See review by 'seldombites'. ( )

I am not a religious person, nor am I Christian, but that did not prevent me from enjoying this novel. Beginning with the final days of Cain and moving back in time to Adam and Eve's banishment from the Garden, this book portrays the dusty old Bible stories in a brand new light. Breathing life into these well-known characters in a way no Bible story ever could, Maine reminds us that few people are truly evil and that we all have the potential to commit terrible acts.

The names in this book are all familiar - Adam, Eve, Cain, Abel, God - but their personalities are far more fleshed out and sympathetic than those portrayed in Genesis, and I was left with many more questions than I began with. Was Adam and Eve's crime truly so great as to deserve permanent banishment? How long should a man be punished for the sins of his youth? And just how just is the Christian God really?

Whether you are Christian or not, this is an extremely well-written and entertaining read that you will be unable to put down and I will be recommending it to everybody I come across. ( )

This was a compelling story about Cain, Abel, Adam, Eve and the rest of the family. I liked how the story went backwards in time starting with Cain's imminent death and ending with Adam and Eve leaving the Garden of Eden. I also liked how David Maine stretched out the story line so that Cain's offering being rejected isn't followed immediately by his murdering Abel. ( )

Quite an interesting book, I realized that I am not as familiar with the Abel and Cain Stories in the Bible as I thought I was. Good read and interesting way to set up the book. The chapters are backwards, which took a little getting used to. ( )

New twist on Adam & Eve's fall from grace. Worth reading. ( )