The Book of Longings: A Novel

‘“Did this really happen?” Tabitha asked. “No, dear,” Yaltha said. “It’s not meant to be a factual story, but it’s still true.”’ (p57) This novel isn’t a retelling of the Gospels – it’s largely a fascinating, carefully researched parallel story about compelling fictional characters. Despite the author’s premise, Jesus plays a smaller role in the book than you might expect. Other Gospel figures make their appearance -- the author’s treatment of Judas and John the “Immerser” are especially strong -- but they are all secondary characters. The book is a thoughtful “what if” that hints at “why not.” Serious, faithful to its setting, and respectful, it invites readers to use their imagination to ponder profound questions. It’s undoubtedly risky to write a novel that rethinks material readers view as sacred in any sense of the word. When done well, however, the results can be spectacular, and that’s what happens here. Some of the book is what you’d expect – a creative backstory here, a clever new twist there. The big hook (a provocative “shocker” revealed in the first line in the book) isn’t exactly a new idea, and the feminist message, while heartfelt, sometimes feels heavy-handed. But these are quibbles – in my view, this is a powerful book. It’s certainly on a par with “The Red Tent”.

Today on “Y’all Have Got to Read This,” I have a book that will absolutely challenge the way you think about women during the time of Jesus. “The Book of Longings” by Sue Monk Kidd is a deeply serious, mentally demanding work—one that lingers long after you read the last word. Having grown up in a strict, fundamentalist religion, I was taught stories about Jesus from a very young age. In those stories, women played only small, supporting roles with Mary’s virgin birth being the largest exception. I was taught that Jesus never married or fell in love, as if such things were somehow beneath him. But as I grew older and learned more about the Jewish faith, I began to realize that a thirty-year-old man in that culture would have been expected to marry and have children. Even so, whenever I let myself imagine that, those early teachings rose up and shut the thought down. This book blew that wide open. Ana’s long and heartbreaking story, beginning with her wealthy upbringing and her early understanding that all of life is an economy. It follows her to Nazareth, where she lives with and eventually marries Jesus and his family. The story is beautifully written, often poetic, and it awed me with its imaginative, sensory detail. Yet I found myself feeling guilty for even allowing my mind to explore the images it created. Still, like Ana, I wanted to know more. I soaked up every page. By the end, I hurt for Ana the way you hurt for any woman who loses her husband in such a public, horrific way. Her grief over losing a child alone—and her longing to be with Jesus again—stays with me even now. Months later, when I think back on the story, strong emotions and vivid images still rise to the surface. No matter what you believe about Jesus or how you were raised, this is a powerful story about a woman who dared to want more from life than to be a wealthy man’s ornament. I gave it five stars. Any book that pushes your thinking the way this one did deserves the highest praise.

Spoilers It took a lot of "chutzpah" to write a novel about, not only a married Jesus, but a Jesus who had brothers and a sister and who sweated and smiled and presumably farted. As a non-Christian, I found the book incredibly refreshing. After years of being overshadowed by "The Big J," I felt I could make peace with Christianity after reading this book. Though the character of Jesus in this novel didn't perform miracles and magic, he was truly a mensch as Jews understand him. He was a believer. His prayers were sincere. He followed The Torah and he stood up to the Romans, demanding freedom for his people. He found something to love in some of the most unlovable characters and he suffered horribly for his beliefs. This is the story of Jesus as seen through the eyes of Ana, a well-to-do, intelligent Hebrew girl who spotted, and fell in love with a young Jesus at the marketplace. As her parents dragged her through the streets to marry her off to a widowed man old enough to be her father, she spots Jesus, and he haunts her thoughts and dreams. Though she's intelligent and independent, she cannot pursue her attraction. Her life as a Hebrew woman doesn't give her that power. She is destined only for marriage and motherhood. When her aged "fiance" suddenly dies, Ana is greatly relieved. But, her parents soon set her straight. She is damaged goods. By society, she is considered a widow, and is therefore not desirable. Her father attempts to sell his "damaged" daughter to Herod Antipas as a concubine. She escapes, chased by an official who calls her harlot and thief. She finds herself trapped and accused, and is nearly stoned by the crowds. Jesus appears and saves her life, urging he who is without sin to cast the first stone. He offers to marry her, and because she already loves him - and her future prospects are bleak - she marries him. The author's character development is incredible. Of special mention is Ana's aunt, Yaltha, a guiding force. in Ana's life. She follows Ana to live with Jesus's family, including his mother, Mary, and his three siblings. Yaltha is Ana's beloved teacher who helps her through the many trials and tribulations in her life. At first, I found it odd that the character of Jesus is not as well developed. I believe that's on purpose. The author is allowing room for interpretation by readers. As nebulous as Jesus appeared, he was a truly likable individual and witnessing his crucifixion through Ana's eyes brought tears to my eyes. The author handled a delicate subject with the utmost class and tact. This novel could have gone very wrong, but thanks to the skill and delicacy of the author it is a beautifully written, intelligent, and yes, spiritual, story.

