I DNF’d at 30%. I wanted to love this and tried, I really did. The premise of Lilith being scorned by Adam and God and her journey to find the Mother of all is lovely. I struggled with how much lore and mythology was thrown in and never really felt like I was finding myself rooted in the story as Lilith journeys through the ages of history. Along the way, she interacts with biblical characters and other gods, and it was just hard for me to follow.

“Gods are made by belief and unmade by disbelief.”
I don’t think Nikki Marmery could have timed her release of Lilith any better. Following the whirlwind summer full of Feminist icons: Taylor Swift, Beyonce, and the Barbie Movie–I believe readers all over the women can add Nikki Marmery and her main character, Lilith, to that list as well.

Marmery’s latest novel is written from the titled character’s voice. Lilith was one of two beings created by two married gods. The other being was Adam. Lilith’s story and journey begins when Adam numerous attempts at forcing her to submit begin to go too far. When once they were equals, to Adam females would be servants to man.

“This is why she is angry! The Holy Mother cannot tolerate such profanities. Her daughters to be traded like sacks of salt for the power of their wombs.”
After leaving Adam and Paradise, Lilith attempts to come to terms with the reasoning behind her existence. Why did Asherah create her? Where did Asherah go? And how can Lilith keep Asherah’s wishes for women alive? Asherah, in the simplest terms, is the female equivalent of the male God—his equal and wife. Her disappearance sends Lilith’s journey to the forefront of the novel.

Spanning millennia, Lilith is a tale of women’s enduring feminism despite so much that men bring against them. Following most of the high points as told in the Bible, Lilith is a novel that would have made me question my religious upbringing if I hadn’t given up religion years ago. While I realize leaving organized religion is not the point of Lilith, the strong voice and feminist tones are prevalent and well-stated throughout the entirety of Lilith. Even with the difficult themes and hard scenes with so much sorrow and sadness, Lilith remains true to her original cause. Each theme of violence was handled in a way that didn’t trigger me, but perhaps consider that violent acts like those depicted in the Bible occur within Lilith as their tales are interwoven.

“Men’s early power flowed from their sole male god who endured, still. Nothing would change until this god, too, was defeated. Until we became our own gods, as Asherah intended.”
I couldn’t put Lilith down. Nikki Marmery’s prose is engrossing and evocative. I admired Lilith’s strength in the face of so much sorrow and opposition. Her faith in women, and Asherah may wane, but it never breaks. After so much time, and so much atrocity, Lilith continues to see the good in women and her enduring belief to pass on the eternal knowledge of Wisdom throughout so many countless generations of women that stem from the very first woman she attempted to save: Eve. I am so wholly impressed by Nikki Marmery and the tale of Liliththat she has shared with us all. Lilith’s ire and fury are my own. The disbelief that Lilith had for men to subjugate women so easily for their own benefit and in the name of religion is mine as well.

From Paradise to the Great Flood, The Gates of Hell and the Fall of Babylon, Lilith is a triumphant novel. This is a must read for women who need to know that there is someone on their side. Lilith is a tale of enduring sisterhood, and one that that feels like a warm embrace from all womankind to every woman.

DNF at 24% I really wanted to like this, as the concept was interesting and could've been a great story. Unfortunately, the execution fell very flat and was frankly boring.

A stunning novel that focuses on one of mythology and history's most complicated characters. This book was gripping and powerful from start to finish, and I completely lost myself in the chapters.

I really was excited for this one, since the story of Lilith was always one of my favorites and one I don’t find many books about it, but this one did not do it for me. The dialogues are way too modern at times and then they go back to being old tongue like and then again with modern slang and i got the vibe completely messed up.

I stopped reading it around 50% of it because i just wasn’t entertained and i didn’t felt the need to know more. When it starts feeling like a chore to finish a book it’s just not fun anymore.

It had its good moments at the beginning but the writing style just wasn’t for me unfortunately. I might give it a second chance later but for now i’m gonna pass.

Thank you Netgalley for the arc in exchange of an honest review.

I wasn't sure about this book when I first started reading. I am not much for books with any kind of religious element but it really was a decent read. I was a bit disappointed with the end of the book, it was like it fizzled out but I enjoyed the book for the most part.

It's about the story of Lilith and Adam and how he felt she was his servant and she thought they were a partnership. After he violates her she flees. She is then replaced by Eve and Lilith sets out to rescue women from their subserviant lives.

I get what the book was trying to do but I think it might have just slightly missed the mark.

The author has a talent and I will definitely look for more from the author.

3.5 stars

DNF at 85%. I really tried to push through and finish this book, especially as I had a review copy, but I just lost interest towards the end. I think the strength of this novel is the historical research- you clearly see that the author has a thorough understanding of the source material, the geography and timeline of the events, and details regarding food and cultural customs. But it also contributed to very uneven and repetitive pacing in the story. The writing style was also inconsistent- sometimes feeling like the language used in parables and fables, and sometimes having very modern phrases of dialogue. Lilith is supposed to be this independent, driven, vengeful woman, but after the initial expulsion from Eden, it felt more like her motivation came from outside characters than from within herself. And for a book that claims to explore the "outrageous lie, that women are inferior", I don't think it was successful in giving Lilith and other women the strength and agency I was hoping for.
**Very Slight Spoilers Below**
Two examples of this are First, with the fallen angel that Lilith falls in love with, we are told that his treatment of her is so adoring and respectful compared to Adam, but I found a lot of his dialogue to still be condescending and mansplain-y.
And Second, with the Mary Magdalene storyline, I finally gave up on the book when her character arc became a prophet who would be betrayed by a close companion, and I just was too frustrated that a "feminist retelling" would have a woman's plotline just be an echo of a famous man's story. Maybe this is my lack of knowledge regarding the Hebrew myth of Lilith, or other texts outside of the Bible, and this story is actually faithful to those stories. But if so, that only reinforces my feeling that this retelling doesn't succeed in piquing my interest in the source story, and also fails to create a new interpretation or spin that feels empowering to its intended audience.

I was pretty disappointed in this book. I am a lover of mythology of all kinds and was excited to read one about a Jewish mythological female, Lilith. I have no prior experience with Lilith, but she is not portrayed in this book as being a strong feminist example. She actually appears rather weak and often makes some terrible choices; not really a great character to root for. In modern feminist retelling of myths the figure is often misunderstood and you get a deep view into their inner psyche. I never really got that connection with Lilith. She was more just a figure that went through different time periods vs being a figure with profound self awareness and growth.

While I greatly support feminist storylines and powerful female characters, I do not agree with the approach that all men are terrible. That is the approach this book took from the very beginning and kind of immediately turned me off. Women can be great without men being horrible. I just wanted more from this character and storyline so it fell pretty flat and dragged on for me.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for granting me a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you, NetGalley and Alcove Press, for providing me with a complimentary digital copy of this book for review.

Discover a captivating and unconventional feminist perspective on the story of Lilith and other biblical figures in this thought-provoking narrative. Lilith symbolizes the essence of strong women, fearlessly shedding light on the gender disparities ingrained in society. This compelling tale is bound to evoke diverse reactions as it courageously challenges established beliefs and encourages introspection.

I loved this retelling of the story of Lilith, “the witch he [Adam] loved before the gift of Eve.” Thrown out of Eden for acquiring wisdom from the forbidden fruit, she sets on a quest to rescue and spread the word of Asherah. Asherah is the “giver of life and queen of heaven.” Beautifully descriptive and strongly empowering of women, you’ll want to read this one! “For women everywhere. Be your own gods. Your Mother commands it.” ✨ Thank you to @netgalley the publisher @alcovepress and the author @marmerynikki for the advanced reader copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

"Lilith: A Complex Exploration of Biblical Retelling"

This book leaves me in a curious position, as I believe it might become a love-it-or-hate-it read for many. Personally, I find myself somewhere in the middle. The idea of letting feminism reinterpret the Bible's stories from a fresh perspective is undeniably intriguing. The journey through time and the effort put into bringing to life the often one-dimensional characters from the religious text are praiseworthy. However, Lilith, the central character, fell somewhat flat for me.

It seemed as though the author hesitated to fully explore the depths of Lilith's character, perhaps fearing to take her too far. Consequently, she didn't come across as fulfilling as she could have been. Nonetheless, I would recommend this book for the unique angle it takes on the biblical narrative, which elevates it above mediocrity.

Lilith is a challenging book to review because its premise is undeniably intriguing. After her expulsion from Eden, Lilith seeks justice, aiming to save Eve, restore Asherah, and bring balance back into the world. However, my experience with the character of Lilith left much to be desired. I struggled to connect with her, empathize with her motives, or find her actions compelling. For a significant portion of the book, I felt she did very little, and that left me underwhelmed. Additionally, the pacing was uneven, the tone inconsistent, and a persistent misandric theme overshadowed the narrative. As a fervent lover of mythic retellings and biblical fiction, it's surprising to admit that I might not have been the right reader for this book.

In essence, Lilith offers a complex exploration of biblical retelling, but its execution left me wanting more depth and connection to the characters.

If you’re a fan of Circe, I think you’ll also like this one. Years and years ago, I read The Red Tent, and I’ve been searching for a book that made me feel like that again.

Like with Circe, I felt that this book was written at a distance from the main character. I didn’t quite feel like I was there with her, feeling her emotions along with her, which is important for me when reading a book.

