The writing is beautiful though, and this book is definitely for someone. It just wasn’t for me.
5 stars for stunning cover art though.
March 15, 2019
Rather fun retelling of the biblical flood story - funny and irreverent in places - I must admit I enjoyed the the story set on the ark rather than the aftermath, so I struggled a bit come the later part of the book - I did love the ending though where one of the characters ponders how stories become distorted over the years and wondered if god rained over mankind or reigned over them, only story tellers of the future who say ...
August 8, 2021
I don't usually write reviews for books, and I usually just toss out a five-star rating if I make it to the end. I love this book. I finished it in pretty much one sitting. I don't really know why it affected me so much more the second time of reading. This book really doesn't have anything to do with raising children, but it made me want children, badly. This book doesn't really have a lot to do with love, but it reminded me of being in love, and perhaps what that looks like through arduous tasks.
I never pull quotes from books, but four here really stuck out to me, so I am sharing them below.
"But I realize now what I didn't know then: I'd no notion what love is. Not the faintest hint. Sure I was ready to jump off a bridge for her, or slap any man who dishonored her. Big deal. I'd lie with her all night and labor the next day to give her what she wanted. So what? That's not love, that's commerce, that's taking care of your property, ensuring your investment pays a profit, but it's not love by a good many spans. So what is? Love, strange as it may seem, is what you feel when you watch your wife emptying slop buckets she's collected from some demon-spawn lions and wolves and then tottering away for more, so skinny you can practically see the sun through her, and that's when there's no sun. Knowing she'll keep doing it, no complaining, because it needs to be done, no, scratch that, you demand to be allowed to do the same, for her, with anything that keeps you from lightening the burden just an obstacle that's expendable."
"I must be the only woman alive whose husband thinks it's good luck to get the hardest task assigned. That's what you think, right? We're blessed because we're being asked to do the most?"
"That's not what I meant at all. It's good news the others will have it so easy."
"And we'll suffer. And suffering is good."
"It's not that suffering is good, he sulks. - Though it is true that - that -"
"Being asked to do a great deal gives you the chance to show you're willing to do a great deal."
"I have a husband who is concerned with doing the right thing, and unconcerned with what it costs him."
"I don't wish to sound ungrateful: People who don't start over, die."
"Sometimes the hardest things for people to see are the things that are right in front of them."
Please read this book.
I never pull quotes from books, but four here really stuck out to me, so I am sharing them below.
"But I realize now what I didn't know then: I'd no notion what love is. Not the faintest hint. Sure I was ready to jump off a bridge for her, or slap any man who dishonored her. Big deal. I'd lie with her all night and labor the next day to give her what she wanted. So what? That's not love, that's commerce, that's taking care of your property, ensuring your investment pays a profit, but it's not love by a good many spans. So what is? Love, strange as it may seem, is what you feel when you watch your wife emptying slop buckets she's collected from some demon-spawn lions and wolves and then tottering away for more, so skinny you can practically see the sun through her, and that's when there's no sun. Knowing she'll keep doing it, no complaining, because it needs to be done, no, scratch that, you demand to be allowed to do the same, for her, with anything that keeps you from lightening the burden just an obstacle that's expendable."
"I must be the only woman alive whose husband thinks it's good luck to get the hardest task assigned. That's what you think, right? We're blessed because we're being asked to do the most?"
"That's not what I meant at all. It's good news the others will have it so easy."
"And we'll suffer. And suffering is good."
"It's not that suffering is good, he sulks. - Though it is true that - that -"
"Being asked to do a great deal gives you the chance to show you're willing to do a great deal."
"I have a husband who is concerned with doing the right thing, and unconcerned with what it costs him."
"I don't wish to sound ungrateful: People who don't start over, die."
"Sometimes the hardest things for people to see are the things that are right in front of them."
Please read this book.
June 7, 2012
The Old Testament tells us "Noah was a righteous man, blameless among the people of his time, and he walked faithfully with God." David Maine allows the reader to journey with Noe (quotes and name spellings taken from a more recent printing of the 1609 Douay Bible) from the time of Yahweh's calling to the end of Noe's days.
Though common depictions of Noe's ark are of happy animals, smiling side by side on the deck of a wooden ark, the reality of such conditions would undoubtedly be a horse of a different color (except those horses probably didn't make the sailing.) Maine has considered what building an ark, gathering the critters, lassoing the righteous ( in this case, Noe's family) into all the tasks at hand, and then the actual journey.
