Infinity in the Palm of Her Hand: A Novel of Adam and Eve

by: Gioconda Belli

Published by: Harper Collins

Reviewed by Heather Durow

Infinity in the Palm of Her Hand is the imagining of what life was like for Adam and Eve, the first man and woman. From the very beginning, when Adam wakes to a new world where he knows the name of every creature and landscape without really knowing how he knows, to the emergence of Eve from Adam’s own body. Together they discover their wonderous surroundings and contemplate the existence of the Other and why they can hear him but not see him.

Their journey continues as they encounter the Serpent. Temptation brings Eve, and Adam with Eve’s insistence, to eat the fruit of the Tree of Life–and everything they have known to this point ceases to exist. The world around them morphs and changes, bringing with it new questions about their purpose for being. Adam and Eve adapt as their needs change and their family grows with the addition of Cain, Luluwa, Abel and Aklia.

Gioconda Belli weaves a magical story in her idea of what the lives of Adam and Eve must have been like. There is a generic quality in that “the Other” is mentioned instead of an actual God, leaving out much of the religious aspect of the tale. It is beautifully written and the descriptions are enthralling without being overdone. The reader is taken into the world of Adam and Eve and can feel the emotion that flows through every chapter.

Armchair Interviews agrees:

Author’s Web site: http://www.GiocondaBelli.com