This novel is the story of Ana, the wife of Jesus. Sue Monk Kidd makes the fictional leap that Jesus, like most Jewish males of his time and place, would have married around the age of 20, which fits in nicely with the gap in knowledge about Jesus's life between the ages of 12 and 30. Ana is an aspiring scribe in a male-dominated world, the novel telling of her youth, scandal, marriage to Jesus, and exile to Egypt. Another review described the book as losing focus once Ana arrives in Egypt but the book is Ana's - it's about her life, her world, her "longings."

This is the most luminous book I’ve ever read. It brings a feast of emotions and is masterfully crafted. Five glorious stars!

This is my first book by Sue Monk Kidd. I've hope that the rest of her books are just as compelling as this was. As the reader, I was awash in emotion. The longing, grief and joy was so overwhelmingly well done.

I have found past books with a Jewish main narrator difficult to follow. I don't know much of the traditions or culture and that makes it hard to really engage in a book because often, and understandably so, are written for the people of that culture. This novel incorporated a lot of Jewish aspects but also didn't assume the reader knew what the celebrations or specific words referred to. It is not simply a novel about Ana, a Jewish girl married to Jesus of Nazareth. It also incorporates Roman and Egyptian life. It is the life of a girl growing up with a dream that she struggles to give voice to.

When people say that a story is a journey- this is a novel that falls into that category. I wept with Ana, I scolded her with Yaltha and I hoped for her with Jesus. I say this not as someone who is particularly religious but I was enthralled by this book. 6/5 stars.

Thank you netgalley for the ARC.

<i>The Book of Longings</i> by Sue Monk Kidd tells the fictional story of Ana the wife of Jesus. We meet Ana at the age of 14, the daughter of a wealthy palace official and on the brink of an arranged marriage to a much older man. However, Ana has dreams of her own that center on writing down the stories of women rather than being used as a commodity by her power & land hungry parents. When Ana meets a young carpenter who is also an outsider, she realizes that she can pursue a different path than her parents intend for her.

It took me a while to get into the book, but once I did I adored Ana and the other women in the book (especially Tabitha, she's such a vivid, incredible character). Some parts drag a little (the beginning, the time in Haran's house, for example), but I still enjoyed this story so much. The story is very much Ana's story, while obviously Jesus is a presence in the book, it's not as strong as you might think. Ana and the women take center stage, and the book is better for it.

This book is going to be the big book club book of the year and for good reason.

Thank you Netgalley for the ARC of this book.

It is always interesting to read another author’s take on the life of Jesus via those around him. Sue Monk Kidd does an excellent job. Her historical research is always right on. It did seem a bit of a stretch to get the main character into various locations and situations while being true to the social norms of the time but SMK made a valiant attempt. It is fiction, And it is good fiction. I enjoyed the possibilities presented by the story.

In A Book of Longings Sue Monk Kidd proposes that Jesus was married. She introduces us to his imagined wife, a strong woman who wants her voice to be heard. A very interesting and well told story.

This book was brilliant. Well researched and written as well as absorbing and captivating. I loved it. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher!

Imaginative. Thought-provoking. Sue Monk Kidd is such a great writer and it is deserving of any and all buzz. If you're a fan of historical fiction than you won't be disappointed!

Sue Monk Kidd does not disappoint in her newest book, “The Book of Longings.” I was captivated by Ana who became the wife of Jesus and a voice for women. The story lifted my heart with the thoughts of strong women who helped us achieve what we have today.Through Ana’s eyes and voice we experience how women were treated and why it was so difficult for them to break the bonds that held them. This novel is an ode to all women, may they find the courage to lift their voices.

“I am Ana. I was the wife of Jesus of Nazareth. I am a voice.”

A re-imagined story of the life of Jesus. Did Jesus marry? If so, who was his wife? Sue Monk Kidd has taken the possibilities and created a very readable story. Marriage and a family would have been the norm at the time of Jesus, and the Bible says nothing either way on this. Ana was the daughter of Herod Antipas's chief scribe, and, as such, she learned to read and write, with materials brought home by her father and a tutor hired by her father. Ana wanted to be heard, but it was forbidden that women would know how to do this.

