Ashes Like Bread: A Biblical Novel of Lamech and His Two Wives by Jean Hoefling is a Christian historical fiction novel that introduces us to the Sethite tribe. Zyla is the youngest daughter of beautiful Mual and Kenan, the youngest elder of the tribe. Named after an ancient word that pertains to the dark shadow that engulfs the world when their elders, Adam and Eve, ate the apple in Eden, Zyla discovered that she possessed the gift to see the future when she was still a little girl. Scorned by her village for her dark prophecies, she faces the dilemma of staking her life to save her loved ones or setting her hopes on an uncertain future without them.

Ashes Like Bread: A Biblical Novel of Lamech and His Two Wives by Jean Hoefling is a provocative fantasy novel that is based on the Bible, specifically the Old Testament. Jean Hoefling's creative writing style is vividly descriptive and beautifully appropriate to the story. Ashes Like Bread is a story of courage and love that will grip every reader's heart and mind. The plot develops slowly, languidly, and it is enriched by the author's language. As the pace goes faster, so do our heartbeats because, intriguing, Zyla's character is surprisingly relatable even to contemporary readers. And this is perhaps the unique reason why this is a book that'll leave an intellectually stimulating aftertaste long after we finish reading it. This story is a must-read for Christians and non-Christians alike!

I have been reading Bible stories since I was a kid. I’m pretty sure my mother used them to teach me to read. They always fascinated me, but the sheen wore off the older I got. So instead of reading the Bible itself, I started to read talented writers’ versions of these stories. Most have been so-so. Some have been good. None has been better than Ashes Like Bread by Jean Hoefling. I loved this story. It was magical…if that’s a proper term for a biblically based tale. Never have I caught the feel and atmosphere of what the Old Testament world must have been like as I did in this novel. It is a powerful experience to read Ashes Like Bread. I strongly suggest every Christian even remotely interested in those tales from Genesis, when the world was new, give himself or herself the treat of reading this book.

The thing that immediately caught my attention, the thing that signaled that I was in for something special was the voice of Zyla, and the other women of the tribe. I’ve never heard the women of the Bible voiced so confidently. In the Bible itself, the women are often an afterthought it would seem. The voices and characters in Ashes Like Bread are vivid. Many familiar characters from Genesis are there, but now I see them in a new light. Jean Hoefling paints them as humans living in a cruel world and waiting on a savior. The plot is good. The setting is perfect. This is a great story. There is nothing more tragic or common than a prophet that won’t be heard.

Ashes Like Bread by Jean Hoefling is a Christian fiction novel derived from the Hebrew scriptures, the books of Jasher and Genesis. The story is told by Zyla, a female descendant of Seth, Adam’s third son. Years have passed since the fall of Adam and his expulsion from Eden. Adam and his Sethite descendants live on the mountain, awaiting the coming of the Anointed One. Zyla leaves her home when her spirited younger sister, Adah, falls for a Cainite man called Lamech. Seduced by Lamech, the sisters find themselves in Enoch. Enoch is an apostate city under the control of fallen angels and lewd men. As both sisters realize that their husband is a dishonorable man, they take a dark journey to find themselves again. With a prophetic vision looming, Zyla must find a way up the mountain to redemption.

Jean Hoefling has managed to turn a few paragraphs of Lamech’s account into a fully-fledged story. Many people have wondered what was happening in the days before Noah’s flood and Ashes Like Bread delves deep into it. I loved that the author explored the imperfections in the Sethites versus their godless relatives below the mountain. Though they seem to be better than the Cainites, they still come with their own social issues. And out of the lost Cainites came a truly honorable man. This biblically themed story explores the gray area between good and evil. Though it can’t be taken as scripture, this book is relevant to people of today in that it forces the reader to take a good look at themselves.

Ashes Like Bread by Jean Hoefling is a flawlessly written novel that begins with Zyla, a five-year-old girl with the gift of foresight. When Zyla goes into a trance-like state, she has a vision describing a river flood that will cover one third of the earth, as well as a warning to take precautions to prevent a pestilence attack on their crops. All the adult seers, and adults that live on the mountain with Adam, Eve, and the rest of the Sethites, ignore the rantings of a child that could not possibly be able to predict the future. After the death of her mother and younger sister, Zyla must help take care of her new born sister, Adah. When Adah grows into a beautiful young maiden, she runs away to meet her beloved to be married; Lamech of the blood line of Cain. Taking the long trek into the desert to where the Cainites dwell, Zyla grabs the fleeces that were used to cover Adam and Eve's nakedness when they were forced to leave the Garden of Eden as the dowry.

Jean Hoefling does an amazing job of bringing this story to life based on the facts from the book of Genesis. The author accurately describes in detail the different customs and rituals of taking wives. When Zyla reveals her gift of foresight, she is chosen to be the official seer and second wife as she and Adah vie for the affections of charming Lamech. I thoroughly enjoyed this book from beginning to end. Jean Hoefling was able to capture my attention from the beginning, keep it a willing prisoner to the end, and all points in between. Her characters were larger than life and so well developed. Ashes Like Bread is an awesome read. Well done!