Told through the eyes of Noe, his wife, and their sons and daughters-in-laws, it makes an interesting story, one to tell the grandkids for sure, as the sons often comment. There were some moments of poetic beauty for me in the turn of a small phrase, such as, "This part of the ship is as black as the Devil's laugh.' (p 135). There were others, peppered throughout the text, in between the grumbles and problem-solving of Noe et al, little golden nuggets of delight, in a tale that was generally very interesting.
I really liked how the various personalities of all the family opened to the reader, and the roles Maine depicted for each. I tried to squelch my questions and concerns about everything from an angry god wiping out a world, to the genetic implications of all existing human life springing from the loins of Noe. But I do enjoy a good retelling of Biblical tales, fleshing out the words handed down over all these years, and adding a spin of practical realism and practical magic.
My rating is really a 3.5 rather than a 3, but not quite a full 4.
This book was wishlist fulfillment from a friend at Tor Books. Thank you, Paul!
Though common depictions of Noe's ark are of happy animals, smiling side by side on the deck of a wooden ark, the reality of such conditions would undoubtedly be a horse of a different color (except those horses probably didn't make the sailing.) Maine has considered what building an ark, gathering the critters, lassoing the righteous ( in this case, Noe's family) into all the tasks at hand, and then the actual journey.
Told through the eyes of Noe, his wife, and their sons and daughters-in-laws, it makes an interesting story, one to tell the grandkids for sure, as the sons often comment. There were some moments of poetic beauty for me in the turn of a small phrase, such as, "This part of the ship is as black as the Devil's laugh.' (p 135). There were others, peppered throughout the text, in between the grumbles and problem-solving of Noe et al, little golden nuggets of delight, in a tale that was generally very interesting.
I really liked how the various personalities of all the family opened to the reader, and the roles Maine depicted for each. I tried to squelch my questions and concerns about everything from an angry god wiping out a world, to the genetic implications of all existing human life springing from the loins of Noe. But I do enjoy a good retelling of Biblical tales, fleshing out the words handed down over all these years, and adding a spin of practical realism and practical magic.
My rating is really a 3.5 rather than a 3, but not quite a full 4.
This book was wishlist fulfillment from a friend at Tor Books. Thank you, Paul!
August 24, 2008
This book was a pleasant surprise. I read a recommendation for it (actual,ly for another book by the author) off a day-by-day calendar, picked it up at the library two days later, and had finished it two days after that.
Maine takes the story of Noah and the ark and fills in all the details. It's similar to Rosencrantz and Guildenstern in that he's taking a story about which we know little and filling in all the empty bits: what were the people really like, what did the ark look like and how was it built, and where did all those animals really come from? My favorite sections were the ones exploring the daughters-in-law, who were dragged into this adventure in spite of how they felt, and their thoughts and feelings show them to be fully different characters. The book is a very quick read - about 250 pages, but I finished it in under 36 hours. I could easily see it being written as an epic, sweeping novel, but instead it is light and a relatively easy read. That's not to say it isn't serious; it is. But it's not overburdened or cumbersome.
The book also does not step around the humanity of the characters. Even Noah is portrayed as flawed, despite the fact that God saw him as a righteous man. The people are concerned about sex, and their chidren, and food. It also portrays what I suspect is a reasonably accurate depiction of ancient life in the Middle East.
I like this idea (similar to Wicked, I suppose) of taking a little event that everyone knows of and fleshing it out in a completely fictional way. The author has another book about Adam and Eve and a third about Samson. Those are now securely on my "to-read" list.
Maine takes the story of Noah and the ark and fills in all the details. It's similar to Rosencrantz and Guildenstern in that he's taking a story about which we know little and filling in all the empty bits: what were the people really like, what did the ark look like and how was it built, and where did all those animals really come from? My favorite sections were the ones exploring the daughters-in-law, who were dragged into this adventure in spite of how they felt, and their thoughts and feelings show them to be fully different characters. The book is a very quick read - about 250 pages, but I finished it in under 36 hours. I could easily see it being written as an epic, sweeping novel, but instead it is light and a relatively easy read. That's not to say it isn't serious; it is. But it's not overburdened or cumbersome.
The book also does not step around the humanity of the characters. Even Noah is portrayed as flawed, despite the fact that God saw him as a righteous man. The people are concerned about sex, and their chidren, and food. It also portrays what I suspect is a reasonably accurate depiction of ancient life in the Middle East.
I like this idea (similar to Wicked, I suppose) of taking a little event that everyone knows of and fleshing it out in a completely fictional way. The author has another book about Adam and Eve and a third about Samson. Those are now securely on my "to-read" list.
