The Sword of Eden tells the story of Eve and Mary from their points of view. It connects their lives--Eve as the mother of us all, looking forward to the birth of one who is promised to bruise the head of the serpent in the garden, and Mary as the New Eve whose son will do so. They tell their own stories which are central to the biblical story of salvation as well as their typical lives as women, wives, and mothers. Grindal has used sonnet forms to tell their stories.