The Ark and the Dove

November 1, 2023
Smith follows Eve's story in Daughter of Eden (2023) with a portrait of Noah's wife, Zara, and their daughters-in-law Adataneses, Sedeq, and Keziah, women who are unnamed in scripture. According to her author's note, Smith found inspiration for their names from the Book of Jubilees, an ancient Jewish religious work, among other sources. Smith vividly imagines the lost antediluvian civilization. Her characters and their actions are convincing as she conveys their emotions, especially Zara's. The plot follows the story in Genesis as Zara and Noah's family meet with many obstacles and tests of their faith after God tells Noah to build the ark. Their community is skeptical and sometimes hostile; they do not want to hear about God's judgement. Then the family is forced to endure the terror and trials of life on the ark after leaving behind the doomed people, and world, they knew. Zara is a strong woman of faith who has a long and eventful life. Smith's fans and all readers looking for biblical fiction will find this a moving and satisfying read.

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