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Absolutely beautiful! One of the most interesting books I’ve ever read. Naamah’s relationship with faith and god were so complex and so fascinating to read about. Honestly this book drew me in, and I really enjoyed how much this was a book written for women by a woman. Some of the most important relationships in this book are forged between women (those both in and out of Naamah’s family) and Naamah is written as such a complex and centrally important character. The care that went into this book is clear, and while I haven’t read Blake’s poetry (yet!) it is clear that her background as a poet influenced this book in the best of ways.
I will additionally say I was pleasantly surprised all the gay relationships Naamah has throughout the book, and how well they were written. I think I will end this review with my favorite quote from the book (interestingly, it is the last sentence of the book)—one that I think sums it up well; “If she is the bearer of this new world, then let everything be touched by her hand.”
I will additionally say I was pleasantly surprised all the gay relationships Naamah has throughout the book, and how well they were written. I think I will end this review with my favorite quote from the book (interestingly, it is the last sentence of the book)—one that I think sums it up well; “If she is the bearer of this new world, then let everything be touched by her hand.”
Was pleasantly surprised by how great this was, a really wonderful and weird poet’s book
This is a strange book but Naamah was certainly an interesting character to follow. I liked that she wasn’t what one would typically picture of Noah’s wife, if they even thought of her. In this book he’s the background character, and you get to see Naamah struggle with her role and importance while on the ark.
Wooooow this is THE quarantine novel. Cooped up with your family? Restless? Stuck in one place? Overwhelmed and angry by what’s happening in the world? Naamah gets you.
I kept picturing how this would be as a movie. Some of the dream sequences I think would be clay-mation (like when Naamah is a giant made of stone), but not all. When God speaks to Naamah in human form (not as a vulture), he should not be depicted. We should only see the shadow of a figure standing over Naamah and focus on her face looking at Him, her reactions. Some of my casting ideas:
Naamah: Viola Davis OR Tara Fitzgerald (I also pictured Sarai as Tara Fitzgerald sometimes, OR Gugu Mbatha-Raw if we are going for a younger-looking Sarai)
Adata: Brenda Song
Neela: Sarah Gadon
Ham: Manny Jacinto
Japheth: Trevor Noah
Need ideas for Sadie and Shem, Noah, the voice of God, the angel (who would have to be CGI’d to be almost unrecognizable), and Bethel
I think this could be really cinematically incredible but also would be very hard to film. You’d need a kick-ass animal trainer.
Also, I was very surprised that the curse of Ham didn’t become a thing in this book. Also, they already had wine on the boat, which takes away OT claim that Noah invented winemaking only after the waters receded.
Anyways, this makes the feeling of the Flood so visceral in a way you never really think of. The horror of the world destroyed. How much effort to care for all the animals on the boat. The fear and uncertainty. And I never thought about how the floodwaters weren’t just endless ocean, it would have been a different kind of body of water. Not that deep, not salty... the world was just built so exquisitely.
I kept picturing how this would be as a movie. Some of the dream sequences I think would be clay-mation (like when Naamah is a giant made of stone), but not all. When God speaks to Naamah in human form (not as a vulture), he should not be depicted. We should only see the shadow of a figure standing over Naamah and focus on her face looking at Him, her reactions. Some of my casting ideas:
Naamah: Viola Davis OR Tara Fitzgerald (I also pictured Sarai as Tara Fitzgerald sometimes, OR Gugu Mbatha-Raw if we are going for a younger-looking Sarai)
Adata: Brenda Song
Neela: Sarah Gadon
Ham: Manny Jacinto
Japheth: Trevor Noah
Need ideas for Sadie and Shem, Noah, the voice of God, the angel (who would have to be CGI’d to be almost unrecognizable), and Bethel
I think this could be really cinematically incredible but also would be very hard to film. You’d need a kick-ass animal trainer.
Also, I was very surprised that the curse of Ham didn’t become a thing in this book. Also, they already had wine on the boat, which takes away OT claim that Noah invented winemaking only after the waters receded.
