The Book of Longings

Sue Monk Kidd

“I am Ana. I was the wife of Jesus.”

Raised in a wealthy family in Sepphoris with ties to the ruler of Galilee, Ana is rebellious and ambitious, a relentless seeker with a brilliant, curious mind and a daring spirit. She yearns for a pursuit worthy of her life, but finds no outlet for her considerable talents. Defying the expectations placed on women, she engages in furtive scholarly pursuits and writes secret narratives about neglected and silenced women. When she meets the eighteen-year-old Jesus, each is drawn to and enriched by the other’s spiritual and philosophical ideas. He becomes a floodgate for her intellect, but also the awakener of her heart.

Their marriage unfolds with love and conflict, humor and pathos in Nazareth, where Ana makes a home with Jesus, his brothers, James and Simon, and their mother, Mary. Here, Ana’s pent-up longings intensify amid the turbulent resistance to the Roman occupation of Israel, partially led by her charismatic adopted brother, Judas. She is sustained by her indomitable aunt Yaltha, who is searching for her long-lost daughter, as well as by other women, including her friend Tabitha, who is sold into slavery after she was raped, and Phasaelis, the shrewd wife of Herod Antipas. Ana’s impetuous streak occasionally invites danger. When one such foray forces her to flee Nazareth for her safety shortly before Jesus’s public ministry begins, she makes her way with Yaltha to Alexandria, where she eventually finds refuge and purpose in unexpected surroundings.

Grounded in meticulous historical research and written with a reverential approach to Jesus’s life that focuses on his humanity, The Book of Longings is an inspiring 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. 

-Excerpt taken from Goodreads.

Check Goodreads to see the book’s ratings.

My Opinion

4 out of 5 stars (4 / 5) This book intrigued me from the day I heard about it. Who writes a fiction novel about Jesus’ wife? Jesus didn’t have a wife, right?

If you go into this novel with the idea that it is fiction, you will be entertained. You will find a brash, independent, loving, 14yo girl who is desperate for her own life and for her own words. Her world is not kind to women and there are many atrocities she endures due to her culture. She fights for herself and it made me cheer for her and her fierceness. 

If you go into this novel looking for doctrine or more info on Jesus or for anything other than fiction, I bet you will be let down. While we do get to know Jesus, it is from Ana’s point of view. She adores him and he adores her and it makes me happy to think maybe he had a wife like her.

We are taken through familiar stories from scripture. Most of it is the same but the author admits to changing things for her writing benefit. Understandable! There were a few things that didn’t ring true in my mind, or that I’ve pictured quite differently, but when I reminded myself it was fiction, it was easy to let it slide.

All in all, it was an impressive book. The guts Kidd had to take on such a controversial piece of history is astounding. I commend her for the details, the insight and maybe a small glimpse into what this man’s life was in between and during, the stories so many know.

There are scenes containing abuse, sexism, attempted rape, stonings, and of course, the crucifiction. I recommend this book to those who are curious about the time period and historical aspect, but also for the Christianity standpoint.

**As an Amazon associate I earn from qualifying purchases. 

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