I have just finished reading Eve, written by WM. Paul Young, the author of the best selling novel The Shack. I promised I would write a review of this book earlier in my The Oath review, and here it is!
Before starting I must say that I was a big fan of The Shack, and it was a story that deeply touched me, and not only me, but millions of other readers. And due to the big success with The Shack lots of people bought the next book, Cross Roads. So did I, but the book did not at all have the effect on my surroundings as The Shack had. I remember speaking to a friend of mine in a hotel who said she could not really get the story. Later someone in my family started, but after 20-30 pages stopped reading, because she did not get really caught up in the story. And then it was my turn!
I got started, and found it to be very different from The Shack, but once I got into the story I enjoyed Cross Roads a whole lot as the story unfolded, and in the end I sat with tears in my eyes as I read the book. Another friend of mine who read the book (all the way through) sat with the same experience, and was glad he did not stop reading like many other people did.
So I loved The Shack, I really liked Cross Roads (even though it was tough to like in the start), and that is why I had great expectations as I started with Eve. Now I have finished reading Eve, and this is my review.
My Eve Review
Eve is by many considered to be a real masterpiece, and I do believe it is, but unfortunately I did not get into the atmosphere of the book until I had read about 75% of the actual book. In other words I had to fight myself through the first 75% of the book, and only then did I actually feel as if I was able to enjoy reading the book. Now, I must admit that this might be because I love reading books that are easy to read and digest, and Eve is the complete opposite of easy, especially since English is not my native tongue and I read the book in English.
If you have no clue about the actual story line of the book before reading, you will in fact use quite a lot of reading time before you actually even understand what the book is about. But, let me help you a bit and tell you that Eve is about the creation of the earth, seen from a very special point of view, as if we were actually there. We meet a girl name Lilly who is a so called witness, who gets to see the creation days and the most intense, the fall of mankind as it happened through and with Adam and Eve.
As you read in the bottom of this review you can see some beautiful quotes from the book, and it truly has a beautiful and colorful language, and it is packed with beautiful images portraying the love of God and vivid descriptions of sin, the fall of man and free will. That is why this book can be recommended not only to Christians, but also to non Christians, and I believe they will receive answers to many of their questions.. The only problem is that my favorite parts of the book only show up after reading about 75% of the book, and most readers will have placed the book back in their shelves by then.
Of course, there are those who love the language of the book, all the images used and the poetic way in which it is written, and if that is you, please go ahead and read the book. But, if you are like me who rather enjoy an easy to read book, a book that will make you not want to put it down once you have started reading, then this might not actually be the book for you! If you disagree, please write a comment, I would love to hear your thoughts on the matter as well, both positive and negative.
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Beautiful sayings in “Eve”
“Trust is not a once-in-a-lifetime decision, but a choice made within each moment as the river runs.”
“Lilly, what we do would be simpler if humans weren’t so complicated. Most of you have such a low opinion of yourselves, you don’t begin to realize how powerful your choices and dominion are. Even human choices that are born of shadow-sickness must be treated with respect, because it is human beings who make them. So we watch and attend and then interfere when allowed, which is my favorite part. It’s one of the reasons your prayers are so powerful. It lets us mess with things.”
“She had been waiting her entire life for this. She was knowing and being known beyond understanding, grasping the deepest mystery of why music invades, ignites, and then dwells in the soul, finding a forever habitation. There was nothing she wanted other than to be completely found inside this Eternal Man, to be heard and seen and celebrated.”
“True love requires open hands. Without the power to say no, love never will be real, just illusion.”
“I hate him!” she formed the words, “I hate him!” “You hate what he has become,” said Adonai. “He is not what he has become. The very Good will always be deeper than the turning.”
“Lilly, hiding behind secrets is like walking across a frozen lake as it melts beneath your feet. Each step is filled with fear.”
“I’m not talking about who you think you are, but who you truly are.”
