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3.39 AVERAGE
3.39 AVERAGE
There were some lovely, dream-like passages in this book, and I liked the character of Naamah and her (generally) honesty with, and acceptance of, herself. The book did feel like a sledgehammer when addressing certain issues, however, when subtlety would have would worked just as well and avoided a jarring atmosphere.
mm, it was fine? i definitely prefer the red tent though
Interesting alternative take on the story of Noah’s Ark through his wife Naama’s perspective.
Poet Sarah Blake's (Mr. West) novel Naamah transforms the story of Noah and the ark, creating a haunting tale of female agency. Naamah, Noah's wife, is the focus of this story about the great flood to destroy humanity, and God is noticeably absent from this retelling. "That's what I like to call the flood sometimes. The great abandonment.... Him abandoning us," one character says. Namaah's faith fights with her skepticism about God's plan. She admits she is "humbled by the flood, but how long can someone reasonably be asked to experience humility?" Visitations from angels and intense, erotic dreams interrupt and enrich her drudgery on the ship.
Since the flood story is one of rebirth, Naamah is perfectly suited as the main character. Here she is a sensual, forceful woman who is an equal partner with her husband in what seems like a quixotic command from an angry God. Her experience as a mother and midwife foreshadows the rebirth that happens when the floodwaters recede and humanity has another chance to rise. But finally on land, saved, Naamah still questions God. "I don't think our faith in Him should determine how we live our lives," she tells her daughter-in-law.
Blake's lyrical prose sweeps over the reader as inexorably as the water around the ark, but her genius is in making Naamah's life as relevant as if she were alive today. The reimagining of this patriarchal tale into a feminist allegory is a stunning achievement, sure to intrigue fans of Circe and Home Fire.
-reviewed for Shelf Awareness 4-12-19
Since the flood story is one of rebirth, Naamah is perfectly suited as the main character. Here she is a sensual, forceful woman who is an equal partner with her husband in what seems like a quixotic command from an angry God. Her experience as a mother and midwife foreshadows the rebirth that happens when the floodwaters recede and humanity has another chance to rise. But finally on land, saved, Naamah still questions God. "I don't think our faith in Him should determine how we live our lives," she tells her daughter-in-law.
Blake's lyrical prose sweeps over the reader as inexorably as the water around the ark, but her genius is in making Naamah's life as relevant as if she were alive today. The reimagining of this patriarchal tale into a feminist allegory is a stunning achievement, sure to intrigue fans of Circe and Home Fire.
-reviewed for Shelf Awareness 4-12-19
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It’s common for me to hear about books I want to read. I add them to my list. I see if the library has them. If not, maybe I’ll pick them up in a bookstore next time I’m there. But very rarely do I hear about a book and then immediately open Amazon and order that book. Very rarely to I set aside the shortlist of books I’d planned to read next so that I can read that one right away. I did those things for Naamah … and I was not disappointed.
This book is glorious. It’s absolutely unlike anything I’ve ever read before. Holy words walloping me in the stomach, Batman. Did the universe need a book about the matriarch of humanity walking around, thinking radical thoughts, knowing exactly who the hell she is, resenting God’s intrusion in her life, and having sex with women, and herself, and her husband? Hell yes, it did. Hell. Yes. It. Did.
(Also: If those things happening within a story from the bible are not for you, then this book is not for you. Which is totally okay! But you’ve been warned.)
The book is also pretty abstract at certain moments. Sometimes I felt kind of like I did the first time I read Waiting for Godot (“wait — what the heck did I just read? that means something, right? I know it does, but … what does it mean?”). But it’s so worth the squinty eyes deep in thought.
Do as I did — stop what you’re doing and read this right now.
“Are you here to judge me?” Naamah asks [the angel].
“No.”
“Do you regret me as He does?”
“He does not regret you.”
“He does not regret Noah. I am just loved by the man He does not regret.”
“Is that not enough?”
“No,” Naamah says, “that is not enough.”
It’s common for me to hear about books I want to read. I add them to my list. I see if the library has them. If not, maybe I’ll pick them up in a bookstore next time I’m there. But very rarely do I hear about a book and then immediately open Amazon and order that book. Very rarely to I set aside the shortlist of books I’d planned to read next so that I can read that one right away. I did those things for Naamah … and I was not disappointed.
This book is glorious. It’s absolutely unlike anything I’ve ever read before. Holy words walloping me in the stomach, Batman. Did the universe need a book about the matriarch of humanity walking around, thinking radical thoughts, knowing exactly who the hell she is, resenting God’s intrusion in her life, and having sex with women, and herself, and her husband? Hell yes, it did. Hell. Yes. It. Did.
