by John Milton
First published 1667
Satan stands defeated in the burning lake of Hell, cast down from Heaven with his army of rebel angels after their failed war against the Almighty. Consumed by pride and vengeance, he refuses to submit. Instead, Satan devises a cunning plan to corrupt God's newest creation: mankind. He journeys to the Garden of Eden, where Adam and Eve live in perfect innocence. There he finds his opportunity for revenge. Disguised as a serpent, Satan tempts Eve to eat from the forbidden Tree of Knowledge. She persuades Adam to join her in disobedience. Their act of rebellion brings sin and death into the world, fulfilling Satan's scheme but condemning humanity to exile from Paradise. Yet even in their fall, Adam and Eve's devotion to each other offers hope for redemption.
Genres: mythology, literary-fiction, fantasy, epic
Vibes: emotional, thought-provoking
Tropes: enemies-to-lovers, redemption
Setting: Garden of Eden, Hell
Period: Ancient
453 pages · Paperback · Penguin Classics
Content warnings: violence