Review by jcoad -- First Family by Alice Langholt

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jcoad
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Review by jcoad -- First Family by Alice Langholt

Post by jcoad »

[Following is a volunteer review of "First Family" by Alice Langholt.]
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4 out of 4 stars
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This book is not about the first family you are thinking about. There are no politics in this story. First Family by Alice Langholt takes us back to the original first family, Adam and Eve. In an intense 148 pages, this book will keep you entranced as you go from creation to devastation.

The book begins with Adam opening his eyes and taking in the wonders all around him. Mesmerized by everything he encounters, Adam wanders the garden alone. A surprise awaits Adam one morning in the form of Eve lying next to him. Eve has an encounter with a snake that leads to a forbidden bite. Cast out of the garden, they are on their own for the first time.

Adam and Eve learn how to survive. Using their creativity, they establish a thriving homestead. The arrival of their first son is a surprise. Cain is the center of their lives. Abel quickly follows Cain into the world. The family falls into a comfortable routine of daily life. The years pass and the boys grow up. Cain develops a green thumb. The animals love Abel. Like all brothers, they play, they bicker, and they fight. Cain has a temper. Jealous of Abel and angry at Adam, Cain decides to leave. If you know the story, you know what happens next. If you don’t, I’m not going to ruin it for you.

It is difficult to find anything negative to say about this book. There are a couple of times when the story is a little slow. The PDF format is annoying, but that has nothing to do with the story. Once or twice I would have liked more detail.

The story is told through the eyes of each person. The personification of each character is perfect. You have a clear picture of each person in your head that never wavers. The thoughts, actions, and feelings each person displays fit the moments perfectly. I was blown away by the creativity of Eve describing her first pregnancy. I was amazed at how simple, pure dialogue could drive such suspense and tension. There was not a wasted word in this book.

I rate this book 4 out of 4 stars. It was brilliant. In a quiet, simple way, this book delivers a truly heartfelt story. Do not avoid this book if you already know the story. It will heighten the tension as the story unfolds. Do not avoid this book if you are not a fan of religious books. This is a story from the Bible, but you are not hit over the head with religion in this book. I recommend this book to all ages and genders.

******
First Family
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Post by Italiansweety1982 »

I recently read this book. I was curious to see how the author would navigate the tricky territory of telling this story and I was pleasantly surprised on their own unique take.
jcoad
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Post by jcoad »

Italiansweety1982 wrote: 17 Sep 2018, 11:38 I recently read this book. I was curious to see how the author would navigate the tricky territory of telling this story and I was pleasantly surprised on their own unique take.
I appreciate the comment and happy to see you also enjoyed the book.
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Post by BriennaiJ »

Thanks for the review! I never would have thought to pick up this book before you mentioned it, but I am definitely interested now.
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Post by jcoad »

BriennaiJ wrote: 17 Sep 2018, 15:14 Thanks for the review! I never would have thought to pick up this book before you mentioned it, but I am definitely interested now.
A short, fast read that is well worth it. Some of the best characters I have read in a long time. Imagine Eve being literally the FIRST person that was ever pregnant and watching her and Adam trying to figure out what was happening. Sounds so simple but it was just so much fun to read.
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Post by Debjani Ghosh »

jcoad wrote: 16 Sep 2018, 19:21
I rate this book 4 out of 4 stars. It was brilliant. In a quiet, simple way, this book delivers a truly heartfelt story.
In today's cacophony, a "truly heartfelt story" is the need of the time. Looking forward to getting a copy of this book. Thanks for the insightful review!
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Post by jcoad »

Debjani Ghosh wrote: 17 Sep 2018, 22:51
jcoad wrote: 16 Sep 2018, 19:21
I rate this book 4 out of 4 stars. It was brilliant. In a quiet, simple way, this book delivers a truly heartfelt story.
In today's cacophony, a "truly heartfelt story" is the need of the time. Looking forward to getting a copy of this book. Thanks for the insightful review!
You won't be disappointed, thanks for stopping by!
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Post by Oulababe »

This Adam and Eve story sounds like it has a twist to it. Did can really leave?
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Post by Rosemary Khathibe »

It sounds like a great read that took over from where the Bible left off about Adam and Eve. I would like to learn more about Cain's jealousy over his brother. Thanks for the enchanting review.
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Post by Ashiyya Tariq »

The story is very interesting. I consider the plot of this story close to the book " Who Told You that You were Necked ." I feel comfortable with this format. Thanks for this great review.
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Post by inaramid »

This is a story from the Bible, but you are not hit over the head with religion in this book.
This is good to know. The premise does sound interesting, and it seems like the book offers an intriguing perspective that could potentially make the "first family" relatable to readers.
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Post by jcoad »

Oulababe wrote: 18 Sep 2018, 07:02 This Adam and Eve story sounds like it has a twist to it. Did can really leave?
You will have to read the book to find out. A quick simple read that is just a great story.
jcoad
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Post by jcoad »

Rosemary Khathibe wrote: 18 Sep 2018, 08:16 It sounds like a great read that took over from where the Bible left off about Adam and Eve. I would like to learn more about Cain's jealousy over his brother. Thanks for the enchanting review.
This is a great quick read. Just "feeling" the tension building between the brothers as the story proceeds is great. The subtle tension building is what really drives this book and keeps you reading.
jcoad
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Post by jcoad »

Sarah Tariq wrote: 18 Sep 2018, 09:14 The story is very interesting. I consider the plot of this story close to the book " Who Told You that You were Necked ." I feel comfortable with this format. Thanks for this great review.
I think basically same set of characters but the "necked" book I think is more about religion, this is just a straight interpretation of the Adam and Eve story. It is very cool.
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Post by Allyseria »

Thank you for your review. I also loved the book and I thought it was great that it did not preach to its readers :)
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