The Book of Longings - Sue Monk Kidd

The Book of Longings

By Sue Monk Kidd

  • Release Date: 2020-04-21
  • Genre: Fiction & Literature
Score: 4.5
4.5
From 1,377 Ratings

Description

“An extraordinary novel . . . a triumph of insight and storytelling.” —Associated Press

A true masterpiece.” —Glennon Doyle, author of Untamed

An extraordinary story set in the first century about a woman who finds her voice and her destiny, from the celebrated number one New York Times bestselling author of The Secret Life of Bees and The Invention of Wings


In her mesmerizing fourth work of fiction, Sue Monk Kidd takes an audacious approach to history and brings her acclaimed narrative gifts to imagine the story of a young woman named Ana. Raised in a wealthy family with ties to the ruler of Galilee, she is rebellious and ambitious, with a brilliant mind and a daring spirit. She engages in furtive scholarly pursuits and writes narratives about neglected and silenced women. Ana is expected to marry an older widower, a prospect that horrifies her. An encounter with eighteen-year-old Jesus changes everything.

Their marriage evolves with love and conflict, humor and pathos in Nazareth, where Ana makes a home with Jesus, his brothers, and their mother, Mary. Ana's pent-up longings intensify amid the turbulent resistance to Rome's occupation of Israel, partially led by her brother, Judas. She is sustained by her fearless aunt Yaltha, who harbors a compelling secret. When Ana commits a brazen act that puts her in peril, she flees to Alexandria, where startling revelations and greater dangers unfold, and she finds refuge in unexpected surroundings. Ana determines her fate during a stunning convergence of events considered among the most impactful in human history.

Grounded in meticulous research and written with a reverential approach to Jesus's life that focuses on his humanity, The Book of Longings is an inspiring, unforgettable account of one woman's bold struggle to realize the passion and potential inside her, while living in a time, place and culture devised to silence her. It is a triumph of storytelling both timely and timeless, from a masterful writer at the height of her powers.

Reviews

  • Different view of Jesus

    5
    By YayaNetski
    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
  • Laughing, Gasping, Crying, Smiling, Sighing…

    5
    By gigilinii_
    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. 🤍
  • Loved it.

    5
    By KingDubya47
    Such a good book! Well written. Pulled me in from the start.
  • Absolutely spellbinding

    5
    By Matton Morgans
    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.
  • Powerful women’s story

    5
    By Leanneatbeholderseye
    Moving and imaginative. I couldnt put it down.
  • Beautiful book

    5
    By Liildebpdx
    Oh how I loved this story. What a brave woman Ana was.
  • Sue did it again

    5
    By zloumum
    In Sue Monk Kidd style, beautifully written story.
  • Can’t stop talking about this book

    5
    By Sol🌶
    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.
  • Love love loved it.

    5
    By tdj05
    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!!!!
  • Lillian

    5
    By LilyMae!&/$
    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.

Comments