(Also: If those things happening within a story from the bible are not for you, then this book is not for you. Which is totally okay! But you’ve been warned.)
The book is also pretty abstract at certain moments. Sometimes I felt kind of like I did the first time I read Waiting for Godot (“wait — what the heck did I just read? that means something, right? I know it does, but … what does it mean?”). But it’s so worth the squinty eyes deep in thought.
Do as I did — stop what you’re doing and read this right now.
“If there’s anything I wish for you, it’s that you have a family and all the joy you can possibly have in life. To not overthink it. Because no matter what our lives could have been every version would have been filled with shit we’d had to deal with”. - Sarah Blake, Naamah. .
In Naamah, Sarah Blake creates a lyrical and magical (more than it already was) retelling of one of the most beloved Bible stories. But Naamah is, above all perhaps, a feminist retelling so it centers around Noah’s wife of that same name (according to some traditions). Noah is the messenger and it is his mission to repopulate the world after the terrible flood, but he was a member of a patriarchal society and there was a lot of work to be done in that year they were to spend on the ark. So, it was to be expected that Naamah, his wife, would have a big role to play and honestly, do most of the heavy work once the ark sailed. God didn’t chose to talk to her, to comfort her, to clear any doubts, so how did she feel with this grave mission that was not hers and yet it would only succeed if she did her part? What does it feel like to be trapped in an ark with smelly animals and your close family members for one year? Imagine a thanksgiving dinner in a barn that lasts a year?! What about your love ones that you had to leave behind knowing they would drown ‘cause God didn’t consider them worthy ? What would happen to all those dead bodies, of animals and humans alike? Isn’t it depressing when it doesn’t stop raining for 40 days and you can’t really even chill at the deck? How do you care for the animals being mindful of the food chain when you only have a few of each kind and they need to survive? Honestly, before reading Naamah I never thought about these things. But the book is not only about that and the boiling frustration, depression and disgust that Naamah feels confronting her reality at the ark. It is also about what makes a woman, how it feels (physically) to be a woman and motherhood. It passes the Bechdel test (of course) and it even realizes my dream of a reversed test, where 2 male characters talking to each other only discuss women.
In Naamah, Sarah Blake creates a lyrical and magical (more than it already was) retelling of one of the most beloved Bible stories. But Naamah is, above all perhaps, a feminist retelling so it centers around Noah’s wife of that same name (according to some traditions). Noah is the messenger and it is his mission to repopulate the world after the terrible flood, but he was a member of a patriarchal society and there was a lot of work to be done in that year they were to spend on the ark. So, it was to be expected that Naamah, his wife, would have a big role to play and honestly, do most of the heavy work once the ark sailed. God didn’t chose to talk to her, to comfort her, to clear any doubts, so how did she feel with this grave mission that was not hers and yet it would only succeed if she did her part? What does it feel like to be trapped in an ark with smelly animals and your close family members for one year? Imagine a thanksgiving dinner in a barn that lasts a year?! What about your love ones that you had to leave behind knowing they would drown ‘cause God didn’t consider them worthy ? What would happen to all those dead bodies, of animals and humans alike? Isn’t it depressing when it doesn’t stop raining for 40 days and you can’t really even chill at the deck? How do you care for the animals being mindful of the food chain when you only have a few of each kind and they need to survive? Honestly, before reading Naamah I never thought about these things. But the book is not only about that and the boiling frustration, depression and disgust that Naamah feels confronting her reality at the ark. It is also about what makes a woman, how it feels (physically) to be a woman and motherhood. It passes the Bechdel test (of course) and it even realizes my dream of a reversed test, where 2 male characters talking to each other only discuss women.
reflective
Frankly, one of the WEIRDEST books I’ve ever read but I loved it I think? Everything about it was so strange, so wonderfully spiritual while also being decidedly un-Christian (this is a compliment). I’m here for Naamah, that beautiful bisexual queen, her relationships with all the women in her life pre- and during-Ark, her relationship with Noah and with God. I don’t know if I’d recommend it to everyone, but there’s a certain subset of queer former Catholics that might dig it as much as I did. Also; my favorite interaction:
Naamah: I think I kissed God
Noah: How was it?
Naamah: I couldn’t feel it. I was dreaming.
Noah: Not very good then.
Naamah: I think I kissed God
Noah: How was it?
Naamah: I couldn’t feel it. I was dreaming.
Noah: Not very good then.
challenging
reflective
medium-paced
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes