This is a story for feminist ex-Christians and fans of Madeline Miller. It's the opposite of the TV show Supernatural in the best way possible - all the best characters are women, it's very well-researched, and Lilith is integrated throughout the story in a way that makes sense. Marmery clearly did a lot of research, so a background in religious studies, biblical history, and bronze age archaeology enhanced my reading pleasure but is not necessary. There were a few things I didn't like: the portrayal of Peter (in the author's note she acknowledges that his villainy isn't really found in historical sources), the occasional tilt towards misandry, and the time jump from the Roman empire to modern day with nothing in between. Overall, though, fascinating.

Interesting concept with lots of potential. I wanted to like Lilith, the first feminist, but found her to be dull and slow-witted. Yahweh was immature and sneaky. It would have been great if Asherah had stormed in and ‘fixed everything’. I liked the authors notes at the end the best, with notes to biblical text and banned books.

Thank you for Netgalley for the e-arc review.

I will not be reading this book upon learning more about the story from a trusted reviewer.
Please look up reviews from Jewish readers to learn more information on where this story falls short and the harm the author does to telling Jewish stories - when they are not in fact jewish.

Lilith is a thought-provoking and ambitious story inspired by ancient tales and repressed texts, with expressive literary language and a magnificently captivating heroine.

This is a retelling of the Hebrew tradition of Lilith, the first woman exiled from the Garden of Eden because she refused to lie beneath Adam. This book discusses how religion was used to persuade women into becoming subordinate to males rather than equals, and how the goddess Asherah was mostly ignored. I love how the feminine story reframes something so uniquely female, like creation, into something that was transferred into a male being constructed in "his" image.

The story follows Lilith from her banishment from the Garden of Eden to the current day, sharing stories of Noah, Jezebel, and Mary Magdalene without ever feeling disconnected.

A goddess' power comes from those who worship her. Without prayers, sacrifices, and incense, which serve as both their air and food, gods cannot exist. They are made by belief and undone by disbelief.

Lilith's journey is to triumph over the Father who had banished and replaced her, who had cursed all women with inferiority. To make things right, to start over for all women. To find a lost harmony; man and woman as equals.

Her inner wisdom grows and changes as she moves across space and time. There is no god who is above nature. There is no male above the female. We are neither above nor distinct from the world that sustains us. We are one.

Such is the curse of Wisdom. We are free to make our choices. We pursue our own will. But we must live with the consequences.

The message is the same: respect women since they give and sustain life. Women discover their own value via exploring, freeing themselves from restrictions, and reclaiming their bodies and power.

We are entitled to the origin narrative that existed before mankind came up with the idea of a single, male god. We are entitled to a holy, strong, and equal woman. We deserve Lilith.

She is an empowered, dignified heroine who will not be subjugated. A strong, moral woman who stands up for the female sex and the environment and vows to exact justice on those who have wronged her.

Powerful and marvelous reading. Highly recommended.

This book haunts me. If you’re currently going through your “finding myself” phase as a woman or trying to understand your place with the patriarchy, it’s one that will haunt you as well.
As someone who grew up in Christianity, it was freeing to look into the mythology of another religion. Through the lens of the first woman, I was delighted to see why Christianity would want to erase Lilith. A woman who is head strong, self-assured, and intelligent. Exactly the woman I was not taught to be. At one with her decisions and her sexuality, I enjoyed her character even when she questioned herself and her actions.
I read this book as an ARC (advanced reading copy) from NetGalley, but this will definitely be one that I go and purchase to put on my shelf.

This book is fascinating. It's an epic historical fantasy on par with "The Mists of Avalon". Nikki Marmery does a tremendous job covering the entire scope of history. Her commitment to doing this well is obvious as one reads the notes at the end. I would actually encourage people to read the notes first as it helps clarify some of the text and also what Marmery is intending to do.
Definitely a fascinating read. It is a bit long so be prepared for that.
One other note is that readers, especially those who grew up within major world religions religious traditions need to be prepared to read this with a very open mind.

This is the female origin story. And it is wonderful. It takes the tales of so many of our biblical women figures (Eve, Jezebel, Mary Magdalene) told by Lilith. This books to reclaim the notion that Eve is responsible for sin, and all the following things through "religious"' texts that made women property and second class citizens. It's powerful and empowering.

I received this ARC from Netgalley (thank you very much!) in exchange for an honest review!

"There was a line [Maryam] returned to again and again, that sang like a chorus throughout:

I am the woman crying out, cast upon the face of the earth.

It moved me to silent tears every time. For it was me [Lilith]. I was that woman.
I had cried out for what I had lost. I was cast aside. I walked the face of the earth for millennia.
This was, as she put it, her life’s work. For me, it was so much more than that. It was everything I had striven for. The overturning of all that had happened in Eden so long ago, when female divinity and Wisdom were banished, so too all balance and harmony, and a new and horrifying creed was born: of male supremacy; hierarchy, domination of women and the earth; judgment and control.

