The Book of Eve - by Meg Clothier (Hardcover)

About the Book

Beatrice is the convent's librarian. For years, she has shunned the company of her sisters, finding solace only with her manuscripts. Then, one carnival night, two women, bleeding and stricken, are abandoned outside the convent's walls. Moments from death, one of them presses something into Beatrice's hands: a bewitching book whose pages have a dangerous life of their own. But men of the faith want the book destroyed, and a zealous preacher has tracked it to her door. Her sisters' lives, or her obsession. Beatrice must decide. The book's voice is growing stronger. An ancient power uncoils. Will she dare to listen?

Book Synopsis

The Binding meets The Handmaid's Tale - Discovering a book of dark and ancient power, a convent librarian must defend it with her life. Perfect for fans of dark academia and historical feminist fiction.

'A wonderfully rich and absorbing tale' Observer
'Expertly crafted and beautifully told' Jennifer Saint
'All so good. I read it in two days flat, and wish I had spaced it out more' ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ READER REVIEW

Beatrice is the convent's librarian. For years, she has shunned the company of her sisters, finding solace only with her manuscripts.

Then, one carnival night, two women, bleeding and stricken, are abandoned outside the convent's walls. Moments from death, one of them presses something into Beatrice's hands: a bewitching book whose pages have a dangerous life of their own.

But men of the faith want the book destroyed, and a zealous preacher has tracked it to her door. Her sisters' lives - or her obsession. Beatrice must decide.

The book's voice is growing stronger.

An ancient power uncoils.

Will she dare to listen?

More praise for THE BOOK OF EVE:
'What an extraordinary book' Harriet Tyce
'A ravishing, erudite feminist hijack of Renaissance Florence' Alice Albinia
'A beautifully written, utterly enthralling read' Karen Coles
'Mysterious, bewitching and beautiful' Elizabeth Lee
'Brutal and haunting' Melissa Fu
'Erudite and bewitching' Costanza Casati

And some early reader reviews:
'It is a tribute to female strength, power and resilience' ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐
'A very interesting take on myth, mythology and the power of women when they work together for the greater good' ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐
'The writing was excellent with a compelling storyline and well developed characters and a fantastic setting' ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐
'An emotional journey, I absolutely loved the story and characters' ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐

Review Quotes

A ravishing, erudite feminist hijack of Renaissance Florence and the Bonfire of the Vanities

Enchanting. The Book of Eve draws you into its rich, unsettling world from the first page and refuses to let go until the very end. Vividly drawn characters and a totally transporting setting with timely undertones, like The Handmaid's Tale meets The Devil and the Dark Water.

Expertly crafted and beautifully told, this is an intriguing tale of ancient power and mystery with female strength and solidarity at its core. Haunting, magical and moving.

The Book of Eve completely captured me with its intricately and delicately woven world, filled with strange and entrancing magic. A powerful novel that grips with its compelling mystery and unforgettable heroine.

The Book of Eve is a dark, magical tale of women called upon to find their strength and sisterhood in order to protect an ancient power. Mysterious, bewitching and beautiful.

Can a book be both fast-paced and a slow-burn? I read Meg Clothier's The Book of Eve in a quick burst, enchanted by the plot, the mysterious manuscript, and the unfolding relationships between characters. Weeks later I'm still thinking about the compelling and complex treatments of themes of knowledge, community, agency and kinship. At times brutal and haunting, this is a beautiful book and one whose ideas resound long after the final page is turned.

What an extraordinary book - rich in historical detail and full of esoteric knowledge yet wearing its learning lightly while tapping into a rage that's universal at men's endless attempts to control the doings and thinkings of women. It's an education hidden in a tense, compelling, anger-driven narrative, Beatrice and Diana both knock-out characters. No mean feat!

What a spellbinding tale! I can't remember the last time I was so captivated by a novel that I had to put everything else on hold to read it. Tense and claustrophobic, with a creeping sense of dread that builds throughout the story, The Book of Eve is a beautifully written, utterly enthralling read.

Wonderfully atmospheric, this immersive tale grips the reader to the final page.--Woman & Home

A fascinating read for any fans of historical fiction, magical realism, intrigue and mystery, dealing with themes of female power, patriarchal religion and the power of books.--Somerset Life

This novel is chillingly good.--The Book Trail

A wonderfully rich and absorbing tale--Observer

A truly beautiful book, brimming with unsettling magic and the love of literature. It's erudite and bewitching, with a heroine I will never forget. Like a feminist Name of the Rose.--Costanza Casati, author of CLYTEMNESTRA

About the Author

Meg Clothier studied Classics at Cambridge, sailed from England to Alaska, and worked as a journalist in London and Moscow. She now lives and writes in Somerset. The Book of Eve is her third novel.