Source: Chicago Public Library
Women in the Bible are depicted as femme fatales or devoted mothers. As someone who grew up in the Catholic faith, I’ve often heard mention of Eve’s sin alongside Mary Magdalene. Though many of these books are rooted in the Catholic faith, you do not have to be a practicing Catholic for you to enjoy these books.
“Infinity in the Palm of Her Hand” by Gioconda Beli. The serpent is the reflection of God, much like how Eve is the reflection of Adam. It is Eve who takes the first bite out of the forbidden fruit. This book is Gioconda’s retelling of Adam and Eve. It shows their growing frustrations with the serpent, who continually deceives them, and their creator, who punishes them. No one makes Eve forget that she took a bite of the forbidden fruit, for it was her choice. After all, what good is eternity lived in ignorance?
“Lilith” by Nikki Marmey. Lilith knows what it is like to have a mother’s love. She, and Adam, were nursed by Asherah’s wife to Yahweh. Events occur in the Garden of Eden, leading to Lilith’s discovery of Yahweh’s betrayal of Asherah. Adam tries to assert his dominance over Lilith, and Lilith flees from her oppressors, marking her as a demon in the eyes of man. Lilith is later joined by the fallen angel Samael, but readers might know him by his other name: Lucifer. A secret history; a goddess fallen from heaven, and two demons trying to create paradise on earth for all women.
“Mary, Called Magdalene” by Margaret George. This story follows the famously misunderstood Mary Magdalene. Her life story follows Jesus, but it did not begin there nor did it end with his resurrection. This novel does talk about the Christian faith, but it goes beyond the myth to tell Mary not just as a follower of Jesus, but a woman who tried to follow her heart. As we see Mary become possessed by demons only to be healed by Jesus Christ, she is ostracized by her family for choosing Jesus. Mary finds herself the only woman among twelve apostles. It is an excruciating sacrifice, but one Mary made in the hopes that one day the daughter she left behind would grow up in a better world than she did.
“The Vatican Princess” by C.W Gortthner. The glamorous and predatory Borgias became Italy’s most ruthless and powerful family, electrifying and terrorizing their 15th-century Renaissance world. Luceriza Borgia suffers for the sins of her family, ripped from her mother at a young age, as all she has left are her male relatives for company. However, they seem to have anything but her best interests at heart.
“A Study in Drowning” by Ava Reid. This Young Adult debut by Ava Reid follows a young woman’s journey named Effy. Effy Sayre has always believed in fairy tales. This belief has only been strengthened as she is haunted by the vision of a fairy king. Effy thought she was going mad until she read a story about the fairy king and the author of that book quickly earned a place in Effy’s heart.
Effy’s life has long been intertwined with the stories that her favorite author wrote, but evidence comes to light that questions the authorship of Effy’s favorite fairy tales. Effy feels like she’s drowning in all these painful emotions because if her favorite author is a fraud then what does that mean for her sense of self? If her hero is no different than the man who abused her then should she just let her identity be shaped by the man who abused her? If you like “Juniper and Throne“ by Ava Reid you will love this novel as it tackles the same themes.