This book may draw people in because of its relation to Jesus, but make no bones about it, the star of this show is Ana. Ana is an intelligent young woman living near Jerusalem who wants nothing more than to have a voice in a time when women were completely silenced. She comes to know Jesus, the young carpenter who would become the leader of Christianity.

The Jesus of this book is wholly human, and the more miraculous aspects of his life and ministry are not explored. Instead, focus is on his personality, in particular how his compassion nurtures and encourages Ana’s desire to express herself.

I’m sure that many people will draw comparisons to The Red Tent, a book that also explored aspects of biblical stories from a female perspective. I, however, enjoyed this book much more. It is very heartfelt, and the ties between Ana and her female friends are wonderful to read. She is a courageous, thoughtful, principled, and interesting person. Even as someone with no religious affiliation, I don’t believe that there is much in this book that will offend people with religious beliefs, but I guess you’ll each have to be the judge of that. I enjoyed reading this book and I’m very sure I will be re-reading it in the future.

The Book of Longings was the perfect remedy for my “stay at home order” blues. Sue Monk Kidd transported me to biblical times while weaving together this beautiful (and at times heart wrenching) story of female strength and companionship. The way biblical canon has been chosen always bothered me because women do not often have a voice. Kidd empowers women of biblical times and women throughout history. This was a beautiful, moving, enthralling story.

I was really quite skeptical going into this book as I am a Christian but I wanted to go into this book with an open mind because I truly enjoy reading books set in this era. There was so much depth to the Book of Longings. For lack of a better term I was left longing for this book when I was not reading it. This book reminds me of The Red Tent in so many incredible ways. I truly loved this book

"The Book of Longings," by Sue Monk Kidd, Viking, 432 pages, April 21, 2020.

The first line is memorable: "I am Ana. I was the wife of Jesus."

Ana, 14, is a member of a wealthy family in Sepphoris with ties to Herod, the ruler of Galilee. Yaltha, her Aunt, is educated. Judas is her cousin's son whom Ana's parents adopted.

Ana defies the restrictions placed on women and writes secret narratives of women in the Torah. But her parents betroth her to a man she doesn't know. He is a widower with two daughters.

Then as Ana meets the man in the marketplace, she faints. A younger man comes up to help her. It is Jesus, who is 18. Ana is going to be forced into the betrothal. Her brother Judas tries to intervene and is arrested. But then an illness travels through the community and Ana's betrothed dies. She is now considered to be a widow.

Herod wants her to be his concubine. Ana runs away. When she is accused of theft, Jesus intervenes and says she will soon be his betrothed. They marry.

Sue Monk Kidd has said that while Jesus is never mentioned as having a wife, it is also never mentioned in biblical texts that he did not have one. So she imagines that he did.

It is well-written, but slow-moving. Sue Monk Kidd weaves the known stories of Jesus in to the narrative. It is more about Ana than about Jesus.

"The Book of Longings” is the fourth novel by the author of "The Secret Life of Bees” and “The Invention of Wings."

In accordance with FTC guidelines, the advance reader's edition of this book was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for a review.

While this novel contains the historical rather than theological Jesus as a character, it is really the story of his fictional wife, Ana. It is widely believed that during the “lost years” of Jesus he worked as carpenter in Sepphoris rather than Nazareth and Ana meets Jesus during this time. The first part of the novel is a bit slow to start but nicely introduces Ana as a feminist with an aching need to read and most importantly to write. Jesus and Ana marry and eventually part as Jesus follows his own ache for God. Ana experiences a lot during their separation and it makes for an absorbing story. The resentment of Roman rule over Judea reaches a breaking point and most of us know what happens next. Don’t go into this expecting religiosity. Instead, Ana is given a voice during a time when women were completely invisible.

The premise of this book is a bold one and I wasn't quite sure it would be for me, but because I have enjoyed all the other books I've read by Sue Monk Kidd I gave it a chance. I was not disappointed at all. The story of Ana, Jesus' fictional wife, is intriguing from the first page. This is a book that makes you think "What if?" It is truly Ana's story, a story about a strong woman determined to forge her own path. Wonderful writing and storytelling.

Sue Monk Kidd is a deservedly respected author, and one of my favorites. Her new book, The Book of Longings is the transcendent story of a young girl Ana and her longing to be a scribe and prophet during the first century B,C.
Ana is a contemporary and eventual wife to Jesus. The descriptions of Nazareth, Jerusalem, and of the people in these settings are wonderfully rich and illuminating. Sue Monk Kidd has written a masterpiece.

