On Reading . . . Havah

Most of you know me as a contemporary writer and reader. Not a fan of history or historical novels. I have made a few rare exceptions to my reading rule, but I’m not sure I’ve ever examined the reason for my succinct preferences. Until now. Until reading Tosca Lee’s Havah, The Story of Eve.

I’ve discovered some things about history from a personal level. My own view. While I remember the joys of yesteryears, of days gone by in my own short history, I tend to recall more frequently the regrets, the horrible mistakes, the terrible errors. Gone but not forgotten. Now covered by the Blood but re-crafted by memories which bring with them no mercy. And in reading Havah, I am taken back to my origin. And it isn’t pretty.

Unlike most of the fans of this novel, I found it very painful to read. It’s a compliment to say this about the book, and it’s no less true, but one of the reasons for it being hurtful to read is that it is just too real. I dare any woman who has experienced marriage to deny the rigors of Havah’s emotional account. The extreme pleasures subdued or eliminated by the extreme disappointments and losses speak so vividly of the contrasts we face when we step from the idyllic to the morose. And any man who has tried—at least for awhile—to tolerate or cohabitate with the emotional messes of his wife or her efforts to dominate or overturn his decisions will undoubtedly side with “the adam” in this . . . story. It’s difficult to even call it a story since it feels more like “an account based on a true story”, which of course it is.

Tosca Lee is what I affectionately (in her case) call a brainiac. She is not just a student of the Word, she is a searcher of the Word. And she is not content to merely read it, she instead delves into translations, culture, nuances, languages. Questioning those whose intellect or faith, or both, she respects, she carves out her stories from the spiritual meat she gathers. And as if that isn’t enough, she writes a superbly stunning and elegant tale in her first novel Demon . . . a memoir which is rich in revelation and insight, and then she follows it up with Havah, The Story of Eve which not only captures the essence of life for the first man and the woman created from him in the Garden, but reveals the staggering and horrific results of their disobedience.

I found my eyes blurring and caught a sob when the second son Hevel (known to us as Abel) is speaking with his mother about life and love, the past and future. His words hold wisdom, and Havah is deeply moved. In the following passage Hevel is describing his perception of “the adam”, his father.

“There is a direction of his eyes, askance, at nothing, when I know that he is thinking back. He thinks often of the place from which you came. Every day my entire life I have seen that look cross his face, for as long as I can remember. And I know he thinks of you, because sometimes when he does it, he smiles. Just a bit.”

In the context of time in the story this is a profound revelation to Havah by her second son. And that sob I initially caught turned into a stream of tears after reading the scene.

You may or may not recall upon reviewing the novel Zora and Nicky by Claudia Mair Burney, I remarked that it was a novel we not only should read but that we needed to read. And it is. Its depth and honesty in facing racism head on—well, we find ourselves neck deep in looking at fundamental issues of being human and flawed.

Havah, The Story of Eve and Demon . . . a memoir by Tosca Lee present two novels that need to be required reading. These high-concept spiritual treatises simply cannot be ignored. They will become classics in Christian literature, yet they are not solely for a Christian audience. They are profound interpretations of Biblical truths, and if you possibly can, I urge you to put them near the top of your TBR pile because you will not leave these “stories” unaffected by them. You need to read them. You really do.

Father, I ask for your continued blessing and anointing to fall upon Tosca. Lord, you have gifted her mightily, and I pray she would continue to use her gifts to glorify you. Encourage her and embrace her with your love and mercy. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.

Comments

[dayle]

I agree, Nicole. They should both be in hardcover. And, they should both be outselling The Shack.

These are the two best novels I've read.

Ultimately, I found Havah to be a hopeful book. The ending is perfect. It goes back to the point of my post the other day. Our hope lies not in this world, but he next.

[Nicole]

I would agree with you about the ending, particularly with "the adam's" final words. I wept.
But for me, it is difficult not to focus on the pain of it all, the fall. And how it could have been any one of us. And, in fact, is all of us.

[Tosca]

Thank you, Nicole (and Dayle!) so much for reading Havah, for telling others about both books, and for being such an encouragement to me. I am grateful for you both.

[Tosca]

And LOL--thank you for calling me a brainiac. :D I'm cherishing that!!

[Nicole]

Tosca, thanks for taking the time to stop by and leave a comment. You know you're welcome. You are a braniac in my world. Like I said, these books are "must reads". Well done. So well done.