The Preservationist: A Novel

"Hilarious and illuminating . . . Maine's storytelling is as human as it is divine, a sensitive overhaul of one of literature's greatest adventures." —Los Angeles Times Book ReviewIn this brilliant debut novel, Noah's family (or Noe as he's called here)—his wife, sons, and daughters-in-law—tell what it's like to live with a man touched by God, while struggling against events that cannot be controlled or explained. When Noe orders his sons to build an ark, he can't tell them where the wood will come from. When he sends his daughters-in-law out to gather animals, he can offer no directions, money, or protection. And once the rain starts, they all realize that the true test of their faith is just beginning. Because the family is trapped on the ark with thousands of animals—with no experience feeding or caring for them, and no idea of when the waters will recede. What emerges is a family caught in the midst of an extraordinary Biblical event, with all the tension, humanity—even humor—that implies."Inventive reimagining of the biblical flood tale for a 21st-century audience." —People"Part domestic drama, part supernatural thriller, Maine's unsettling retelling of Noah and the ark feels as realistic and suspenseful—really!—as any modern tale." —Time Out New York"We can reencounter the hoary Old Testament icon afresh as a sensible, fallible human being and really appreciate his greatness and sacrifice." —Time"A story of faith and survival (think Life of Pi thousands of years earlier with a much larger cast of characters), this debut is a winner." —Publishers Weekly (starred review) Read more