Review by Tracey Madeley -- First Family by Alice Langholt
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Tracey Madeley
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Review by Tracey Madeley -- First Family by Alice Langholt
[Following is a volunteer review of "First Family" by Alice Langholt.]
3 out of 4 stars
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First Family is the retelling of the biblical story of Adam and Eve, Cain and Abel. Each person’s perspective is labeled, for example, GOD or ADAM which helps the reader distinguish. It is interesting to see Adam discovering his body, his nose, his eyes, and ears. The idea of creation becoming self-aware and then aware of the surrounding creatures. Unlike the animals, he has no Other, and he longs for a companion. When God creates Eve, Adam is there to help her adjust, there is this idea of teaching the next generation.
After Adam and Eve are driven out of the garden, it is interesting that God is silent. We see God’s perspective on free will and the idea of man’s reliance on God. After being expelled from the garden Adam and Eve need to find solutions to their own problems; food, shelter, warmth, and clothing. Previously this was provided for them. Their relationship with the land and the animals has now changed. Now they have a responsibility to tend and take care of them.
When it comes to creating for themselves Eve’s menstruation comes as a shock as she does not know how to stem the bleeding. When she realizes she is not dying, it becomes a routine, and she even uses the fleece to soak up the blood. When the children are born we see the differences in personalities. The aggression of Cain and the patience of Abel. Yet Cain equally has a skill and tenderness with the plants, fostering and nurturing their growth. Their attitudes towards God are also different. Adam and Abel give thanks and receive a blessing and Eve and Cain rely more on their abilities and miss out.
The discovery of new emotions is a key feature of this book. What it means to be human, to be a parent, to create life and finally to lose someone you love. At each stage, Adam has his Other, or Eve, to share the experience, to discuss what it means. It was interesting from God’s perspective that he did not want to manipulate them, as he saw this as encroaching on free will. He did not want to be seen to intervene either. Image and transparency being ideas which I would most associate with the 20th Century and not biblical times. Written in the first person, although from different perspectives, it did lack intimacy. It felt like it was written in the first person but told in the third. There was an interior monologue, showing emotions and the impact various events had on the characters and a distinctive reaction depending on the character, but there was a disconnect. This lessened the dramatic impact of the story.
This book will undoubtedly appeal to those who enjoy religious fiction. It is short and easy to read and a well-known story. I think its appeal, is the way it looks at events which we can relate to in everyday life: discovering who we are, coming to terms with our appearance, making provisions for our needs, parenthood, and death. In this sense, I think it would have a broader appeal to readers who read general fiction but don’t object to the religious context.
I would give this 3 out of 4 stars.
I enjoyed the book because it looked at creation from a different perspective, from a purely human angle, coming to terms with life. It did, however, lack the necessary drama in the way it was narrated and although there was internal monologue it did not make a significant impact.
******
First Family
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3 out of 4 stars
Share This Review
First Family is the retelling of the biblical story of Adam and Eve, Cain and Abel. Each person’s perspective is labeled, for example, GOD or ADAM which helps the reader distinguish. It is interesting to see Adam discovering his body, his nose, his eyes, and ears. The idea of creation becoming self-aware and then aware of the surrounding creatures. Unlike the animals, he has no Other, and he longs for a companion. When God creates Eve, Adam is there to help her adjust, there is this idea of teaching the next generation.
After Adam and Eve are driven out of the garden, it is interesting that God is silent. We see God’s perspective on free will and the idea of man’s reliance on God. After being expelled from the garden Adam and Eve need to find solutions to their own problems; food, shelter, warmth, and clothing. Previously this was provided for them. Their relationship with the land and the animals has now changed. Now they have a responsibility to tend and take care of them.
When it comes to creating for themselves Eve’s menstruation comes as a shock as she does not know how to stem the bleeding. When she realizes she is not dying, it becomes a routine, and she even uses the fleece to soak up the blood. When the children are born we see the differences in personalities. The aggression of Cain and the patience of Abel. Yet Cain equally has a skill and tenderness with the plants, fostering and nurturing their growth. Their attitudes towards God are also different. Adam and Abel give thanks and receive a blessing and Eve and Cain rely more on their abilities and miss out.
The discovery of new emotions is a key feature of this book. What it means to be human, to be a parent, to create life and finally to lose someone you love. At each stage, Adam has his Other, or Eve, to share the experience, to discuss what it means. It was interesting from God’s perspective that he did not want to manipulate them, as he saw this as encroaching on free will. He did not want to be seen to intervene either. Image and transparency being ideas which I would most associate with the 20th Century and not biblical times. Written in the first person, although from different perspectives, it did lack intimacy. It felt like it was written in the first person but told in the third. There was an interior monologue, showing emotions and the impact various events had on the characters and a distinctive reaction depending on the character, but there was a disconnect. This lessened the dramatic impact of the story.
This book will undoubtedly appeal to those who enjoy religious fiction. It is short and easy to read and a well-known story. I think its appeal, is the way it looks at events which we can relate to in everyday life: discovering who we are, coming to terms with our appearance, making provisions for our needs, parenthood, and death. In this sense, I think it would have a broader appeal to readers who read general fiction but don’t object to the religious context.
I would give this 3 out of 4 stars.
I enjoyed the book because it looked at creation from a different perspective, from a purely human angle, coming to terms with life. It did, however, lack the necessary drama in the way it was narrated and although there was internal monologue it did not make a significant impact.
******
First Family
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
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