October 9, 2008
I went to the library stacks to retrieve a Mailer book that was not there. 'Maine' is right next to 'Mailer'--and he grew up in Farmington, CT and the cover was cool (not the edition pictured here), so I took a shot. This is a funny, light, lighthearted look at the Noah's ark story. Pretty deftly executed, considering the scope of the event being depicted, he humanizes the Biblical characters and all that. To his credit: no animal viewpoint.
January 6, 2010
This book really cracked me up! It looks at things from Noah's point of view, things we don't really consider when reading KJV bible. Things like the fact that he was 600 years old when he started the Ark, it was the middle of the desert and who was gonna clean up after all those animals on the Ark!
March 19, 2015
I can say that this is one of the wittiest books that I've ever read. The author showed that Biblical characters are human beings too—they struggle, laugh, cry, get angry, have sex, get ashamed, etc. The character development was awesome. The one-liners and antics are great! Read this book and you'll see Noah and his family differently. More human. More like us.
November 18, 2015
I found this a fascinating view of an old story. It is a very down to earth look at the human dilemma of a biblical flood. The short chapters, where each character gets to voice their point of view, makes this a very easy read. The questions raised by the characters are left in the mind of the reader and their onward journeys leave us wanting more. Didn't want it to end.
April 6, 2008
When I first read the description of this book, I wasn't so sure I would like it, but once I started to read, I didn't want to stop- it was funny, I liked the different characters/points of view and even though I am not much into reading bible stories or books, I liked this one!
February 24, 2018
I loved everything about this book.
It is a brilliantly written and beautifully told realistic and de-glamourised retelling of Noah’s Ark. I have underlined so many sentences in my copy!
A brilliant, brilliant book. I am shocked that no one else has rated or reviewed it!
It is a brilliantly written and beautifully told realistic and de-glamourised retelling of Noah’s Ark. I have underlined so many sentences in my copy!
A brilliant, brilliant book. I am shocked that no one else has rated or reviewed it!
December 2, 2013
I really enjoyed this book. What made it especially great was that my book club got to communicate with the author and have him answer some of our questions.
August 11, 2018
English review below the Greek one...
Ένα ελαφρύ και σχετικά ευχάριστο βιβλίο που περιγράφει την ιστορία του Βιβλικού Κατακλυσμού από την στιγμή που ο Νώε έλαβε εντολή από τον Γιαχβέ να φτιάξει την κιβωτό και να συλλέξει τα ζώα, μέχρι την στιγμή που τα παιδιά του διασκορπίζονται στον κόσμο μετά την πλημμύρα για να εξαπλώσουν και πάλι την ανθρωπότητα.
Τα κεφάλαια είναι μικρά και ο αφηγητής διαφορετικός κάθε φορά. Ο Νώε, η γυναίκα του, οι τρεις γιοί του και οι τρεις νύφες του. Τα κεφάλαια του Νώε κάποιες φορές είναι τριτοπρόσωπα και κάποιες πρωτοπρόσωπα ενώ των άλλων αφηγητών πρωτοπρόσωπα. Ο συγγραφέας κάνει αξιοπρεπή προσπάθεια να δώσει στον κάθε χαρακτήρα την δική του φωνή και να περιγράψει πέρα από τις δυσκολίες που αντιμετωπίζουν για να φέρουν τις εντολές του Γιαχβέ εις πέρας, πως εξελίσσονται οι μεταξύ τους σχέσεις και οι ίδιοι ως άνθρωποι μέσα από αυτή τη δοκιμασία. Το The Preservationist έχει τις συγκινητικές και τις χιουμοριστικές στιγμές του και η γραφή του Maine χωρίς να είναι κάτι ιδιαίτερο ρέει αβίαστα.
Σίγουρα το βιβλίο δεν είναι ξεκαρδιστικό, δεν είναι ακριβώς μια ιστορία πίστης, ούτε ιστορία επιβίωσης με την στενή έννοια του όρου και μάλλον κάποια διθυραμβικά σχόλια είναι υπερβολικά, ωστόσο είναι ένα βιβλίο που σου κρατάει το ενδιαφέρον και διαβάζεται άνετα μέσα σε ένα ή δύο απογεύματα.
This was a soft, pleasant novel to read in one or two leisurely afternoons. The theme is the biblical flood from the moment Noe received God's instructions to build the ark and collect the amimals till the moment his children scatter all over the world after the flood in order to create humanity again.
The Preservationist is written in small chapters, narrated on an easy prose. Narrators change among chapters. Noe's chapters are sometimes told by himself, sometimes through a third person perspective, while the other chapters are narrated either by one of his sons, either by his wife, either by one or his daughters in law. The author tries to give each person his own distinct voice and to describe not only the family's struggles on the matter at hand, but also the relationships among them, each character's personal struggles and how each character develops or changes through the flood's experience and how they interact one with each other.
