4.37k reviews for:

The Book of Longings

Sue Monk Kidd

4.24 AVERAGE

nutellia's profile picture

nutellia's review

4.0
inspiring sad tense medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: Complicated
Loveable characters: Yes
Diverse cast of characters: Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

I found this book very triggering of my Catholic upbringing. I enjoyed having my perspective challenged, and having to think about Jesus as a human being. The book is well written, and I thought it an interesting insight into he political landscape of Roman occupied Middle East. 

That being said, Ana is rather one dimensional. She has little to no flaws, and while she suffers from many tragedies, I can’t help but feel she changes much because of them. 
emotional reflective slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Character
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: No
Diverse cast of characters: No
Flaws of characters a main focus: No

The Book of Longings by Sue Monk Kidd reimagines the life of Ana, the fictional wife of Jesus. Ana is portrayed as a strong-willed, intelligent young woman with a burning desire to write, even though she lives in a time when women are seen as little more than property—bartered for land, wealth, or status. Her journey is one of resilience, as she must fight, hide, and carefully maneuver for every small measure of independence.

One of the most powerful elements of the story is Ana’s relationship with her aunt, who not only supports her but also carries her own burdens from a painful past. Together, they form a bond of strength, hope, and survival that allows them to carve out a measure of freedom in a world that sought to silence them.

Interestingly, while Jesus is a part of Ana’s story, his role is minimal. Aside from rescuing her from her oppressive family, he has little influence on her journey. In many ways, the title “wife of Jesus” feels more like a marketing hook than the true essence of the novel. The heart of the story lies not in Ana’s role as a wife, but in her determination to live authentically, to write her truth, and to resist the limitations forced upon her by her time and culture.

Listened to via Libby

dark 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: Complicated

Loved this historical fiction adventure that answers the question "what if Jesus had a wife? and who was she?", although I definitely struggled with the trope of "headstrong girl doesn't want to get married off, just wants to read, and causes a lot of problems for herself".
challenging emotional 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

Gorgeous and life changing read.

A pretty boring read, to be honest. For such an epic setting and subject matter - what if Jesus had a wife who was also a religious badass? - the writing was dull. It seemed more focused on small, repetitive daily struggles than on illuminating wider themes. Could have been so interesting but it fell pretty flat for me.

I can't in good conscious recommend this book. I have no problem with Jesus being married, in fact I believe whole heartedly He was! He would have followed Jewish custom and to be truly exalted, He would have needed to be married. But it's how the author portrays Him that grates on borderline blasphemy. Yes, I believe Christ had to progress in His knowledge of what His ultimate purpose was, BUT the author portrays Him as almost ignorant too it. Anna is an annoying character, too self assured for the time period. Just don't read it.

Wow.
adventurous challenging emotional hopeful inspiring sad 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: Yes