Noah's Wife

It's been raining for years in this isolated town, once renowned for its zoo and its hospitality. Many have moved away, but a few stalwarts remain, refusing to evacuate the drowning village even at the urging of the weatherman. Noah is assigned to the town's church after the previous minister commits suicide, but he suffers his own crisis of faith, while his photographer wife lives to serve others but lacks her own identity. The townspeople gave up on praying long ago and don't want sermons urging patience and endurance. Suddenly, the zoo floods and they unite to save and house animals, from snakes to penguins. Carolina Quarterly editor in chief Starck populates her first novel with memorable characters, of which Noah and his never-named wife are the least interesting. These include an outspoken councilwoman who "keeps the place afloat"; the devoted zookeeper and his long-suffering fiancée, who yearns to leave town; and a cardiac surgeon who worries about her widowed amateur magician father.