LISTEN TO ME

Women of the Bible offer new perspectives on their well-known stories in Biddle’s collection, which challenges some of Christianity’s most deeply held beliefs.

Constructed like a play—complete with a cast list (including God, a nonbinary figure often referred to as “The Lord God Almighty” or simply “TLGA”) and set directions (“Scenic design of the reader’s choice. God provides minimal suggestions”)—this feminist recounting of famous tales from Scripture features a different woman’s point of view in each chapter. Using modern language, Biddle reexamines familiar events from new angles. Eve, for example, laments her status as the origin of sin, and Ruth struggles with guilt over the actions of her descendant, King David. The stories touch on many relatable issues while tackling the past, as when Eve laments that her sons, Cain and Abel, were “Two little boys who grew up to become angry men.” God makes an occasional appearance, at one point washing mounds of dishes left by humanity and “scraping away mound after towering mound of rage and cruelty and violence.” Biddle doesn’t hold back in her portrayal of the women’s rightful rage and indignation. She effectively shows how each character feels the consequences of the roles in which she’s been cast, from Mrs. Lot’s questioning of the incest in Sodom and Gomorrah (“The girls are the seducers? They’re the ones who groom the old farts? They’re the ones in control?! Give me a fucking break!”) to Queen Vashti and Lottie debating choices, culpability, and womanhood. These accounts and conversations ultimately make readers consider the flaws of the traditional tales they’ve been told. Biddle’s flippant tone sometimes becomes a bit exhausting, and the work might have benefited from slightly less snark on occasion. However, the book’s unapologetic frankness is delightful.

A sharp-witted takedown of the male-centered biblical narrative and an inspiring, impassioned battle cry for sisterhood.