I’m sad it’s over and will surely read it again! This book was a love to read!💙 Ana is Thunder

“It’s magical,” a writer friend said when describing Sue Monk Kidd’s The Book of Longings. Upon her recommendation, I promptly ordered it for my Kindle. Amazing writing. I love the way Kidd set it (the novel) up. We all know who Jesus is and that He died, but that doesn’t take away from the allure of the story. In the novel, He marries Ana, a young woman who must flee to Egypt with her aunt, and the reader knows what Ana might not: Christ’s mission has begun. While in Alexandria, Ana’s life is both sheltered and precarious. Curious and clever, she is quite the scholar, an unusual and dangerous combination in her world. She has a voice and uses it to write her ideas and longings. I’m well aware that there’s no mention of Christ being married in the Bible. In fact, we know nothing of His life from twelve to around thirty. But my purpose isn’t to argue about that. No one can win that discussion. In my imagination, I can picture Ana as Veronica, the woman who hands Christ a cloth to wipe his brow on the way to Golgotha. In other words, the book made the life of Jesus more real. I’m recommending the book because of its informative, fascinating, well-researched format and Kidd’s ability to make one contemplate social issues. It’s a story, several actually, but one immersed totally in the time and place of its occurrence. I’d never considered how hard Jesus’s family’s life must have been: how the Passover scene sounded, looked, and smelled: how dusty the road to Calvary was; and the dis-ease caused by occupation of the Romans. I knew these things, but Kidd’s thorough study and narrative style helped me visualize—feel immersed in—the life and times of Jesus. The narrative isn’t preachy, opinionated, or dogmatic. Yet somehow the reader feels the weight of social injustice, including gender inequality, as the story unfolds.

