In a small town once renowned for its hospitality and well known for its vibrant zoo, it has been raining for as long as anyone can remember. This is the premise for debut author Lindsay Starck’s novel Noah’s Wife, an engaging tale that provides modern readers a parallel to the age-old Biblical story. Told with wit and creativity, and centered on the dutiful wife of a gregarious minister, Noah’s Wife takes an ironic spin on a very old fable.
Despite the title, Noah’s Wife brings to life numerous quirky townspeople in this small community—those who secretly desire to leave behind the rainy village and those equally committed to saving it from ruin. From the boisterous female leader of the town council to the Italian immigrant owner of the general store, Starck has crafted a riveting tale of faith and doubt, love and friendship, and family and belonging. As the flood waters rise and spill into the well-loved zoo, town residents are forced to make the difficult decision as to how to continue to care for the animals. Their fateful decisions will delight and intrigue readers to think in new ways about the allegory of Noah’s Ark.
Starck was born and raised in Milwaukee before going on to study literature at Yale and creative writing at Notre Dame. She currently lives and works in Chapel Hill, N.C. Starck will appear at the Central Library on Tuesday, Jan. 26. A reception will begin at 5:30 p.m., followed by a book talk and reading at 6 p.m. Copies of Noah’s Wife will be on sale from Boswell Book Co., the co-sponsor of this free event.
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