Pamela Norris’ scholarly and exhaustive examination of the Biblical legend of Eve splinters off in so many directions that a comprehensive review would result in something almost as long as the 400-page original. Suffice to say that it looks at the ways in which the story of mankind’s loss of Eden lays the blame squarely on Eve, and was used for centuries as the driving force for institutionalized misogyny.

The most interesting portion, to me, was the “biographical” end section, which examines the writing and thinking of female authors on the theme, from the Renaissance to modern times. Ranging from intellectual challenges aimed at the heart of the myth to contemporary and experimental fictional treatments, the character and motivations of the feminine archetype are turned upside down and inside out, concluding with the notion that “Eve’s story … is a reminder of the difficult choices and compromises of adult life, the requirement to balance exploration and individuation with social and family demands. … Perhaps what is most important is Eve’s recognition of the need to challenge boundaries, to make the imaginative leap, however difficult, unpredictable and even dangerous, into a new phase of existence.”

Copiously footnoted and containing an extensive bibliography, this 1998 publication belongs on the shelf of anyone interested in women’s history. ( )

Academic approach throughout