The Book of Longings Book Reviews

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The Book of Longings. Trite. Short sentences. The only reason it is listed is the sensational subject matter. Don’t buy!

Powerful women’s story. Moving and imaginative. I couldnt put it down.

Love love loved it.. Easily in the top 5 books I’ve ever read. It’s smart and interesting. The characters are well developed, and I loved reading about this time in history. So very good!!!!

The Book of Longings. I didn’t know this book’s topic or premise when I bought and downloaded it. At first, I thought I might not even read it once I realized it was about Jesus and a (maybe) fictional wife. But, am I ever enriched from reading this. I recommend it highly and widely. It is, simply, amazing.

Can’t stop talking about this book. Somehow, in writing from the perspective of the woman history has silenced, it feels like Kidd has given a voice to the silenced parts within all of us.

Lillian. This book is a wonderful testament to the life of Jesus. His spiritually enlightened understanding of the power of love, compassion and forgiveness. And it is the story of remarkable strong, loving women whose voices are now heard.

My favorite. This is now my favorite book from Sue. As a non religious person I enjoyed the story because is was captivating and beautifully written.

Must read - page turner. Outstanding historical fiction - cheers to Ana!

Disappointing. I want to say that Sue Monk Kidd is one of my all time favorite authors but this book fell flat. I did like that she wanted to give women of biblical times a voice and to focus on the plight of women in this era of time. In that sense, it reminds me of a book I love called “Pope Joan “ about a fictional woman who pretends to be a man and becomes Pope. It’s all conjecture (based on some historians theories that there was a women Pope). But does a brilliant job on focusing on what a women’s life was like at that time. An Book of Longings is equal in this. I think the author was trying to create something shocking by giving Jesus a wife (but in fact, this is not at all a new concept and has been written about extensively) but then wanted to appease Christians who would surely be offended so she created a character, Ana, that never exited instead of choosing a real person (like Mary Magdalene). If you are interested in a book about what the life of Jesus the man may have looked like, read Holy Blood, Holy Grail. Granted, this is not a Novel but a nonfiction scholarly book which uses a large amount of research to support its theories. There are also many books about Jesus visiting India during the “missing years” of ages 12-30. I liked this book for the voice it gives women but I think she should’ve kept it more fiction and not tried to make it a historical fiction novel unless she was willing to do the research to make it more accurate. It could have been equally powerful or even more powerful without making Ana the wife of Jesus. On the other hand, if it’s focus was to be the wife of Jesus, choose a real woman (May Magdalene, for example, much maligned as a prostitute despite nothing in the Bible saying so- I’m fact, a Pope in the Middle Ages declared this). Imagine if she had been the wife that the Catholic Church had wanted to discredit and this novel gave HER a voice. It would have been a much more intriguing novel..... but also much more controversial and I think Sue Monk Kidd shied away from the controversy and compromised. And that is my disappointment. Overall, it was entertaining and enjoyable to read and still far better than most novels. So I do feel it’s worth a read. Just don’t expect an extensively researched historical novel. For that, read one of the books listed above or a book by Phillips Gregory (different era, of course).

Extraordinary. What a story this is. The story of a woman who might have been Jesus’ wife, spanning the time shortly before he begins his mission to his death. A surprising story. Not a story about the type of woman we might expect to be Jesus’ wife, not his Little Helper, quiet, devout, always by his side, deferring to him, acquiescing to his every wish. Instead it’s the story of a strong woman with a voice that will not be silenced who makes her own path, finds her destiny and satisfies her longings. It’s a story about her everyday relationship with him and her influence on him, and His influence on her and His understanding of the unique person she was. Ana is very much her own person and always has been. Her background and personality are nothing like that of Jesus. She comes from wealth and privilege, isn’t always a nice person, is often selfish and self-centered. In other words, often human She isn’t necessarily a believer either, but her love for Jesus is deep. It came over her the first time she saw him and never wavers. We don’t know that Jesus had a wife, but we don’t know that he didn’t either, since the Bible doesn’t tell us much about those years. Author Sue Monk Kidd flawlessly weaves the “what if’s” with what we already know of Jesus’ life and presents a story that is completely plausible and believable, and completely mesmerizing, filled with characters that could have been part of history. Her parents, her aunt Yaltha, her friend Tabitha, and her brother Judas – that Judas – all come alive. As does the human Jesus, leading an everyday life as a husband, brother and son, while being drawn to a higher purpose. Women were meant to be silent and obedient in this time and place. Wealth, privilege, or association with a powerful ruler did not exempt you from danger. Again, author Kidd weaves in facts about known historical figures with events and consequences in the lives of Ana and her friends and relatives. The Book of Longings is extraordinary, touching, thought-provoking and a very enjoyable read. I received an advance copy from publisher Random House. All opinions are my own. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and recommend it without hesitation.