I could not put this book down. It consumed me. It's beautifully written. Sue Monk Kidd has such a way with words. Her words fill you with a sense of wonder. Unfortunately, that sense of wonder doesn't deliver. I cried in the opening chapter. Kidd opens up the place inside you that holds your deepest longings. She awakens them, and introduces you to the idea of blessing that and sharing that with God. She does a lot to promote women, and appreciate the feminine, which is also spectacular. Her portrayal of Jesus' human side is beautiful, showing the depth of His kindness and just how radical He is, which a lot of people don't realize. While I don't believe Jesus had a wife, I could get past the premise and enjoy the book for what it is. That said, that premise is made out to be the controversial or sacreligious part of the book -- IT ISN'T. What hit me first was the introduction of the worship of "Sophia," the feminine person of God, or the feminine personification of holy wisdom. This shook me up a bit...however, I am of the mind that God created us male and female, "in His image," meaning that He contains aspects of both femininity and masculinity within Himself. So although He most often presents as male/masculine and uses such metaphors, I wasn't super mad at this. However, the fact that Ana (and others) end up constantly praying to and praising Sophia -- but particularly in the growing absence of prayer addressed to God the Father, Yahweh, Lord, anything else -- seemed off to me. And there are many points in the book that seem to suggest a worship of a) the feminine, and b) the self. And yet even Sophia is not the worst part of this book. Kidd depicts Jesus as fully human, and not divine at all. Not only this, but she fails to even acknowledge that this was His claim, and in no uncertain terms! Jesus as a character in the book is very unsure of Himself and His calling. He never claims to be God or the Son, which is a blatant disregard for facts. You can disbelieve His claims. I would understand that. But the eye witness accounts, the many historical documents about Jesus that are not Scripture, and are even penned by people who were trying to disprove Jesus' divinity and ressurection -- while what they in fact did was prove that Jesus and His disciples did claim those things -- are completely ignored. I don't know what research she did for this book, which she claims was a lot, but even a glance will show this even just historically completely inaccurate. I understand it's fiction, but in the author's note it's clear that she believes all this to be entirely plausible. Kidd portrays Jesus as a kind man with radical ideas, who "took on the role" of the Messiah the people were expecting, "expecting God to do something." **SPOILERS BELOW** Even to the very end, Jesus is just a man who is crucified for political reasons. His death holds no meaning, and our narrator isn't around for anything afterwards. The wonder built throughout the book dissipates into nothingness. She never even hears the stories? I find that very hard to believe. Jesus is depicted as the "son of God" only insofar as that He felt God say to Him "I am your father now" in comfort during his grieving of his earthly father Joseph's death. And Ana is portrayed as the "daughter of Sophia." While this book lit my imagination and has many beautiful things to say about God's kingdom and nature, and about longings, and about femininity, and female solidarity, and much more -- it feels ultimately empty. Kidd did well to focus most of the story on Ana, not Jesus. And Ana is an unforgettable character who resonates with me on a soul level. Like her, I am filled with longings. A longing to be a Voice. For my writing to have meaning, and resonate with others. After this book, I began to pray about this and actually spend time sitting with God in those longings. And asking Him to bless them. My prayer sounds a lot like Ana's prayer. However, it feels much like all Ana's longings come to nothing in the end, and the sense of wonder and expectation with them. What seems to be portrayed as her greatest (written) work is a confusing and ambiguous poem written as a hymn to Sophia, but which seems more to be a worship of oneself and femininity, that doesn't sit well in my chest. On top of this, it doesn't even really sound like Ana's voice very much. This was explained by the fact that in the author's note, Kidd divulges that this poem is an actual one discovered from history buried in a clay jar with other writings, and has no authorial signature so is anonymous, but is believed to have been written by a woman. She assigned it to Ana. That's actually really cool! But it didn't feel very fulfilling in the actual story. I'm left with the sense that this girl whose lifelong dream, longing, "largeness", fire, and need was "to be a Voice" never truly realized that in a meaningful way. I'm left at the end of the book wondering what impact her words would have ever even had. While reading the book I thought, oh, maybe Ana will write something about Jesus, or something that shows how much God wants to empower women, or even just her story as His overlooked wife -- anything. But her words were mainly copies of female stories in the Bible, stories of the suffering of the women she knew (which, I agree, is powerful in itself. Though I wonder what power it could have had in her actual time), and an empty, somewhat blasphemous poem/song that is as confusing as it is disappointing. I'm also left wondering what the point was of her being married to Jesus in the story. Their stories obviously connect and cross, but as far as there being anything meaningful from their relationship, I don't know that I see it. It seems to have been more just a tool used by Kidd to get your attention, and make commentary throughout about God and His kingdom. But how does it impact Ana's story? Her arc is completely separate from Him. She says multiple times what she knew Jesus would do or say or how He would act in a certain situation, and then is like "that's not me though," and does something different -- what did she learn from Him? And what did she learn from Him that she didn't already know? Even her coming back to be there for His death didn't seem to make sense. I don't see how it drove the story forward. It was like taking a break from the story for something that was completely unrelated, just because it was obvious and had to be addressed. And it wasn't even a beautiful moment, because like I already said, His death has no meaning in this story. And it didn't seem to have any meaning even in Ana's story. I thought Sue Monk Kidd was a Christian, however loosey-goosey, liberal, and mystical I had vaguely heard of her to be. I'd heard her speak in a podcast and came away with the impression that she was a little out there but at least loved God/was a Christian. After reading this, though, and her author's note, I don't see how she could be. She doesn't believe in the one thing most central to our faith (and apparently not even historical accuracy). Although Kidd has inspired me, all this, combined with ideas and phrases like "I no longer believed in the God of rescue, only the God of presence," left me with a bad taste in my mouth. I love and hate this book, and cry for the book it could have been.