Well, I think some hype around this book is exaggerated somehow.This book was sometimes witty, sometimes moving, most times mildly engaging, but I don't think it's that briliant or hilarious or strictly an amazing story of faith and survival as some comments made it to be...But for sure it's a book that keeps one's interest and one can easily read it in an afternoon or two.
Ένα ελαφρύ και σχετικά ευχάριστο βιβλίο που περιγράφει την ιστορία του Βιβλικού Κατακλυσμού από την στιγμή που ο Νώε έλαβε εντολή από τον Γιαχβέ να φτιάξει την κιβωτό και να συλλέξει τα ζώα, μέχρι την στιγμή που τα παιδιά του διασκορπίζονται στον κόσμο μετά την πλημμύρα για να εξαπλώσουν και πάλι την ανθρωπότητα.
Τα κεφάλαια είναι μικρά και ο αφηγητής διαφορετικός κάθε φορά. Ο Νώε, η γυναίκα του, οι τρεις γιοί του και οι τρεις νύφες του. Τα κεφάλαια του Νώε κάποιες φορές είναι τριτοπρόσωπα και κάποιες πρωτοπρόσωπα ενώ των άλλων αφηγητών πρωτοπρόσωπα. Ο συγγραφέας κάνει αξιοπρεπή προσπάθεια να δώσει στον κάθε χαρακτήρα την δική του φωνή και να περιγράψει πέρα από τις δυσκολίες που αντιμετωπίζουν για να φέρουν τις εντολές του Γιαχβέ εις πέρας, πως εξελίσσονται οι μεταξύ τους σχέσεις και οι ίδιοι ως άνθρωποι μέσα από αυτή τη δοκιμασία. Το The Preservationist έχει τις συγκινητικές και τις χιουμοριστικές στιγμές του και η γραφή του Maine χωρίς να είναι κάτι ιδιαίτερο ρέει αβίαστα.
Σίγουρα το βιβλίο δεν είναι ξεκαρδιστικό, δεν είναι ακριβώς μια ιστορία πίστης, ούτε ιστορία επιβίωσης με την στενή έννοια του όρου και μάλλον κάποια διθυραμβικά σχόλια είναι υπερβολικά, ωστόσο είναι ένα βιβλίο που σου κρατάει το ενδιαφέρον και διαβάζεται άνετα μέσα σε ένα ή δύο απογεύματα.
This was a soft, pleasant novel to read in one or two leisurely afternoons. The theme is the biblical flood from the moment Noe received God's instructions to build the ark and collect the amimals till the moment his children scatter all over the world after the flood in order to create humanity again.
The Preservationist is written in small chapters, narrated on an easy prose. Narrators change among chapters. Noe's chapters are sometimes told by himself, sometimes through a third person perspective, while the other chapters are narrated either by one of his sons, either by his wife, either by one or his daughters in law. The author tries to give each person his own distinct voice and to describe not only the family's struggles on the matter at hand, but also the relationships among them, each character's personal struggles and how each character develops or changes through the flood's experience and how they interact one with each other.
Well, I think some hype around this book is exaggerated somehow.This book was sometimes witty, sometimes moving, most times mildly engaging, but I don't think it's that briliant or hilarious or strictly an amazing story of faith and survival as some comments made it to be...But for sure it's a book that keeps one's interest and one can easily read it in an afternoon or two.
November 20, 2024
After recently finishing Not Wanted On the Voyage, I wanted to revisit another novel I have about the same story. I first read The Preservationist not long after it was published and enjoyed it enough to seek out David Maine’s other novels (the best of which is Fallen). My current version was recovered from a little book library, a first edition replacement for my old trade paperback. Like Findlay’s, Maine’s version of the ark-and-flood story takes license with the characters, filling in the gaps of the “official” record, but with less of the dark and sinister nature of Findlay. Maine refers to a specific version and translation of the story from the Douay Bible, to give himself and the story a clear foundation and some guardrails. He follows the timeline and naming conventions of that bible, and then fills in around that.
While still having a certain level of dysfunction, the family here is mostly average. Noe and his wife (who is never named) have lived together for roughly 40 years, with a significant age gap in their relationship; Noe is 600 while the wife is less than 50 years old. The “gift” of long life seems unique to Noe’s generation, something unusual but unremarkable in their culture. The three sons – Sem, Cham, and Japheth – and their wives – Bera, Ilya, and Mirn – all seem quite content in their relationships, with the wives having considerable gratitude for being taken in by the family.
