Lilith

You are NOT prepared for this book

Lilith left me dazed and confused. What did I just read? Is it a novel or a manifesto? A call to action or a warning?

Such is the strength of this work of fiction by the courageous Eric Rickstad. Lilith is the daring story of a school shooting, its aftermath, and the aftermath’s aftermath. It’s a deeply personal story featuring mom and teacher Elisabeth, and her young son, student and wounded victim, Lydan. Elisabeth is a woman who will not accept what has happened and do nothing. She cannot just move on.

Maybe you’re like me and you’ve heard of Lilith but don’t remember learning about her in Sunday School. There’s a reason: Lilith isn’t in the bible. She’s a figure in Jewish mythology and the story goes that she was Adam’s first wife but she wouldn’t be subservient to him, so she was banished from Eden and is now something of a demon. A modern Lilith still has no use for the patriarchy.

I call Rickstad courageous not only for the subject matter but also his writing style. The novel’s layout makes great use of intentional spacing. Some of the pages are formatted like poetry, forcing the reader to absorb at the author’s pace. Lilith is stark and atmospheric, and Rickstad’s prose is unflinchingly matter of fact but full of emotion. This book demands something from the reader.

Elisabeth, AKA Lilith, embarks on a post-tragedy journey she feels compelled to take. The spark was the callous reaction to the shooting by a wealthy gun advocate and presidential candidate – More Guns Less Crime is his grotesque platform. He’s as sinister and slick as can be, almost a caricature, but people like him definitely exist.

Lilith is graphically violent but not gratuitous. The shooting itself is harrowing but it’s just the beginning: Elisabeth sets off a chain of events that ripple and multiply through society. It’s not pretty but hey, neither are mass shootings at elementary schools.

Lydan is easily my favorite character. He didn’t want to go to school that day because of an ‘icky’ feeling. He’s observant and wise. He and his mom save each other.

Lilith is suspenseful, heart-stopping and heart-wrenching. There are twists and several OMG scenes, including a shocker with a victim’s daughter and some quick thinking with the cops. There are also eerie moments like this one with a sleep-deprived Elisabeth:

I am vapor, barely here. I wonder if he’s here. If we both died in the shooting or if I did or he did, and I am a ghost or he is a ghost, or maybe we never existed at all. An alien’s dream. Or nightmare.

Eric Rickstad dared to write this unique, entertaining and terrifying novel. Will you dare to read it?