After The Invention of Wings, I had the bar set in the rafters for Sue Monk Kidd’s next novel. Having come to expect powerful, well-researched historical tales of amazing women, I was both excited and concerned when I saw that she was leaving American history and entering the realm of what is, for many, a sacred space. I found one instance of what I believe to be an anachronism (corn - presumably of the maize variety from the description - would not have been present in this part of the world in this time period). However, I wrestled much more with my own hang ups when the author’s fictional choices contrasted with my own imaginings.

The truth of the matter is that the context is not the star or the deciding factor in this novel. Ana’s character is a rich, inspiring, achingly real portrayal of the female experience in a patriarchal society, regardless of time and place. Kidd’s descriptive details and ability to evoke genuine emotions from someone sitting and looking at lines of alphabetic characters have never been more on display. At the end of the day, she is the artist of this work, and if it makes me feel as much as it did, and if I remember it as long as I expect to, then she has done her job well.

I was initially unsure of this book because I was worried that I would be turned off by the religious themes. I am glad I gave this one a chance because it was phenomenal. Ana who is strong and smart is the most captivating character and is the star of the show. I would compare her to Madeline Miller's wonderful Circe. A book about Jesus' wife is sure to have many people disgruntled. And to those people, I ask that they actually read the book before making a judgement. Their marriage is portrayed as loving and a true partnership and would be a perfect example of a Christian marriage. I could go on to say more lovely things, but they would all boil down to go read the book.

I wasn't sure that I would like this story which takes place in the time of Jesus, but I quickly became engaged in Ana's story.
Ana is a woman who longs to have a voice. She the feels the oppression her society places on women and resists. The story begins when Ana is a young teen living in her wealthy parent's home in a small city in Israel. Her parents lives are all about gaining wealth and status. They outwardly follow the Jewish laws for conventions sake. The one thing her father has done for Ana is provide her with tutors who have taught her to read and write. She speaks Aramaic as well as Greek and Hebrew. Her unusual education as well as her intelligence has made her unwilling to accept the standard role forced upon women. When her parents betroth her to a rich man many years her senior, she is horrified and powerless.
Her older brother Judas has been banished from the home because of his association with zealots who are actively rebelling against Roman rule. Judas and Ana are close and he supports her in her resistance to marrying this man who has a reputation for cruelty. Ultimately, Ana's unconventional actions result in her narrowly missing being stoned in the streets. A young laborer who she glimpsed in the market place once before rescues her. His name is Jesus.
The author has researched the customs of this time period making her fictional characters come alive and her story believable. As always, Sue Monk Kidd's writing is exceptional.

What an unusual book! Ana is a 14-year-old girl living with her well-to-do parents and adopted brother Judas in the 1st century in the pre-Israel area of the Middle East. Although women have no power and no education, Ana, independent and headstrong, learns to read and write, and loves creating stories about women. Ana is betrothed to an older man, a marriage arranged by her father for financial reasons. Then, Ana meets a young man in the market - Jesus. Yes, THAT Jesus. From that point on, the lives of Ana and Jesus are intertwined forever.

The book is a brilliant blending of the fictional story of Ana with the Biblical story of Jesus. I loved Ana's strong spirit and admirable bravery. The writing is beautifully descriptive and flows effortlessly. The story is an intriguing tale of a fictional woman whom I would love to have known. Excellent!

Thanks to NetGalley for providing an ARC.

The Book Of Longings is a gorgeous retelling of the Jesus of Nazareth story form the view of his wife, Ana. Ana is a strong female character who learns to write when many women were not encouraged. Sue Monk Kidd does a beautiful job recreating life in Galilee for Ana, her family and her brave Aunt Yaltha. Ana goes from her wealthy family to living with Jesus's family in humble dwellings. Risking her life to save a friend, she then has to flea to Egypt at the same time Jesus begins his ministry. This book is a real page turner. Sue Monk Kidd creates memorable characters. Fans of her will love this story!

What a more interest-catching first sentence than "I am Ana. I was the wife of Jesus..." With that sentence begins a journey of not Jesus, a man we know a lot about while knowing nothing at all, but Ana, his fictional wife, holding up a mirror to the lives of women during that ancient time. Ana goes from her wealthy beginnings as a politicians daughter, to humbling dwellings as the wife of a poor carpenter, to a woman on the run from powerful men. It's Ana's story that is being told with the backdrop being the life of the world's most famous man.

This book was well researched with well developed characters. I almost wish Ana didn't have to be anyone's wife in order for her story to be told but that was the times she lived in (and in some ways we still live in today).

