Ashes Like Bread

Hoefling (Gold in Havilah) paints a vivid, bold picture of a clairvoyant woman’s life in this enjoyable take on the Old Testament Genesis story. Zyla lives in a small community on the top of a holy mountain outside the Garden of Eden. The patriarchal community is led by Adam, Eve, and their son, Seth, and once Zyla develops a talent for seeing into the future—something unheard of for a female—she is ostracized. After her mother dies giving birth to a daughter and Zyla is shunned for a vision of a coming flood, she leaves the community with her newborn sister. Zyla and her sister, Adah, eventually settle among the Cainites, and, years later, Adah becomes betrothed to a powerful Cainite. As the flood looms and preparations are made, the sisters must decide who to trust when Adah’s husband lays claim to Zyla as his second wife. Rich in biblical detail and filled with Hoefling’s exposition on scriptural topics, this intense story captures the personal nature of persecution that suffuses the tales of the Old Testament. While the plot is overly complicated, Hoefling’s faithful, determined characters will hold particular appeal for fans of Mesu Andrews. (BookLife)