It was the correction and repudiation of Adam’s course, sanctioned by his god. This was the work of countless lifetimes."

"All others were paired male with female, two by two. I completed myself. I didn’t need to produce new life. Instead, I carried an idea."

Absolutely brilliant, this resolved my religious trauma originating from having grown up a woman in a relatively catholic environment.
Reminds me a lot of Circe and Madeline Millers writing in general.

I will recommend this to everyone I ever meet.

This book was incredible. As a child my family dabbled in Sunday church visits but I myself never enjoyed the stories in the Bible. This book sparked so many questions and personal research as I read through the different biblical accounts as told by Lilith.

What an incredible read! Lilith is a feminist retelling of the Hebrew creation story featuring a host of characters you might already be familiar with, such as Adam, Eve, Jezebel, and more. Marmery masterfully wove Lilith’s journey through history, covering millennia in less than 350 pages. The story flowed nicely, and the short sections helped break up the dense writing within each page.

Marmery’s use of wit and subtlety interjected modern-phrasing was one of my favorite things about this entire novel. These comments added just the right amount of humor to provide some relief from the serious nature of the book. Did I mention how exquisite Marmery’s writing is? From the descriptions of food to the detailed sights of Paradise, it was impossible not to fall in love with the book. Nikki Marmery is being likened to Madeline Miller for good reason! Besides, just take a look at that divine cover.

If you’re feeling daunted by a book of this topic, I highly implore you to give it a try. Whether you are familiar with the story of not, this book might just give you a new perspective. Easily one of my new favorites, I gave Lilith 4.75 starss and will be thinking about it for a long time to come. Lilith releases on October 17, 2023, and I highly recommend picking up a copy as soon as it becomes available.

Thank you to NetGally and Alcove Press for this ARC of Lilith by Nikki Marmery!

Whew! This book is a wild ride. Thank you Netgalley for the opportunity to read this digital ARC.

As a Jewish woman I was intrigued with this retelling of the old testament biblical character Lilith. This book turns the myth of a demonic, baby stealing, man-hating first woman into the story of a woman who longs to remind the world of the power and importance of women.

We follow Lilith from her fall in Eden, where she refuses to be subservient to Adam, through the millennia. It kind of reminded me of Forest Gump - she just happened to be there during all the major upheavals in history, from stowing away on Noah's arc, to befriending the misunderstood Jezebel and Mary Magdalene and onward. Lilith falls in love, becomes a mother herself, travels to hell and back, all because she believes that women have an equal place in our world and in worship.

The writing was very contemporary and well-researched, which honestly left me a little unsettled at times. There are a lot of ancient references that I Googled. But once I got past like the first quarter of the book I found the author's rhythm and enjoyed the story more. I'm not sure this book is for everyone but it was definitely interesting.

So, I enjoy the story of Lillth. If you are religious or if you are into lore, this is a good book for you. I am just not religious at all and this book is heavy with Christianity concepts. Not my thing.

"How different would the world have been had this never come to pass? How would female power, female spirituality, female-centred philosophies have shaped the world, had they not been suppressed? What would a religion freed from androcentrism, equally influenced by women, look like?"

Questions that so many of us are still seeking answers to. This was a great book and new perspective on Lilith's role in history. Would recommend. Thanks NetGalley.

This books is exceptional! Lilith is a must read for all you Madeline Miller loving… smash the patriarchy type of readers.

“For Women everywhere. Be your own gods. Your mother commands it.”

Although this book may have started off a bit slower for me by the middle of the book I was completely enraptured. This is a retelling on the Hebrew myth of Lilith, the first woman who was exiled from the garden for refusing to lie beneath Adam. This book’s touches on how religion was used to manipulate women into becoming subservient to men instead of equals and how Asherah was essentially glossed over. I really appreciate the feminine narrative and how that it reframes something that is so uniquely female, like creation, into something that was shifted into man being made in “his” image.
The book follows Lilith from her exile from the garden into present day; sharing stories of Noah, Jezebel, and Mary Magdalene without ever feeling disjointed.

Actual Rating: 3,5 ⭐️

My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book had me intrigued since I found it. I have heard of Lilith's name before. She was Adam's first wife, but I have always heard of her in a witch/demonic way. This was actually a very unique portray of her.

Plot

Lilith is expelled from Paradise for defying Adam's wishes. She has a secret: after tasting the fruit of the Tree of Knowledge, she is aware of Asherah's disappearance, who is God's wife and equal. She has a strategy to save Eve, track down Asherah, put the world back in balance, and reclaim her rightful place in paradise. From the time of Ancient Sumer to the courts of Queen Jezebel and Roman Judea, her pursuit of justice has driven her. Lilith is aware of what needs to be done today to make up for the injustice done to women and the entire human race before the dawn of time.