An extraordinary story set in the first century about a woman who finds her voice and her destiny, the fictional wife of Jesus. In her mesmerizing fourth work of fiction, THE BOOK OF LONGINGS (Viking, April 2020), Sue Monk Kidd takes a bold approach to history and brings to life the imagined story of a young woman named Ana, who becomes the wife of Jesus age 15. Raised in a wealthy family with ties to the ruler of Galilee, Ana is rebellious and ambitious, with a brilliant mind and a daring spirit. Ana 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 in a much more humble abode than what she grew up knowing. 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. But greater dangers–and revelations–unfold, and Ana finds refuge in unexpected surroundings. Ana’s fate is determined 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 timely and timeless, from a masterful writer. I found myself questioning what I thought I knew about the Bible, the life of Jesus, and wanting to discuss this tale. Plus, I completely identified and felt for Ana, a bright, passionate woman compelled to read and write. It was interesting to me, too, to see just how contemporary a biblical tale can be. There were a few parts in the last third of the narrative that seemed to go on a little too long (for me) and felt a tiny bit cumbersome, but otherwise, the writing was stunning and descriptive, making me feel as though I were right there, alongside Ana. The writing reminded me a lot of Margaret George's work, especially her most recent titles about Nero. You might also enjoy Anna Soloman's THE BOOK OF V (Henry Holt & Co, May 2020) interweaving various time frames and women, but notably Queen Esther from the Bible; also NAAMAH by Sarah Blake about the imagined life of the wife of Noah. L.Lindsay|Always with a Book

I almost didn’t read this and now I can’t believe I could have missed this wonderfully important story. When I went to college I discovered a love of history that was buried under years of learning only about men and the marks they made-good and bad- and I didn’t connect with it. In college I learned of the silenced women whose work was coopted by men at times or buried deep in discovered journals and written words under false names. This book brings to light the women in history who would have had much to say about the world in which they lived and in some instances were quite literally silenced by force or mutilation. There has always been speculation that important scrolls by women were hidden away and are yet to be found or were destroyed. The way the story is masterfully written keeping with the history of the time and the art of painting the depth of love and devotion during such human trials- it is deeply moving to read and experience. One can almost forget the story is about the wife of Jesus and find yourself hoping that the inevitable ending doesn’t happen as you are pulled into this wonderful story of family and love and endurance.

Es una maravilla. Está lleno de sabiduría. Hermosas descripciones. Precisión histórica. Maravillosamente imaginado. No pude dejar de leerlo.

You don't have to be religious to read and enjoy this book. When I got to the end and read the author's note, I learned the book was actually made to show a life where "Jesus Christ" had a wife - a female figure that would have normally been silenced at that time. So really interesting to learn more about women at the time, traditions, relationships and a nice twist between what is "known" from Jesus' story and a made up (potential and probable) story that blends so well.

Ho letto questo libro in inglese. Adoro questa autrice, ha un modo di descrizione bellissima e si percepisce tutta la ricerca messa nel racconto. Per chi ama il suo lavoro lo consiglio questo libro.

Easy enjoyable piece of fiction.

As a religious studies teacher I was hesitant when this was suggested by my book club. However, it was well written with a good basis of historical research. More importantly though it poignantly told the story of women and was a refreshing interpretation of feminist theology. The book seemed to encapsulate Rosemary Radford Reuthers’ belief that an encounter with God/Goddess (Being) can only be achieved when women have encountered themselves. I did find the pace a little challenging at the beginning, but it soon became an engrossing read that I couldn’t put down. I am (and always have been) an atheist but I did not find anything preachy, which was a relief - an enjoyable and thought provoking read.