In perhaps the biggest bit of creative licence, Cham has been away from the family for a few years as a journeyman shipbuilder, thus having the necessary expertise to design and construct the ark with minimal outside help. This felt a bit too convenient, but it does address the question of how a desert-living family could construct a sea-worthy vessel by themselves.
The most modern element of the story is the near emancipation of the women, especially the sons’ wives Bera and Ilya. Each of these is dispatched to return to their homelands to collect the representative animals from there for the ark, and each gets their own part of the story describing their journeys. It felt a bit odd for the times – women travelling alone, with their own money, giving orders and conducting such strange business. Despite the unusual and creative ideas that these segments presented, both stories were kept quite short and almost incomplete; I would have liked to hear more about these adventures, although later on we learn that even the family didn’t hear much about them. All of the women have unusual strength of character and voices in this story, which, while perhaps out of context for the time and culture, is more realistic than the subservient characters portrayed in other versions. These would be the kind of people worthy of saving and entrusting with the future of humankind.
As the rains begin, and the animals and the families retreat into the ark, there are a few others around trying to be saved. While Noe is enjoying his I-told-you-so moment, hectoring the drowning people as the waters rise, others in the family are troubled by survivor guilt: “…the questions that circle in my mind like vultures: Why me, and not them? Why them, and not me? There is no answer, of course. There never is.”
In the midst of Noe’s jubilation at the start of the journey, Maine gives an excellent portrait of how not-great it is:
"The birds around him share no such contentment. They cluster miserably, crows and jays, larks and finches, sparrows and rollers and doves: a multidenominational carpet of plumage stretching the lengths and breadth of the deck. A sorrier bunch of living things would be difficult to conceive. They are uninvited guests at the worst party ever..."
The time on the ark is as miserable in any other story – endless chores in caring for the animals; constant worry and complaints about food; boredom and torpor that never quite tips over into despair (they have, after all be saved).
The time after the landing and disembarkation was the most interesting. As we know from many other natural disasters in modern times, nature has a way of rebounding and flourishing afterwards, and here is no exception. The new Noe homestead is fertile and abundant, including the family itself who quickly begin to have children of their own. That first year after landing is among the happiest any of them has. But it is not to last.
Yahweh’s final instruction to Noe is to send his sons away in order to populate the world. While Noe is obedient in this, it’s the one instruction that he seems to resent the most: after everything I’ve done in your name, I now have to part from my family? Indeed, this is perhaps the saddest storyline; after the sons and families disperse, Noe’s wife dies of a short but painful illness, leaving Noe to live out his remaining 300 years entirely alone.
Each of the sons and their families goes in a different direction, becoming the various tribes and peoples and cultures of the world. Cham and Ilya have a strange encounter on their journey: on a mountain pass, they find seashells among the rocks. This nod to the geological record is similar to Findlay’s acknowledgement of evolution, with a more overt recognition of the mystery:
"… another explanation, I was certain, waiting only to be chanced upon…Did Yahweh pepper the world with conundrums such as these for His own amusement, I wondered, or did he do it to challenge us?"
Each chapter is told either as a narrative about Noe and the family or in the voice of one of the family members. It is ultimately a kind of record of that time, some passages reading like journal entries (although there are no books here). The fragmented nature of the story, with bits untold, reflects the nature of historical records – there are always pieces missing. Near the end, Maine gives a subtle wink to his creation of this story, as Mirn considers the future for her family and the responsibility of passing on the story of the end and new beginning of the world:
As a first novel, this was a good one. While not as intricate as Findlay’s story, The Preservationist is as creative with the source material, choosing instead to be kinder and more optimistic, as well as to tell the whole story - the idea, the action of the flood, the world after. Interestingly, both authors characterize the sons in similar ways: Sem/Shem as stolid and obedient; Cham/Ham as the happy scientist and engineer; and Japheth/Japeth as the malingering youth (although much more redeeming in Maine’s story than Findlay’s).
I had forgotten many of the details of this novel since first reading it, and I’m glad I chose to read it juxtaposed with Findlay’s as, while Findlay’s writing is more mature and cynical than Maine’s, the two versions are each compelling, interesting, and believable in their own way.
While still having a certain level of dysfunction, the family here is mostly average. Noe and his wife (who is never named) have lived together for roughly 40 years, with a significant age gap in their relationship; Noe is 600 while the wife is less than 50 years old. The “gift” of long life seems unique to Noe’s generation, something unusual but unremarkable in their culture. The three sons – Sem, Cham, and Japheth – and their wives – Bera, Ilya, and Mirn – all seem quite content in their relationships, with the wives having considerable gratitude for being taken in by the family.