Like I said before, this book shows us a feminine perspective of this story. In here, Lilith defies Adam because she is herself as his equal, who doesn't want to be submissive to him. When she is expel of Eden for defying his wishes, she goes in search for a way to bring balance and harmony back to the world. I really liked the plot, it was a very unique way of telling this old story.

Characters

Lilith is the most developed character and I really liked her. She is strong, she is brave, is always trying her best to make up for the injustice done to women during the centuries.

However, while Lilith was a very developed character, sometimes the secondary ones were a bit two-dimensional, but I still loved seeing Jezebel and Mary Magdalene.

Writing

In general, I really liked Nikki's writing. I think probably the only thing that upset me was the dialogue. There were times when it felt to modern and that would take me away from the story. Ah, and the pacing. The pacing was a bit off, especially the middle with Noah's ark. It was really slow.

World-Building

I really loved the world-building in here. I come from a Christian family, I was born a Christian. This world-building was really well done. I loved how she portrayed Eden. It was interesting to see that according to Lilith, there was a Holy Mother, but because the man didn't want women to be equal and felt threatened by them, they change the loving message of the mother.

I have to say, it was a very interesting concept.

Final Thoughts

While this book still has some flaws, in general I have to say this is actually good for the fans of Circe by Miller.

This is the best book I have ever had the pleasure of reading. It healed parts of me I didn't know were broken. It spoke to me on levels I don't even know now to describe. No amount of words can accurately tell how much this story means to me. The prose is beautiful and every single sentence lands with a weight that hits me hard. I hung on every word and I will be re reading it many more times. I don't think I have ever marked up a book so much. I feel this book has become a part of me that can’t be separated. I’m literally a new person after reading this and I will hold its meaning with me always. Thank you a million times.

I was super intrigued when saw was a story about Adam’s first wife Lilith. I had heard the name before but always in a witch/ devils bride sort of way. I really enjoyed this retelling of biblical stories and how there was a heavenly mother and how because of men being threatened by women they held them down and how things became how they are.
I will be honest and say I am agnostic, so do I believe this could have happened, probably not. I do though can see how some things could have occurred and how bad men with bad intentions can cause a whole uproar and change the coarse of a loving message.
I really enjoyed the begging, jezebel, Mary Magdalene story and the ending. The section with Noah to me did drag on but it was needed.

Some have compared this to Circe which I do agree with on how you get Lilith POV of event with a bit of modern dialogue thrown in.

Thank you to NetGalley, Nikki Margery and Alcove Press for a eARC of this novel in exchange for my honest review.

I know I am not the target audience for this book, which is why I chose to read this Advanced Read Copy. It's always good to read books that challenge your beliefs. I am pretty confirmed in my Judeo-Christian beliefs and this book takes a whole new look at how patriarchal roles have existed and formed since the literal beginning of creation. While it reads as a work of fiction, the end notes of this book reveal that a lot of research went into this book.

God had a wife, Asherah, whom the Book of Kings suggests was worshiped alongside Yahweh in his temple in Israel. Asherah's connection to Yahweh is found in an 8th-century B.C. inscription on pottery found in the Sinai desert at a site called Kuntillet Ajrud. It is from this union that both Adam and Lilith were created. However, according to the myth, Yahweh wanted to be God alone and so divorced his wife. Lilith mirrored her actions by wanting to be equal to her husband Adam and thus was cast from the Garden of Eden.

Lilith strives throughout the entire book to restore the goddess and bring back the dignity of women under the rule of men. Since Lilith is immortal, this struggle lasts millennia from Eve, Noah, and Jezebel, to Mary Magdalene.

Although this book is well-written and engaging, I really struggled with this content. There are portions of the book at the beginning that almost seem anti-semitic and misandrist. While I know the ultimate point of the book is to demonstrate that women have been and always will be equal to men, there are portions of this book that seem to argue that men are lesser because women are divine through their life-giving abilities. Traditional Jewish and Christian figures such as Adam, Noah, Jesus, and Peter are seen as weak or evil.

Ultimately this book ended up sounding like a radical feminist tirade, but perhaps that is the point of the entire book. Nikki Marmery makes it extremely clear that when women preach or go against the grain they are seen as radicals, whores, or demons. My negative gut reaction could only be emphasizing the point she is making all along.

While my religious beliefs stay the same, this book is great food for thought! I am glad that I took the time to read this and grateful to Nikki Marmery for taking the time to write this.

My rating: A 3

Overall, I will say I did like this book.
However, I do agree with many criticisms on here of it. At times the dialogue was both strangely modern and archaic, I did have trouble getting through some parts and Lilith is seemingly just an observer in her own book.
But it did have me looking back at many Bible stories I heard and never thought twice of again like huh, that is wildly misogynistic. Which I know, many of them but it pulled some stories I just never thought of. This book will have get you into a female unity spirit and for that I like it.
Would I recommend it? Maybe to some but this book is for a selective audience imo.
Thanks to NetGalley and PRH for the ARC!

This was a DNF for me. It had potential, but the story didn't keep me interested. I very rarely don't finish a book.