You need to sign in or sign up before continuing.
Take a photo of a barcode or cover
4.24 AVERAGE
4.24 AVERAGE
I enjoyed reading this book, but I also found it really difficult to rate. Overall I loved the story and found it interesting, but I had to suspend my beliefs about Jesus and read it only as a novel.
inspiring
medium-paced
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
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
emotional
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
fast-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
One of my most favorite novels of all time!!! Beautiful.
Sure, there is controversy in this story. But the way Sue Monk Kidd writes about women finding their largeness and voice in her books is so extraordinary. Humble women who find space and a voice in their world. It is a story that makes you think and challenges why we believe certain things.
I have no words. Holy moley.
Also, YAY, finally finished the Goodreads Community Favorites Challenge~
I'd been a little apprehensive to read this (I meant to last January, and then I kept pushing it back) because, as a Catholic - albeit not too deeply religious - I kind of had an internal debate on whether reading about Jesus' fictional wife would be sacrilegious, haha.
Kudos to Kidd, though, because the was exquisitely written, thoroughly researched, reverential and respectful in its descriptions of Jesus. If anything, it was an ode to Jesus' humanity, as he was fully human and fully divine - and actually made me feel a little closer to him, if that makes sense. Literally teared up during the crucifixion scene!!! What!!! During mass or when I read the Bible, there's a sort of detachment? Not in a bad way, but like, him being a God figure and all. Or something. In this book, they were grieving him as a brother, a son, a husband. All the emotions were so much... more, I guess.
Anyway, Ana was the real highlight of the book, and I loved her. Jewish society was traditionally highly patriarchal and basically misogynistic and it was disgusting, reading how women basically had no voice, no worth, no use other than to serve men, who basically owned them??? And yet here's Ana, rebellious, brave, and longing to have a voice of her own through her writing of the testaments of her female companions, family members, and (Easter Egg!) significant women in the Bible. TBH, I even re-read parts on the Bible just to recall all the parallels.
I loved that while based on a culture meant to silence women (literally and figuratively, them writing was even frowned upon and they basically had zero choices), here is a narrative highlighting their voices and, as Kidd said herself, the feminine within the Catholic religion. She really is one of the best writers of historical fiction, in my opinion.
Also, YAY, finally finished the Goodreads Community Favorites Challenge~
I'd been a little apprehensive to read this (I meant to last January, and then I kept pushing it back) because, as a Catholic - albeit not too deeply religious - I kind of had an internal debate on whether reading about Jesus' fictional wife would be sacrilegious, haha.
Kudos to Kidd, though, because the was exquisitely written, thoroughly researched, reverential and respectful in its descriptions of Jesus. If anything, it was an ode to Jesus' humanity, as he was fully human and fully divine - and actually made me feel a little closer to him, if that makes sense. Literally teared up during the crucifixion scene!!! What!!! During mass or when I read the Bible, there's a sort of detachment? Not in a bad way, but like, him being a God figure and all. Or something. In this book, they were grieving him as a brother, a son, a husband. All the emotions were so much... more, I guess.
Anyway, Ana was the real highlight of the book, and I loved her. Jewish society was traditionally highly patriarchal and basically misogynistic and it was disgusting, reading how women basically had no voice, no worth, no use other than to serve men, who basically owned them??? And yet here's Ana, rebellious, brave, and longing to have a voice of her own through her writing of the testaments of her female companions, family members, and (Easter Egg!) significant women in the Bible. TBH, I even re-read parts on the Bible just to recall all the parallels.
I loved that while based on a culture meant to silence women (literally and figuratively, them writing was even frowned upon and they basically had zero choices), here is a narrative highlighting their voices and, as Kidd said herself, the feminine within the Catholic religion. She really is one of the best writers of historical fiction, in my opinion.
challenging
dark
hopeful
reflective
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:
N/A
I love that this is a book you can read and treasure whether you believe in Jesus’ divinity or not. Such a lovely story.
adventurous
emotional
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
slow-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
I LOVED the first half of this book. Ana’s story was so compelling, and the idea of Jesus having a wife and what their life would have been like completely drew me in. However, I felt that the second half of the book fell short of what it could have been. I recognize (and appreciate!) that this story was about Ana, not Jesus, but I wish that her story would have taken her with Jesus during his ministry instead of away.
In her notes the author says, “I felt the importance of imagining a married Jesus. Doing so provokes a fascinating question: How would the Western world be different if Jesus had married and his wife had been included in his story?”
I want the answer to this question! Even if it is fictional, I want to imagine that world. And yet, the author fails to include Ana in the biblical accounts of Jesus and instead takes her in another direction. I felt like she took the story right up to the edge, and then got nervous and changed directions instead of taking it all the way.
All of that being said, I still really enjoyed this book. I loved seeing Jesus as a regular person, and what his life might have been like before his ministry. And I loved Ana. I loved the women in her world and the reality of the challenges they faced. I loved the recognition that the desires and longings and passions of women have always existed, even if we have no record of them.
In her notes the author says, “I felt the importance of imagining a married Jesus. Doing so provokes a fascinating question: How would the Western world be different if Jesus had married and his wife had been included in his story?”
I want the answer to this question! Even if it is fictional, I want to imagine that world. And yet, the author fails to include Ana in the biblical accounts of Jesus and instead takes her in another direction. I felt like she took the story right up to the edge, and then got nervous and changed directions instead of taking it all the way.
All of that being said, I still really enjoyed this book. I loved seeing Jesus as a regular person, and what his life might have been like before his ministry. And I loved Ana. I loved the women in her world and the reality of the challenges they faced. I loved the recognition that the desires and longings and passions of women have always existed, even if we have no record of them.