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? Giving this one four starts ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️. Read it!

The start was so slow burn that I wasn't sure I'd like it, however Beatrice's character was so multi layered and engaging that I quickly became hooked. This had dystopian vibes although in point of fact, you can't tell where or when its set, In that respect it's more of a modern fable which examines power, the gender divide, dogmatic religious control and the importance of thinking and questioning. It's one of those dark fantasies where the fantasy is very low key and feels as if it could happen. Despite a lot of dark, gritty story told in the most exquisite if sometimes a little choppy prose, this nevertheless ends on a note of true optimism, which is something I really appreciate in these sorts of books. (All too often anything which looks at women resisting the patriarchy is too black and white and ends horribly for those who resist, presumably as a salutary lesson as to what could happen if we don't all trim our lamps.) A bit like Lorraine Wilson, Meg Clothier will drag you through hell then lead you out into the light and you'll be glad you took the trip.

On carnival night two women approach a small convent and before they die they entrust the librarian with a book. The women are chased by a vengeful priest and the book is apparently heresy. However for the abandoned and disfigured daughter of the recently dead Duke, books are her life and this book is powerful. As the book’s powers are revealed, the convent becomes the target of religious zealotry.
I really enjoyed the magical nature of this story and the links to the early days of Christianity and the power of the early Church to control the narrative. It does become confusing in places but is a great read.

Inspired by the Voynich Manuscript, an illustrated manuscript that has baffled scholars for centuries, written in an unknown language and thought to have been created at some point during the 15th or 16th century, Meg Clothier has presented a beautifully thrilling and mysterious novel.

Beatrice is the librarian of a convent, often found to be more devoted to her work there than that of the convent. When two women arrive brutally injured following an attack, their background is mysterious and Beatrice is pulled even further into the mystery when upon her dying breath, one of the women entrusts upon her a book of seemingly great importance.

The book seems to have a will of its own as miraculous happenings are linked to it, making it a dangerous possession as others try to track it down and destroy it. Beatrice must do all that she can to keep this book out of the wrong hands.

I had not been sure what to expect with this novel as I was not familiar with the inspiration behind it, but I truly enjoyed this fascinating and remarkable piece of fiction.

Beatrice is a clear driving force behind the novel. A distinct personality with strong principles, she was not always the easiest to take to but I respected her as a character and found her interesting with her depth and flaws.

Clothier is a talented storyteller and builds tension expertly. At times it felt almost claustrophobic as the intensity and stakes rose for the characters and I found myself desperate to get to the next page.

The themes of female empowerment and familial bond are explored beautifully along with the author's great attention to detail. I particularly enjoyed how language was used as a tool in Beatrice's world, as would be expected for one who was a librarian.

A unique plot with a strong protagonist, this fascinating piece of historical fiction is one that I think should not be missed.

Meg Clothier's The Book of Eve is a quasi-historical novel set in a version of Renaissance Florence, though it's difficult to pin down precisely - the book at the centre of the novel is inspired by the fifteenth-century Voynich manuscript, but the story and setting also reminded me strongly of Sarah Dunant's Sacred Hearts, set in a late sixteenth-century Ferrara convent. Like Bridget Collins's The Binding, this is basically fantasy dressed up as history. This decision serves Clothier well, as she is able to infuse magic into her story almost imperceptibly at first. Our protagonist is Beatrice, the convent librarian, who comes across the titular book and gradually realises both that there is something strange about it and that other people want it very badly. But one of the strengths of Clothier's novel - and something that often flourishes in a convent setting - is the way she develops the wider cast of convent sisters. Mother Chiara is especially vivid and interesting, but I also enjoyed many of the women who get less page-time, like Hildegard. For me, the first half of this novel was strongest, beautifully immersive. It became a little more familiar when the pace picks up, and we get a rather cartoonish religious villain. However, there's just enough weirdness to stop it becoming too simplistically emancipatory.

The Book of Eve tells the story of Beatrice, a young nun in olden times (I really couldn’t place when) who is given a strange book, which slowly reveals its secrets, in doing so threatening the foundations of Beatrice’s world.

The Book that the story centres around is based loosely on the Voynich manuscript (that’s one for google!) and I started off thinking that this would be a Dan Brown-esque thriller. Instead, it’s a beautifully imagined historical, fantastical piece of feminist fiction.

Some of the fantasy elements went a bit over my head, but if that’s a genre you like, this is well worth a read.

Thank you to @netgalley and @headlinebooks for my review copy

This was a hit and a miss for me…I loved the idea of the book, but it was slow going and too many characters personally.

This is an interesting story with overtones of The Handmaid's Tale although in a medieval Italian setting. It is about an alternative Bible rooted in an ancient Mother Goddess religion that has the power to alter the form of its worshippers into birds and trees. Sister Beatrice, a nun who feels most at home in the convent library, becomes its protector after its guardians entrust its safety to her in their last moments of life. Beatrice, in her terror and determination to protect the book from those in the Church who want to destroy it and its believers, is transformed literally through its power.
This is an original and imaginative story that takes you in unexpected directions.

quite enjoyed this. It's intriguing, as is the manuscript is based on. I did find the Greek references a bit too clever for me and there was a surprising amount of 'would of's instead of 'would have's which annoyed me.

I just couldn’t get into this book. I feel like if it had more explanation at the beginning about the story, it would have helped. I just felt lost from the first page and eventually quit reading.