I loved this book. Imagining that the historical Jesus was married, we read through the fictionalized biography of his wife. She is a fiercely independent woman, born in a time when submission is valued. However, she finds in her husband, Jesus, a man who is not only willing to accept her as she is, but also a man who celebrates the "thunder" inside her. Treading respectfully with biblical and historical figures, while also humanizing them, this novel will appeal to the religious and non-religious alike. The writing is beautiful and lyrical, and reflects a story that is similarly beautiful. I will be handing this to everyone I can think of.

So THE BOOK OF LONGINGSSue Monk Kidd
I must be honest: I was very reluctant to read this book, but was very surprised and enjoyed it thoroughly.It is a work of carefully and meticulously researched historical fiction, and requires the reader to make , as G. K. Chesterton would have said , a leap of faith.
It pictures a MARRIED Jesus, and also an alternative explanation for the betrayal of Jesus by Judas. Having said that, it is very much about Ana, the fictional wife of Jesus. It really is HER book, and she is the central character-headstrong even as a child, intelligent, educated at her insistence in skills not deemed fit for women at the time, she is essentially a forerunner for the liberated women of modern times.One is left to wonder how different religion and christianity and woman’s role in it had her role been known.
And , in addition to all the above, it is an education for the reader into the Jewish customs at the time. All in all, quite a read, particularly so given that I read it during Christian Holy Week.

One of my all-time favorite books is The Invention of Wings by Sue Monk Kidd. When given the opportunity to read and review her latest book, I jumped at the chance. As with Wings, Kidd was able to take a well-known topic and craft an engaging story about a little-known part of it by seamlessly weaving together fiction and non-fiction.

The Book of Longings is the story of Ana, a young woman who has a talent for writing, but will lose all opportunity to express herself when she is forced into an arranged marriage. She encounters many characters, both cruel and kind during her odyssey to self-actualization. One of the people she meets, and later marries, is Jesus.

This was a very daring premise on the part of Kidd, but her in-depth research does not preclude Jesus from having a wife. The years of his life from 12-30 are unknown. Women were often side characters in the Bible. Kidd states, “In first-century Jewish world of Galilee, marriage was so utterly normative, it more or less went without saying.” It was likely Jesus would have been shamed by not taking a wife. Over the ensuing centuries, it became emphasized that Jesus was not married, and also during this time women were marginalized in the world. She asks how the Western world might be different today if Jesus had been married and his wife’s story had been told?

There will be much discussion about this book and I am sure many strong opinions will be held. I enjoyed the book and found the premise thought-provoking. Had it not been written by Sue Monk Kidd, the topic and time period would not have piqued my interest and I would have passed over this book. In my opinion it falls quite short of The Invention of Wings (as does most fiction), but it is a well-written read that I recommend.

Thank you to NetGalley and Viking Books for the eARC in return for an unbiased review.

This was an amazing book! I am not religious, but I was still drawn into the story, and I found myself crying at Jesu's cruxifixction as if I was a devout christian. Sue Monk Kidd has once again hit it out of the park. I fell in love.

Sue Monk Kidd is an artist and risk-taking author of the highest order. This book will make its headlines because is asks the question, "what if Jesus had a wife?", but that's only the question that provides the exoskeleton for a story of woman and women in a time when women were largely invisible. Ana is a 14 year old Jewish girl born into a wealthy family in Sepphoris, a wealthy Roman community ruled by Herod Antipas. Antipas is know for his cruelty, harsh ruling and is the employer of Ana's father, Herod's scribe and advisor. Both parents are self-involved schemers more interested in maintaing their wealth and status than their squalor of their people or Herod's perversities. Ana's support and confidant is her Aunt Yaltha, a scorned woman who's been dumped on Ana's parents who tolerate her in their home as long as she remains a quiet and shadowy presence. Ana has been indulged by her father in learning to read and write as that is her salvation in a society where women are meant not to be heard and rarely to be seen. Ana yearns for her voice to be heard and her quest is the central theme of the novel. When Ana's parents arrange her marriage to an older merchant, Ana's world seismically shifts and is the catalyst for the rest of this engaging and informative tale that follows Ana's joys, fears, danger and sorrows over the next 40+ years, which includes her marriage to Jesus. The author writes this novel having done considerable research in order to weave a fictional tale backed by historical fact about the society and events of that time. She is the voice of Ana and captures the spirit and longings of a young girl yearning for respect and acknowledgement in a repressed society where penalites for female independence are harsh and cruel. I couldn't put this book down and found it a perfect read for this time and place. While the subject matter of the book is bound to cause some controversy, the author's gutsy move in writing it and the conservations that might ensue as a result, make it all worthwhile, in my opinion.