In perhaps the biggest bit of creative licence, Cham has been away from the family for a few years as a journeyman shipbuilder, thus having the necessary expertise to design and construct the ark with minimal outside help. This felt a bit too convenient, but it does address the question of how a desert-living family could construct a sea-worthy vessel by themselves.
The most modern element of the story is the near emancipation of the women, especially the sons’ wives Bera and Ilya. Each of these is dispatched to return to their homelands to collect the representative animals from there for the ark, and each gets their own part of the story describing their journeys. It felt a bit odd for the times – women travelling alone, with their own money, giving orders and conducting such strange business. Despite the unusual and creative ideas that these segments presented, both stories were kept quite short and almost incomplete; I would have liked to hear more about these adventures, although later on we learn that even the family didn’t hear much about them. All of the women have unusual strength of character and voices in this story, which, while perhaps out of context for the time and culture, is more realistic than the subservient characters portrayed in other versions. These would be the kind of people worthy of saving and entrusting with the future of humankind.
As the rains begin, and the animals and the families retreat into the ark, there are a few others around trying to be saved. While Noe is enjoying his I-told-you-so moment, hectoring the drowning people as the waters rise, others in the family are troubled by survivor guilt: “…the questions that circle in my mind like vultures: Why me, and not them? Why them, and not me? There is no answer, of course. There never is.”
In the midst of Noe’s jubilation at the start of the journey, Maine gives an excellent portrait of how not-great it is:
"The birds around him share no such contentment. They cluster miserably, crows and jays, larks and finches, sparrows and rollers and doves: a multidenominational carpet of plumage stretching the lengths and breadth of the deck. A sorrier bunch of living things would be difficult to conceive. They are uninvited guests at the worst party ever..."
The time on the ark is as miserable in any other story – endless chores in caring for the animals; constant worry and complaints about food; boredom and torpor that never quite tips over into despair (they have, after all be saved).
The time after the landing and disembarkation was the most interesting. As we know from many other natural disasters in modern times, nature has a way of rebounding and flourishing afterwards, and here is no exception. The new Noe homestead is fertile and abundant, including the family itself who quickly begin to have children of their own. That first year after landing is among the happiest any of them has. But it is not to last.
Yahweh’s final instruction to Noe is to send his sons away in order to populate the world. While Noe is obedient in this, it’s the one instruction that he seems to resent the most: after everything I’ve done in your name, I now have to part from my family? Indeed, this is perhaps the saddest storyline; after the sons and families disperse, Noe’s wife dies of a short but painful illness, leaving Noe to live out his remaining 300 years entirely alone.
Each of the sons and their families goes in a different direction, becoming the various tribes and peoples and cultures of the world. Cham and Ilya have a strange encounter on their journey: on a mountain pass, they find seashells among the rocks. This nod to the geological record is similar to Findlay’s acknowledgement of evolution, with a more overt recognition of the mystery:
"… another explanation, I was certain, waiting only to be chanced upon…Did Yahweh pepper the world with conundrums such as these for His own amusement, I wondered, or did he do it to challenge us?"
Each chapter is told either as a narrative about Noe and the family or in the voice of one of the family members. It is ultimately a kind of record of that time, some passages reading like journal entries (although there are no books here). The fragmented nature of the story, with bits untold, reflects the nature of historical records – there are always pieces missing. Near the end, Maine gives a subtle wink to his creation of this story, as Mirn considers the future for her family and the responsibility of passing on the story of the end and new beginning of the world:
Of course, people will tell something, it was the end of the world after all. A story like that won’t be forgotten. But things will get added and left out and confused, until in a little while people won’t even know what’s true and what’s made up…When the story gets told, and told again and then again things will change. They always do. Not on purpose, but just because people don’t ever really listen.
As a first novel, this was a good one. While not as intricate as Findlay’s story, The Preservationist is as creative with the source material, choosing instead to be kinder and more optimistic, as well as to tell the whole story - the idea, the action of the flood, the world after. Interestingly, both authors characterize the sons in similar ways: Sem/Shem as stolid and obedient; Cham/Ham as the happy scientist and engineer; and Japheth/Japeth as the malingering youth (although much more redeeming in Maine’s story than Findlay’s).
I had forgotten many of the details of this novel since first reading it, and I’m glad I chose to read it juxtaposed with Findlay’s as, while Findlay’s writing is more mature and cynical than Maine’s, the two versions are each compelling, interesting, and believable in their own way.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 5, 2019
The Preservationist is a fictional account of the story of Noah....basically from the point where Noah hears God telling him to build the ark and gather animals, up to a year or so following the end of the flood and the redistribution of his family in order to begin to repopulate the earth. The story is told from alternating viewpoints including Noah's, but also from those of his family including his wife, his sons, and his daughters-in-law. It's meant to be humorous and a bit over the top, and it is.
