In the Shadow of the Ark

Re Jana's family leaves the marshes for the desert so that her father can help an old man. There she falls in love with the mysterious man's youngest son, but she's not chosen to be Ham's wife. Provoost's landscape is rich with description and drama. Marguerite Gavin's deep, resonant voice provides the right classical tone for an interpretation of a biblical event. Her lyrical pacing may discourage listeners, but it fits the mood of the story. Because of the story's sexual scenes and its demand for listener focus, this is suited for adults and the oldest of teens. J.M.S. (c) AudioFile 2005, Portland, Maine

October 25, 2004
Provoost (Falling
) retells the story of Noah's ark, with Noah here referred to as "the Builder," from Re Jana's outsider perspective. After she, her father and her crippled mother learn from the wandering Rrattika people that a great ship is under construction, Re Jana's father, a skilled carpenter, hires Alem (also a Rrattika) to lead them from the rising waters of their marshland to the building site. Her father goes to work on the ark, and Re Jana falls in love with the Builder's son Ham; he disguises her as a boy and she finds favor not only for her gift of divining water but also for bathing and soothing the men ("We daughters of Kan have a talent for water," she explains to readers). But another woman, Neelata, also vies for Ham's attention—and a place on the ark. Re Jana's point of view allows readers to consider the incredulity and the desperation of ordinary people when faced with this impending alleged cataclysm. However, the author glosses over several major elements in the relationships between characters: the heroine's sexual connection to Alem; her father's change of heart in deciding to work with the Builder; Re Jana's decision to save Neelata. Issues raised in the narrative may well provoke readers' thoughts about the nature of faith, goodness and cruelty, but the characters unfortunately remain sketchily outlined rather than fully formed. Ages 14-up.