Reviews tagging 'Sexism'

The Book of Longings by Sue Monk Kidd

20 reviews

kmae314's review

adventurous challenging emotional hopeful inspiring reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

Beautiful!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Misogyny, Death, Violence, Physical abuse, Rape, and Sexism

Moderate: Suicide, Xenophobia, Torture, and Self harm

lazmataz's review

challenging emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief, Adult/minor relationship, Antisemitism, Sexism, Religious bigotry, Death, Blood, Xenophobia, Slavery, Child death, Injury/Injury detail, Classism, Misogyny, Violence, and Miscarriage

Moderate: Pregnancy, Rape, Sexual assault, Torture, Sexual harassment, and Sexual violence

Minor: Abortion, Suicide, and Animal death

eeamiller's review against another edition

challenging emotional inspiring reflective tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.75

I read this on the recommendation of my friend, Kim. I have been on a Sue Monk Kidd reading kick, having finished "The Dance of the Dissident Daughter" earlier this month on audiobook. I also read this on audiobook. It started a little slow for me, but I was hooked from the first page when it said it would be told from the perspective of Ana, the wife of Jesus. 

I have enjoyed Sue Monk Kidd's nonfiction lately (I'm currently reading "Traveling with Pomegranates"), and it makes me want to go back and read more of her fiction. The themes she explores are the ones that resonate with me right now - spirituality, the divine feminine, women's perspectives and voices.

I admit that as the book reached its inevitable climax (the crucifixion of Jesus), I sort of felt a sense of dread. I have never liked crucifixion narratives or descriptions. Even "Jesus Christ Superstar" is hard for me in the end. I never watched "The Passion of the Christ" because my imagination is already graphic enough - I don't need visual representations. But what moved me the most about the crucifixion narrative was the perspective of the women, particularly their faithfulness in Christ's suffering and when they all gathered together at home after (I think in Bethany with Mary and Martha) and felt a sense of fellowship. It felt very real. Women are always in the trenches in the messiest moments of human experience. They walked with him, kept vigil as he died, cleaned and tended him after his death. 

I was puzzled that she didn't really explore the Resurrection, by having Ana leave the day after the crucifixion to return to her ascetic community. But I guess the point of the book was not to explore Jesus' voice, but Ana's own. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny, Pregnancy, Miscarriage, Death, Sexism, Injury/Injury detail, Death of parent, Child death, Torture, Rape, Violence, Grief, and Sexual violence

feliciaguestwrites's review

4.0

I wasn't totally sure what to expect from this novel, given its content. But I can happily say that I thoroughly enjoyed it. While a few creative liberties were taken here and there, I think that Sue Monk Kidd did an incredible job of filling in the blanks, crafting a story that we as readers could relate to and a heroine that could be admired. Ana was ambitious, resilient, and courageous, not to mention witty and scholarly, in a time where a woman possessing any of those traits was condemned. As a historian, it was especially interesting to see the influence of feminist theology in her writing. Overall, this was a thought-provoking story with an interesting perspective!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Body horror, Blood, Miscarriage, and Violence

Moderate: Slavery and Sexism

alexbooksandmore's review against another edition

emotional reflective fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

I really enjoyed this book. I think the story is captivating, and the writing is splendid (very few books are fascinating because of the writing for me). 

This book goes back to the time of Jesus, but the story is not mainly about Him, but about his 'fictive' wife, Ana. We see the whole world through her eyes. I enjoyed the detailed explanation of how people lived back then and their daily activities. 
As always, I am deeply affected by the horror things Jesus had to face. All the aggression. And even when I read it, i could see everything so clear in my head.. 

Another reason i love this book is the questions and discussion topics at the end of the book.. one of the most interesting was 'what would the world be if in the Bible,  Jesus had a wife? Would have change the way women are perceived in the world? Or not? ... it kept me thinking and I think is a very interesting subject to discuss. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent, Grief, and Child death

Moderate: Religious bigotry, Violence, Rape, Slavery, Sexual assault, Sexism, and Pregnancy

Minor: Suicide

ckrampy's review

adventurous emotional reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Miscarriage, Pregnancy, Rape, Grief, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Slavery, Suicide, Domestic abuse, Death, Physical abuse, and Sexism

maddiebusick's review against another edition

challenging emotional inspiring reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Sexual assault, Physical abuse, Grief, Miscarriage, Torture, Murder, Sexism, Rape, Blood, Death, Domestic abuse, Gore, and Violence

Moderate: Cursing, Pedophilia, Pregnancy, Child abuse, Classism, Confinement, Death of parent, Rape, Religious bigotry, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Medical content, Misogyny, and Suicide

Minor: Alcohol, Deportation, Police brutality, and Slavery

sarah_speaks's review

emotional reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny, Violence, Grief, Torture, Child death, Death, Miscarriage, and Sexism

Moderate: Animal death, Pregnancy, and Rape

Minor: Death of parent and Slavery

kelly_e's review against another edition

inspiring reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.0

Title: The Book of Longings
Author: Sue Monk Kidd
Genre: Historical Fiction
Rating: 3.0
Pub Date: March 23 2021

T H R E E • W O R D S

Tender • Imaginative • Historic

📖 S Y N O P S I S

Set in the first century, Ana is a gifted young woman secretly writing stories in a male dominated society. She comes from a wealthy family, and is expected to marry a rich, older widower, but an encounter with 18-year-old Jesus will change everything.

The Book of Longings is the story of their marriage and one women's determination to realize her passion and potential.

💭 T H O U G H T S

I was super excited to read The Book of Longings because I had loved Sue Monk Kidd's previous works. When I originally bought this book, I hadn't read the premise, and when I finally did I was hesitant to jump in. On the urging from several book friends to give it a chance, I did just that and here are my thoughts.

It is flawlessly and beautifully written with each sentence flowing into the next.
It is well researched and presented. The author even mentions where she erred on dates in the name of creative freedom to help with flow.
It is imaginative, the plot is definitely unlike any historical fiction I've read before.
It is an ode to fierce females with Ana being one of the most courageous characters in recent memory, especially in a male dominated society.

But...

It was just not for me. I couldn't remove the religious aspect from my experience, and all the biblical detail and reference were hard for me to focus on.

Don't let that deter you. This is hands down one of those cases where it was me and definitely not the book.

📚 R E C O M M E N D • T O
• bookclubs
• readers who love a fierce female lead

🔖 F A V O U R I T E • Q U O T E S

"When you're in love, you remember everything." 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Death, Miscarriage, and Sexism

Moderate: Violence, Grief, Misogyny, Rape, and Sexual assault

Minor: Suicide, Blood, and Domestic abuse

death of partner

bseigel's review

hopeful reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.75

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Rape, Sexual assault, Violence, and Sexism

Minor: Abandonment and Physical abuse