I have mixed feelings about this story. I liked the book in the respect that it examined and explored the more practical aspects of the whole Noah and the Ark story -- about how exactly one would go about gathering all the species of animals, how to decide to arrange them on the boat so that they wouldn't kill the humans or each other, how to pack enough food for both animals and people, how to dispose of all the waste, etc. All those things that one just sort of takes for granted when retelling the story of Noah but doesn't typically think about in too much detail. I enjoyed the humor for the most part, although I felt some of it was somewhat vulgar and unnecessary to the story. I didn't care for Noah's characterization. In my head I've always thought of him as an old but wise and faithful man, but in this he was characterized as a grumpy, pigheaded and somewhat chauvinistic character, and that kind of ruined my image of him. There were parts of this story that I thought needed elaboration, but on the flip side, there were parts that I thought were unnecessary. Overall, I liked the concept, but think it could've maybe been executed better. Not a bad book, but not necessarily a great one either.
I have mixed feelings about this story. I liked the book in the respect that it examined and explored the more practical aspects of the whole Noah and the Ark story -- about how exactly one would go about gathering all the species of animals, how to decide to arrange them on the boat so that they wouldn't kill the humans or each other, how to pack enough food for both animals and people, how to dispose of all the waste, etc. All those things that one just sort of takes for granted when retelling the story of Noah but doesn't typically think about in too much detail. I enjoyed the humor for the most part, although I felt some of it was somewhat vulgar and unnecessary to the story. I didn't care for Noah's characterization. In my head I've always thought of him as an old but wise and faithful man, but in this he was characterized as a grumpy, pigheaded and somewhat chauvinistic character, and that kind of ruined my image of him. There were parts of this story that I thought needed elaboration, but on the flip side, there were parts that I thought were unnecessary. Overall, I liked the concept, but think it could've maybe been executed better. Not a bad book, but not necessarily a great one either.
September 15, 2020
This book isn't a masterpiece but I really enjoyed it and think it's worth reading. I hated it after the first chapter because of the unconventional dialogue style, the present tense and and the fact that there were two descriptions of somebody weeing in the first 6 pages seemed slightly unnecessary, but if you push on it gets a lot better. As others have mentioned, each main character gets some chapters written from their POV, which I liked. The characterisation in general was very good. My favourite characters were Sem, Cham and Mirn. I was a bit disappointed with the development of Sem's character because I thought Maine was setting him up for an arc of coming out of his father's shadow and gaining more respect and distinction for himself, and although there were allusions to this later on he never really went full on with it. Also, Sem and Cham (who are brothers) were depicted as very close in their first interactions together but their relationship deteriorated throughout the book and by the end they don't even seem to like each other anymore, which was really sad. The book ends with Sem, Cham and Japheth leaving for different parts of the world with their wives. I felt that after all they had been through together in the ark, their separation in the finale seemed very unceremonious, with Sem and Cham only shaking hands, and this upset me. Although it is a testament to the strength of Maine's characterisation that I was so affected by the ending, even if in a negative way.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 19, 2022
Interesting fictional exploration of the story of Noah and the Ark. The account in Genesis is just the bare outline, so there is plenty of room for creative conjecture. The audiobook is well done with multiple voice actors. The overall treatment was light-hearted with some modern humor and sarcasm inserted, but the author often commented on the deeper theological and moral issues, for instance the question of "How could a good God do this?" and we see Noe (as he is called) and others wrestling with how they should feel about those who were drowned. He also gives feminine by having Noe's wife and the wives of Noe's sons narrate alongside the male characters. So this is certainly not a heavy-handed moralistic treatment of the story, but it is sympathetic to people of faith and to people struggling with faith. We see how difficult it is to live with someone who has visions and is called by God for a specific purpose.
The author suggests that civilization was quite advanced in some ways, with sailing vessels, iron tools, copper nails, and even one character who speculates that the earth orbits the Sun rather than vice versa.
I was sometimes distracted by the varying styles of dialect and some things that seemed anachronistic. For instance, one son calls Noe "Da", another calls him "Abba". Perhaps I'll find his rational for that somewhere.
All in all, a good listen while driving (about 6 hours long) and a thought-provoking one.
The author suggests that civilization was quite advanced in some ways, with sailing vessels, iron tools, copper nails, and even one character who speculates that the earth orbits the Sun rather than vice versa.
