Our Father falls squarely within the modern feminist tradition which French helped establish in fiction. But the strongest influences and parallels come from much older traditions.

One can hardly read this book without remembering the biblical stories of Lot. Lot's wife was turned into a pillar of salt because she defied the orders of her husband and a male God. The day before, Lot had been willing to toss his own daughters out to be gang-raped.

Yet God regarded Lot as the only righteous man in Sodom, so he was warned and could escape before the city was destroyed. Later, isolated in a mountain cave, Lot's daughters seduce him so that they can bear children. This did not seem to please God as much, although scholars differ on the intent of this passage. However, the disapproval appears to be because Lot, rather than his daughters, had...