Anyways, this makes the feeling of the Flood so visceral in a way you never really think of. The horror of the world destroyed. How much effort to care for all the animals on the boat. The fear and uncertainty. And I never thought about how the floodwaters weren’t just endless ocean, it would have been a different kind of body of water. Not that deep, not salty... the world was just built so exquisitely.
I love retellings and this book is such an interesting version. Naamah is Noah's wife. Yes Noah, from the Bible. But she has one giant secret aboard the ark- she's hella gay. And I was here for it. Overall I thought this story was interesting and liked learning more about Naamah and her family. However the writing style drove me bananas. A lot of this book is told via dreams and flashbacks. So because of that I felt like the plot of the book was lost on me. I still recommend it however! Not the worst, not my favorite
This was a really unique and interesting take on the Biblical story of Noah and the flood. It takes place from the point of view of Noah's wife, unnamed in the Bible but here known as Naamah. When the book begins, they are already many months into life on the ark.
The author plays fast and loose with the linear structure, going back and forth and using dreams to weave around the narrative. We find out that Naamah is conflicted about the toll that the flood has taken, and all of the lives lost in the process. She is angry with God, but still cowed by his wrath. She loves her husband, but at the same time is exasperated with his unwavering faith. She also has many secrets: she left behind a female lover in the flood, and she has found a secret city under the water that she visits frequently while the flood waters are still high.
This book is not religious, per se, despite the story that it is about. God is present but as an unknowable character, mostly present in dreams. Naamah undertakes a lot of unrecognized labor in terms of caring for the animals, having to do the hard things, like feeding baby animals born on the arc to the predators, or euthanize sick animals that could spread disease to the healthy.
I'm not entirely sure what to make of this book, really. It's haunting and beautiful, but at times esoteric and unreachable. I wasn't bored reading it, but I can't definitely see it not being for everyone. There were a lot of truths in it that I struggle with in regards to my faith, and I think others may find a lot in here to relate to, even if the story itself sometimes seems farfetched and dreamlike.
The author plays fast and loose with the linear structure, going back and forth and using dreams to weave around the narrative. We find out that Naamah is conflicted about the toll that the flood has taken, and all of the lives lost in the process. She is angry with God, but still cowed by his wrath. She loves her husband, but at the same time is exasperated with his unwavering faith. She also has many secrets: she left behind a female lover in the flood, and she has found a secret city under the water that she visits frequently while the flood waters are still high.
This book is not religious, per se, despite the story that it is about. God is present but as an unknowable character, mostly present in dreams. Naamah undertakes a lot of unrecognized labor in terms of caring for the animals, having to do the hard things, like feeding baby animals born on the arc to the predators, or euthanize sick animals that could spread disease to the healthy.
I'm not entirely sure what to make of this book, really. It's haunting and beautiful, but at times esoteric and unreachable. I wasn't bored reading it, but I can't definitely see it not being for everyone. There were a lot of truths in it that I struggle with in regards to my faith, and I think others may find a lot in here to relate to, even if the story itself sometimes seems farfetched and dreamlike.
dark
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I didn't like this book for different reasons than a lot of the critics on here seem to. I'm not an evangelical Christian who thinks the Bible is literal. Instead, I found the story lackluster and unfulfilling. The author is creative and the writing was beautiful and dream-like. However, the story didn't feel impactful enough and the message felt garbled. There is so much you can do with this story and this didn't feel like a real story, more of a stream of slightly connected musings. It's certainly more interesting than anything an evangelical Christian would write, but it still wasn't satisfying for me. And there was some nasty body horror stuff in here I wasn't expecting, so much so that I had to put the book down to gag at a few points.
Graphic: Body horror, Gore, Sexual violence
I managed to finish this book, but it was a bit of a struggle to get through at times.
Naamah is a fascinating re-making of the biblical myth Noah’s Ark through the lens of his queer wife Naamah. There’s a hallucinatory quality to this beguiling narrative; Naamah cares for the animals, mourns her lost lover Bethel, and regularly visits with an angel and a group of dead children. Blake successfully casts Naamah’s story as one of female agency.
dark
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Graphic: Animal death
Moderate: Blood, Excrement
Minor: Child death, Panic attacks/disorders, Vomit