I was sometimes distracted by the varying styles of dialect and some things that seemed anachronistic. For instance, one son calls Noe "Da", another calls him "Abba". Perhaps I'll find his rational for that somewhere.
All in all, a good listen while driving (about 6 hours long) and a thought-provoking one.
March 25, 2017
Enjoyable audiobook with several notable audiobook narrators voicing each of the characters very well. Each chapter is from a character's point of view. The book has the ability of addressing many of the logical flaws and inconsistencies of the Flood story in interesting ways (how the animals are gathered, why do the carnivores not eat the smaller animals, how does the world flood so fast, what about the poop?, how does one family repopulate the world afterwards, etc.). Each of the characters are unique and realistically written - consistently going back and forth between blind faith and hardship-created doubts. ... The only drawback, which is of personal taste, was the dialogue of Noe's children. Although there were clever sayings that alluded to the era, such as exclaiming "Adam's Rib!" (as substitution for "Holy Shit!" or "Jesus Christ!"), it felt very contemporary. And it stood out when going back and forth amongst the characters. That may have helped contribute to the humor, but it didn't impact me that way. But all-together, it was a nice, fun read. Interesting characters and interactions, along with insight popping out in occasion. I definitely recommend the audiobook. The chapters are short, perfect for a long car trip or 15-20 minute commutes.
December 24, 2024
The U.S. (in Britain, it's called "The Flood") paperback features a blurb comparing this to the then-once popular "Life of Pi" which to me means nothing but "isn't there a tiger in that and some kid from India or thereabouts in a boat"; despite this dispiriting pop-culture tie-in, I persisted, having finished and reviewed Maine's other biblical prequel, "Fallen," Cain-Abel backward to Adam-Eve.
I liked that, but I admit the Noah and the ark and the kids and their mates and that menagerie while very familiar in Genesis, here in this retelling, as with "Fallen," in resonance, if not pious reverence than respect from the humanity, frail, broken, beaten down, grasping for meaning amidst the stern deity's rejection of mercy and His insistence that justice be pursued, no matter claims of His love.
Maine takes different perspectives, which helps. He keeps the wry dialogue snappy, the internal musings believable, and the distinct characters of Noah, his unnamed wife, Sem, Japhet, and Ham and their respective spouses all engaging as they grapple in their limited fashion, being as clueless as you and me as to the ultimate meaning of this wet, damp, smelly, moldy, and repulsive quest.
I liked that, but I admit the Noah and the ark and the kids and their mates and that menagerie while very familiar in Genesis, here in this retelling, as with "Fallen," in resonance, if not pious reverence than respect from the humanity, frail, broken, beaten down, grasping for meaning amidst the stern deity's rejection of mercy and His insistence that justice be pursued, no matter claims of His love.
Maine takes different perspectives, which helps. He keeps the wry dialogue snappy, the internal musings believable, and the distinct characters of Noah, his unnamed wife, Sem, Japhet, and Ham and their respective spouses all engaging as they grapple in their limited fashion, being as clueless as you and me as to the ultimate meaning of this wet, damp, smelly, moldy, and repulsive quest.
October 21, 2023
I remember reading this when it first came out (2004) and deciding that it was a keeper. Nearly 20 years later I've just re-read it and decided that yes, it's still a keeper. The US edition is called "The Preservationist".
Noa is not a likeable character but I like the book's gentle humour and the thing I like most of all is how very practical the women are. The three sisters-in-law quietly build stone cairns as they travel in different directions with their families to help them all retrace their footsteps and find each other again in the future. And right at the end of the book, Mrs Noe (we still don't know her name) starts teaching her husband how to cook and lay in provisions for himself, including weaving cloth, because it becomes clear that even though he's 600 or so, she will die before him, and he'll be by himself until any grandchildren turn up looking for a potential spouse.
The names of the sons & daughters-in-law in this book are: Seth who married Bora, Cham who married Ilya, and Japheth who married Mirn.
I'd love to read a sequel.
Noa is not a likeable character but I like the book's gentle humour and the thing I like most of all is how very practical the women are. The three sisters-in-law quietly build stone cairns as they travel in different directions with their families to help them all retrace their footsteps and find each other again in the future. And right at the end of the book, Mrs Noe (we still don't know her name) starts teaching her husband how to cook and lay in provisions for himself, including weaving cloth, because it becomes clear that even though he's 600 or so, she will die before him, and he'll be by himself until any grandchildren turn up looking for a potential spouse.
The names of the sons & daughters-in-law in this book are: Seth who married Bora, Cham who married Ilya, and Japheth who married Mirn.
I'd love to read a sequel.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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