Lilith

by Christine Emmert

An artist must defend her infant son against the darkest of predators. The enemy of every hearth, Lilith visits homes and devours children. When a graduate student writing a thesis on Lilith meets the demoness in the shape of a barn owl, she sees the perfect research opportunity ... until she learns Lilith is hungry for her child! Will Evelyn be able to protect her son from the owl's tearing beak and dark heart? Will she be able to keep her husband from falling to Lilith's wiles? Will she be able to learn who - and what - Lilith is in time to save her child, her marriage, and her mind? "Full of myth and wind and coming dark and human love and our oldest and most primitive fears, this gripping little jewel of a story will hold you until its surprising end." - Stephanie Cowell, author of Claude & A Novel of Monet "Masterful storytelling, a story that will move you and chill you to the bone." - Thea Gregory, author of The ABACUS Protocol

Genres: Fiction

29 pages, Paperback

First published April 28, 2011

About the author

Christine is a writer, actress and director whose work in theatre has spanned over fifty years. Her work has been published and performed throughout the English speaking world. She maintains an active career in her three areas of interest -- presently rehearsing THE WHALES OF AUGUST while
working on new works. She lives presently in Pennsylvania with her husband, Richard, who often joins her in these creative ventures.

Reviews

[Brandon Roy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Myths and Legends

What is real? Can you research turn into obsession? What happens then? A look at how things may or may not be real and how while knowledge maybe power there is a downside to that as well.

[Raine Thomas · Rating 4 out of 5]

I would give this 4.5 stars if I could. I read Lilith at the suggestion of a Twitter friend, and I'm glad I did. This is a short story with a very strong nod toward the stylings of Edgar Allan Poe, one of my favorite writers. I found the writing strong and the work well-edited...and the cover is compelling, as well!

The story is told in the first-person by the protagonist, Eve. She's a new mother living with her son and husband out in the country and working on her master's thesis. Her thesis is about the legend of Lilith, Adam's first mate. As the story continues, it follows Eve's descent into confusion regarding what elements about Lilith "the baby eater" are imagined, and what she thinks she's experiencing first-hand.

I found this a well-paced read that kept me wondering where the author was taking me until the very end. The one thing that didn't work for me was the style of the dialogue and some of the narrator's tone in light of the seemingly modern-day setting. Is this taking place in today's society? I assumed so at first, since this is a female earning her master's degree and it seems commonplace in the narration. However, there were times where the dialogue and narration were decidedly old-fashioned. One example: "I know you think me mad." And a second: "You tell me you go to our barn and discourse with an owl." People today don't speak like this, so I found it confusing.

Overall, however, Lilith is a wonderful, quick and intriguing read.

[☆∞Love Frances∞☆ · Rating 4 out of 5]

I bought this e book after a friend, Stant Litore, (author too) suggested it on Twitter back in August.
It was a short story that ended way too fast.

I was expecting something that would be interesting but not so memorable.
Lilith was not in beautiful demon form but came as a barn owl in the night looking for her meal- a beautifully chubby baby.
This story of Lilith is beauty and terror combined.

I have always wondered who Lilith was and why she was always the name ppl picked for their female vampires in stories I have read.
This short story explains all I have wanted to known and then some.
It is creative, haunting, and memorable.
Give it a chance if this is not your usual type of story.You will NOT regret it.

[Lis Carey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Evelyn is a graduate student doing her thesis on the mythical figure Lilith, Adam's first wife. At first all is going well, until Evelyn meets Lilith in the form of a barn owl in her barn. She becomes obsessed, first with the fear that Lilith will steal and devour her infant son, and then that her husband will succumb to Lilith's wiles.

Is the danger real? Who and what is Lilith? Is Evelyn, as her husband fears, losing her emotional grip? The tensions and stresses are growing, between the couple and within Evelyn. And then her husband tells her to paint Lilith.

This is a creepy, atmospheric, very effective novella. Recommended.

[Stant · Rating 5 out of 5]

The most haunting story I read in 2011.

[Tiffany Lynn Kramer · Rating 2 out of 5]

I knew going in that Lilith was a short piece but for some reason I expected it to deliver more than it did.

[M. Fenn · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a copy of Lilith from Book Bloggers, in exchange for an honest review.

Evelyn, a graduate student and new mother, is writing her thesis on the mythical creature/demon, Lilith, only to find the same creature calling to her from her barn. Lilith has taken the shape of an owl, and tells Evelyn that she wants to eat the woman’s baby son. Is this true, or is Evelyn just a little crazy?

Emmert does a good job keeping the reader in the dark about this, but in the way that good horror writers do. Ambiguity, not confusion. The story has an old-school horror feel to it–Shirley Jackson mixed with Lovecraft and Poe–that welcomes you in and keeps you entranced for the length of the tale (a mere 21 pages). Except for a few sentences that I stumbled over, I found Emmert’s use of language lush and lovely. Her characters’ style of speaking did take a little getting used to as it felt very old-fashioned, but this choice worked well for the story, helping to create an eerie and timeless atmosphere. Lilith is a fun dark read.

[Jennifer (Bad Bird Reads)]

Do to my review policy, this book will have no rating or review. This does not mean this book was bad or good. If you want my opinion on this book, feel free to message me.

[Charles Sr. · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting dark tale.