A very special book. Emotional, moving, and erudite—this book stayed with me for days after finishing it.

Laughing, Gasping, Crying, Smiling, Sighing…. You know when you have a favorite movie, and you watch it over and over again, hoping that something different is going to happen, and still feel surprised when it doesnt go the way you imagined? Yea, thats this book even if you’re reading it for the first time. The story follows a familiar, to most, timeline which helps us see beyond what the character knows. I put off finishing the book because I didnt want to part with it even though I knew what was to come. Once I brought myself to do so, it was still such a heartbreak. If there was one book I could read forever and ever, it would be this one. 🤍

Different view of Jesus. Interesting story of Jesus’s life narrated by Jesus’s wife. It’s a fascinating concept that Jesus was a regular person who rebelled against many of the injustices he saw in his lifetime. He chose a path of peaceful protest and was willing to sacrifice himself for others. He loved a woman and married her both knowing the path he had chosen. The story of

Incredible and believable account of the life of Jesus. I loved how the author placed value on the lives of women during this time period

Enjoyable read!. Real enjoyed this fictional Biblical based novel. I’ve also read The Red Tent and this has a similar theme. Ana is a well developed main character with flaws and a dream. Relatable for many women who are still seeking their voice. I also enjoyed the author’s note at the end of the book, which answered a few questions that I had.

Absolutely spellbinding. I am not a biblical scholar by any stretch but this novel made me want to know more details that I can’t recall from reading the Bible in my teens. Ana is an amazing force and a joy to behold. It’s hard to upstage Jesus but she does it.

Beautiful book. Oh how I loved this story. What a brave woman Ana was.

Loved it.. Such a good book! Well written. Pulled me in from the start.

Sue did it again. In Sue Monk Kidd style, beautifully written story.

Must read!. Beautifully written. I’m in awe! Jesus is portrayed as perfectly as I could have imagined and was perfectly paired with Ana! She was such a well placed character in this story. She had fire to her every women should possess. This is absolutely one of my favorite books! A must read. I felt happiness, joy and tears so many times through out the book. Well done!!

A great read. Stirring, thought provoking story that everyone should read and enjoy. I lost myself from the first page to the last. I thank you for such a journey in my mind.

Facinating. I found myself enthralled with the story and even more curious where fact met fiction. The historical aspect woven into the story is completing and believable whether there is truth or not. Another standing ovation for the author.

Wooow. This book deserves a standing ovation, I loved it from beginning to end and I would recommend it without hesitation. I'm in a book club and we liked it so much that we keep talking about why it was so inspiring in our own lives. I also want to mention that the author did not lose detail when creating this masterpiece. I am considered a person of great faith, but before reading it, my connection was lost and after it I can say my connection was awakened by thee book. That immense faith in God, Jesus and religion came back to stay In such a positive way on my life. As a woman it made me want to never silence my voice and less in this era where we can be more heard, where we just need to get encouraged and Sue Monk Kid did the enough encouragement I needed. Thank you for this precious gift.

A different imagining of what might have been. This is an interesting take on the undocumented portion of Jesus’ life. These things could have happened, but certainly there is no record of it. Really interesting take on a possibility.

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The book of longings. This was a great read for me. I read it quickly and was absorbed into the narrative. However, I was hoping for a little more somehow. More about Jesus and about his character and how his greatness affected Ana and perhaps how her greatness may have influenced him. As a child grown in a Christian church I learned much about Jesus from a biblical and spiritual perspective so I appreciated the political context this book provides.

The Book of Longing. Really enjoyed this book. Well told story.