The Preservationist by David Maine
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Nothing is Sacred. Or is it? In deconstructing
the tale of Noah and the Ark, David Maine has written an earthy, inventive and humorous novel, exploring how a call from God might manifest itself in the practical world. From the hundreds of years old Noe, to his long suffering wife, referred to as “wife”, to their three boys, Sem, the oldest and a good son, Chem, a grumbling skeptic yet practical and the only one with any shipbuilding experience, and Japbeth, the youngest, a mama’s boy who is weak in spirit, Maine gives new dimension to the story of the flood we all visualize; typically renderings of pairs of animals in straight rows obediently and patiently boarding the ark as if under orders of a master. Noe’s daughters-in-law, Bera (Sem), who was traded by her father for warriors, clever Ilya (Chem), a bit strange with her fair skin and pragmatic skills, and finally the charming and childlike Mirn (Japbeth) who plays with the chickens, and in her innocence, actually sees more than all the others, are sent to gather the animals with only Noe’s assurance that Yahweh will provide. In three 14-chapter parts, "Clouds," "Rain," and "Sun," Maine fleshes out the characters in their own voices and through the interactions with one another. Noe narrates every other chapter while the others speak only once in each section. The "Clouds" and "Sun" sections follow the same narrative sequence, while in "Rain," the middle sequence, the voices are flipped, turned upside down, just like the whole world. But who did decide in what order the animals would go onto the ark? And how did they know? What was it like waiting for the flood waters to ascend and what would it feel like to leave the doubters behind? (Hint: patience is not a virtue shared by all the family on the Ark.) And how often have any of us given in, body and soul, to an idea (even if claimed to be a message from God) that seemed ridiculous. Where was all the wood going to come from? Why does the ark need to be so big? And these practical considerations nothing compared to the incessant badgering and torment from the unbelievers. My God, is he crazy?!? In the words of Ann Patchett: "The Preservationist, Maine’s first novel is an enormous juggling act of families, animals, and faith. Intelligent, energetic, irreverent, and worshipful, the Preservationist kept me engaged through every page. I think Noah would be enormously pleased with David Maine’s first novel, I know I was." Review by Sarah Bagby, age withheld, June 17, 2004 |