I really wanted to like this, and am generally interested in feminist retellings. However, the writing did not work for me.

This story was inspired by ‘ancient myths and suppressed scriptures.’ It is a beautifully written story of how women came to be suppressed, controlled by men. Lilith, not Eve, is the first woman, although Lilith is banished when she makes it clear that she believes that she is equal to, and not less-than Adam. Adam, of course, disagrees and dismisses any ideas she has because, well, she is a woman, and thus less than him. She couldn’t possibly be capable of ’knowing’ anything of value to him, of having a worthy idea.

This includes several biblical characters Noah, Na'amah - Noah’s wife, Jezebel, Mary Magdalene, and Norea, and more, it also covers ‘events’ that most will recognize, including the building of the Ark, and the story that follows. But this is less a story of the origin of man, or of religion, than it is a telling of the beginning of the subjugation of women.

*Special thanks to NetGalley and Alcove Press for this e-arc.

I think this book was too ambitious for me. While it was interesting to learn the mythology of Lilith (I had known NOTHING prior to this), and the writing was beautiful, this book was a SLOG for me. Really great themes of feminism, women's power, true gender equity, but mediocre execution. I did find the alternate portrayal of Jesus super interesting. I wanted to like this book, but it was just a mental struggle for me the whole time.

Happy pub day to this spooky, feminist, retelling. A unique exploration of womanhood through this historically villified character.

I will admit from the start that I did not finish this one. I made it a few chapters in and decided it just wasn't for me.

However, I can see this appealing to readers who really like biblical subversion type books. It was really neat to see Lilith as a character wronged by Adam and seeing a female counterpart to God. I would be interested to hear from a library patron on how everything plays out, but in the end it was not the right fit for me.

Lilith is a beautiful retelling of the first woman on earth, Lilith. First wife of Adam, who was cast out of Eden for failing to bow to her husband. This book takes you through her life after Adam, her search for companionship that is equal, and for those that will praise the Mother of Heaven.

I thought this book had an excellent tie into history and was a definite retelling. Marmery is a wonderful writer, and was able to weave the tale with beautiful prose. Lilith is an interesting character who is wholly herself. She is not there to live for anyone else but her goddess, and although she loves deeply, her love is understanding and warm while not being paramount to who she was. Marmery took a complicated historical figure and made her just as complicated, but gave her depth and wonder. It was interesting to learn more about a history that I am not as well versed in, the history of other religions and how Christianity developed in the early ages.

I also loved a lot of the characters Marmery decided to highlight in this retelling. Characters we didn't get to often see or spend time with, and the way she wove them into the tale was deftly done. That said, the ending and the time Marmery sent during Jesus' time was often a bit on the nose and I almost wished we hadn't spent as much time there, but also we didn't spend enough for all that she wanted to say. It was rushed and convoluted, and some of my least favorite parts was the preaching when the tale she is telling is so much more interesting.

I admit, the beginning of this novel was a little rocky for me. I knew I was walking into a retelling of the Bible, but I had a few gut reactions that come with growing up in Catholic schools. Further, I will not hide the fact that Marmery is not super into Christianity. She writes in-depth about how she views Christianity at the end of the book, so she isn't hiding it. So this isn't for the overly sensitive about religion. It is a beautiful retelling, it is a work of fiction, but it is not created in a vacuum.

I had moments where I struggled with this book and moments where I loved it. I definitely recommend seeing for yourself.

I don't have much prior knowledge or context for the story of Lilith outside of a very basic understanding of her role. The concept of this is really cool, as I DO know that Lilith has become something of a feminist icon in some circles because of her refusal to submit to Adam. But I think that going in with as little knowledge as I did probably hindered my reading experience at least a little bit. I liked seeing Lilith's journey and seeing her interact with various Biblical figures (and really liked the feminist take on her role, as I do find that to be super satisfying), but I was a little lost and found myself having to look up a lot of the Biblical background because of the assumption that I knew what was going on. Which derailed the flow for me.

Regardless, I'm glad that Lilith is getting a revisit in a mainstream mythological retelling. She has always intrigued me as a concept and it was fun seeing her front and center calling out patriarchal oppression.

I have a feeling this book will be a love it or hate it situation. I am actually somewhere in the middle. Letting the feminist retell the stories of the bible from a different point of view is fascinating. I loved the voyage through time and the thought given to the often flat characters of the wives and daughhters of the religious text. Unfortunately, Lilith also seemed flat to me. It was like the author was afraid of making her go to far. In the end, the character wasn’t as fullfilling as she could have been. Still, I’d recommend the book, so that pushed the story up from the center.

thank you to netgalley for the advanced reading copy. I really enjoyed this and will be getting copies for my shop.