A wickedly funny and wildly imaginative retelling of one of the most dramatic stories known to mankindIn this brilliant debut novel Noahs family (or Noe as hes called here)his wife, sons and daughters-in-lawtell what its like to live with a man touched by God, while struggling against events that cannot be controlled or explained. For when Noe orders his sons to build an ark, he cant tell them where the wood will come from, just that God will provide. When he sends his daughters-in-law out to gather animals, he can offer no directions, money or protection. Just faith. But once the rain starts, they all come to realise that the harshest 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. At its core The Flood is about a family caught in the midst of an extraordinary life-changing event, and David Maine infuses this timeless tale with all the tension and humanityeven humourthat it implies. A fabulous bookrefreshingly original, very funny, and a perfect blend of Biblical history and wondrous imaginationThe BooksellerBrilliant...A story of faith and survival (think Life of Pi thousands of years earlier and with a much larger cast of characters). This debut is a winnerPublishers Weekly[David Maine] has written an elegant retelling of an ancient narrative, using the Biblical story of the flood to craft a moving meditation on families, faith and how people cope with global catastropheThe Guardian This is a fluid and fluent book...pulsing with energyThe IndependentWitty and well-paced...unexpectedly movingObserver The Flood is funny, tender, intelligent, energetic, irreverent and worshipfulAnn Patchett, author of Orange Prize Winner Bel Canto