My thanks to Headline Wildfire for an eARC via NetGalley of ‘The Book of Eve’ by Meg Clothier.

Given the premise of a mysterious manuscript coming into the hands of a convent librarian I had expected this novel would appeal to me. However, I found its plot confusing and failed to engage with its characters.

Meg Clothier elected to keep the setting, including its historical period, amorphous. Given the nonfiction works that Clothier mentions in her Acknowledgements, I assumed that it was set during the late Renaissance in Italy or a slightly alternative reality of the same. Yet I found Sister Beatrice’s first person narration quite modern in tone.

I hadn’t heard of the Voynich manuscript before it was noted as an inspiration for ‘The Book of Eve’ and feel that an Author’s Note providing details would have given more context.

Overall, while I found the writing in ‘The Book of Eve’ lyrical and appreciated its feminist themes and mentions of ancient goddesses and pagan texts, I just failed to make a connection.

This was disappointing as I quite enjoy historical novels that explore convent life. However, it clearly has appealed to other readers.

This book was a slow starter, but please do persevere as I ended up loving it and unable to put it down at night. Women have often been ignored when it comes to history, their role seemingly revolving only around the home and motherhood, but this book explored the people that didn't want or didn't fit into that role and what often happened to them. It showed that often nunneries infact gave these women a place to grow and nurture their loves and talents even if it was within a restrictive setting.

The author developed some great characters that I came to love and left me wanting to know about their pasts and their futures. I would love to know more about where the inspiration came for this story.

Ooh this is good - dark, thrilling, a bit creepy, and set in the deeply atmospheric grounds of a convent.

The main character, Sister Beatrice, is currently the convent's librarian - I love a book about books! - who finds herself in possession of a mysterious and powerful book. This book is the trigger for excitement in the narrative , seemingly magical occurrences, battles between different religious elements, power struggles between men and women, and danger. A bewitching feminist read.

The story gets more and more exciting the further you get, I didn't put it down for the final third!

Highly recommended.

This took a little while for me to fully fall into the book, but once I did, I was absolutely hooked. It is a slow burner, building up that dread and suspense in a fantastic way. Also its depiction of religion and the threats it tries to squash, particularly those that threaten patriarchal order, was really interesting.

Thank you Meg Clothier, Headline, and NetGalley for allowing me to read this ARC e-book. Wow this book pulls you in straight from the beginning and has such a beautiful and rich story. Details did not miss a beat and i felt truly immersed in the pages and pulled into the book. Such a different and amazing story I truly enjoyed.

I really thought the story for this book was great, it just seemed to be a bit slow. I struggled to keep up with the different characters throughout and slowly started to lose interest.
The author has a great writing style and I know many will enjoy this book!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced copy!

✨Book Review✨The Book of Eve ~ Meg Clothier (published today!)

When Sister Beatrice comes across a blank book by unusual and confusing means, she doesn’t realise at first that she has set herself on a path that could cost her everything. Based on the Voynich manuscript, this novel tells a story of female empowerment and extraordinary magic in a society dominated by religious men.

I really enjoyed this! Though it took me about a third of the book to feel truly invested, I’m so glad I kept reading because the tension and magic were absolutely AMAZING! The language is beautiful and the sense of panic that Beatrice feels was so well written, it was like I was watching event unfold rather than reading about them.

Thank you to Meg Clothier, @netgalley and Wildfire for this e-ARC in exchange for my unbiased review 📖✨

I was immediately drawn in to this story which starts with two desperate women seeking to be let into the convent walls to escape attack. One of them has a mysterious, powerful but dangerous book that she is determined to keep safe. It isn't long before the local preacher arrives seeking to find and destroy the same book.
The convent librarian, Beatrice, has been entrusted with the book but can she decipher it before it's too late?

I love historical fiction and this author really transports you to this claustrophobic place. It is such an atmospheric read. I loved the secrets and mystery surrounding the book. This is quite a slow burning mystery but the tension really builds towards the second half and I thoroughly enjoyed it. The ordered, religious world inside the convent was fascinating. I don't usually enjoy magical/fantasy elements but the mystical elements really worked well in this story and I loved them.

This story is based around the Voynich manuscript which I now intend to research further! An original and captivating debut novel.

This book is published today!!

The Book of Eve is an imaginative piece that brings together the enigmatic Voynich Manuscript, the battle against misogyny, and a sprinkle of enchantment. Beatrice, the librarian of the convent, particularly resonated with me. A woman who felt more content in the company of her manuscripts than with her fellow nuns felt like a character I could relate to. Additionally, her story is full of remarkable dramatic turns, each she faced with bravery and strength.

The setting of the work, a convent, shows women's liberation from the outside world and away from male power, the bond between women, and the unpredictable nature of female company. The author portrays various relationships that make the story believable.

When I first encountered the magical elements in this historical fiction novel, it left me perplexed. Yet as I continued reading, I realized that these supernatural components increased the mystery and charm of the narrative and story.

I truly relished The Book of Eve and even researched the Voynich manuscript afterward. It is a story that emphasizes the power of women.

Thank you to NetGalley and Wildfire for the ARC of The Book of Eve in exchange for my honest review.

An interesting read, based on the Voynich Manuscript which I'd not heard of and more reference material on this at the beginning would be helpful for the enjoyment of the story which unfolds slowly but beautifully. Set in a Covent where Beatrice is the librarian this is dark and mysterious with a sprinkling of magic.