The Book of Longings is a work of fiction.

Ana, the daughter of the chief scribe to Herod expresses her longings to be remembered throughout time in this pseudo-diary account of her life. She wants the world to know what life was like for a woman in the time of Herod and Pontius Pilate - and what  life would look like if you buck the system.

Her story is a simple but harsh one. Women, in general, had no rights. They're property to use and misuse. Wealthy men use their daughters as bargaining chips to enhance their wealth and power. The lower class women live lives of arduous physical labor while bearing child after child.

Sue Monk Kidd has chosen to present Ana as representative of all women - rich and poor- who dare to speak out, who seek recognition to make an impact on their own as  individuals; women with the right to chose their own futures and live their own dreams.

Ana's early childhood in an upper class home was unorthodox. She preferred learning foreign languages and idles away time in her father's library developing talents as a scribe. Her relationship with her mother is contentious as Ana refuses to learn skills necessary to become a subservient wife. Her relationship with her father is distant. He doesn't so much indulge Ana as overlook her quirky behavior with disinterest.

When Ana is fourteen-years-old, she begins her menses, and is quickly betrothed by her father to an old beetle-eyed and cruel landowner. Ana's introduction to her betrothed is a public spectacle in the heart of the marketplace intended to highlight the high status of both families. Her reaction upon meeting her intended was to faint dead-away. She is rescued from her fall by a young bearded man who visage brings on "odd smelting" in her thighs.

The old goat croaks before the marriage takes place. And more importantly before it is consummated. The death marks Ana's future as it is assumed that the betrothed Ana is no longer a virgin thus useless baggage to society. Ana at fourteen-years-old, is seen as a widow facing a bleak future through no fault of her own.

Ana defies social custom and wanders the forest and hills nearby for solace and discovers a cave - and in the cave she discovers the kind savior from the market, the young peasant, praying. They introduce themselves and she learns his name is Jesus. This unlikely duo form a close friendship that ultimately leads to marriage.

There is no doubt that Ana and Jesus love each other unconditionally. In one touching scene, Ana earns the endearing nickname "Little Thunder" as Jesus overhears some internal struggle occurring inside her gut while she slept. She, expresses her love, by calling him Beloved.

For Ana, moving to Jesus's family compound filled with siblings and their spouses is a shock. She has to partake in harsh physical tasks that she assumes to the best of her ability. In time, their marriage is strained as Jesus begins to realize that he has a mission from God that he must fulfill and begins to spend massive amounts of time away from Ana. The day arrives that Jesus tells Ana that he must go on alone to discover what he must do to fulfill his predestined future.

Ana never gives up on Jesus. Her life, after he leaves her, is one tragic day after another. With the help of other enlightened people, she is provided the means to document her story returning to her own passion as a scribe. Through Ana we follow the final days of Jesus concluding with his death. We feel her agony as she witnesses his final steps burdened with the weight of the cross. We cry with her as she stands at the foot of the cross.

Reviewer's Note:
Phew. This was a hard one. It took me a couple of weeks to address this review. Here is it is, Easter weekend 2020, sheltering in my home. Ana's story is powerful but being married to our Savior, Jesus Christ of Nazareth will always beg top billing.

The book, well-researched, at times felt stilted and started out slowly in my estimation. Things did speed up as familiar Biblical names and scenes entered the story line. By the end of the book, I was in tears.

Now with the world crushed by Covid-19, and several of my family valiantly serving on the medical front lines, my nerves are on edge and affects how I perceive or react to things. This prickly reaction to things, that in the past would roll off my back like water off a duck, most certainly affected my review of this fiction that touches sensitive religious topics.

Ana's need for her husband, Jesus, to be "just a man" bumps up against his insatiable need to serve his God. After years of my viewing Jesus in stained glass windows rocking a halo it felt, at times, strange to see him described as a plain and simple man, just like the rest of us poor souls. Vulnerable and weak. I am not a deeply religious person so my discomfort was surprising to me.

Thanks to the Netgalley and the publisher for the privilege of reading and reviewing this ARC.

Jesus's early adult life is largely a mystery and in this novel, Sue Monk Kidd explores the question: what if Jesus married as was expected of 20 year old men in that time? Ana, the fictional character that marries Jesus, is much more that just Jesus's wife and Judas's sister. She is a strong, intelligent woman who stands up for her beliefs and women's rights. Her story is woven into events and characters from the New Testament in an engrossing believable way. Very enjoyable book.