The history has been well researched. It can stand alone as an historical novel. The characters are believable and have depth. Most people reading this will not be offended by the ideas presented, but will be able to see them as possibilities.

Oh, I loved this book. I was intrigued with the story of Ana from the beginning.

When we meet the main character, she is a feisty girl of 14 living with her parents during the time right before Jesus begins his ministry with his disciples. Ana ultimately ends up marrying Jesus and this is the story of her life, with his story only framing the feminist story of woman with boundaries, dreams and tenacity.

We follow Ana through the ups and downs of her life and feel like we know the longings of her heart. As a woman, the desires and largeness of her dreams are the same that I hold in my heart as well. This story is timeless. The added layer of being the wife of Christ was secondary to me but quite intriguing in its own right.

So excited for Sue Monk Kidd to give this gift to her readers.
#NetGalley #BookofLongings

While I love the book, Secret Life of Bees---I could not get past he first page. As soon as I saw it was a "bible
story with characters from the Old Testament, I was out. I was raised Catholic, so I have some sense of religious figures---just not something I care to read about. I guess I should have read the description. I don't like books with religious undertones...

This was an unexpected direction for Kidd's fiction, hearkening back more to her early non-fiction like "Dance of the Dissident Daughter." It was a spectacular read and will be a thought-provoking selection for book groups, but may ruffle some religiously conservative feathers.

Epic and Otherworldly
You will feel like you are in another place and time while reading this. . .

Kidd has done it again! I am a long time fan of Kidd's work. When reading one of Kidd's books you can tell the time and dedication she put into her writing and research. To write a factual, historical fiction novel, extensive research is required. In this book, it is evident that meticulous time and effort was poured into the telling of this magnificent story. This book tells a biblical story of Jesus and his wife Ana. So interesting! If you enjoyed Anita Diamant's The Red Tent, you will undoubtedly enjoy this. I felt completely transported to another time and place. I will absolutely be recommending this to my friends and customers!

This is a most interesting book, since it is historical fiction about one of history's most well known men, Jesus, told in first person by Ana who becomes his wife. Many of the Bible's stories about Jesus are woven into Ana's telling. Ana is the daughter of a wealthy scribe, and has been taught to read and write by her father who serves as the scribe for the Romans. Political unrest and a strong sense of her own "longings" lead to a life of upheaval and unrest, mixed with great accomplishments. As a young teenager, she happens to meet Jesus in the market place and it changes everything for her. The author's research into the times and her knowledge of biblical accounts of Jesus' life are evident. Sometimes Ana's trials seem a bit far fetched, but always interesting. There is beautiful imagery of many things...the cruelty of not just Romans against Jews, but of fathers against strong willed daughters, etc. No overt religious teaching will interfere with the reader's enjoyment of this book.

The author in the notes tells us that although their are no known accounts of Jesus ever having wed, that research shows that it is highly likely. The reader will genuinely come to know and like Ana, his wife.

I recommend this book.

This intriguing novel inserts a wife (who is a scholar) into the classic bible version of Jesus. The reader is taken on the journey with familiar characters in the Christian tradition, but is pushed to envision them in a new light as real humans. “What if” is the premise, and a reader who opens their mind to the possibility is enriched by feeling what the back story might have been to the recorded biblical events. The wonderful story of the heart of Christianity is embellished with a new imagining.

Honestly, I picked up this galley just because of the author's name. After reading the first two lines, I didn't want to like this book. I am so glad I kept going! Ms. Kidd has written a very compelling story of Ana. The depth and breadth of research is evident. This is an intriguing glimpse into what life might have been like for females during the lifetime of Jesus.

So eloquently woven, you are left wondering where the truth becomes fictional. Sue Monk Kidd makes biblical stories more humanistic. The story of a strong woman who makes keeping of the stories her mission in life is inspirational.

An interesting look at the time and place that Jesus lived from a unique voice. Recommend to readers of historical fiction or those who like a good "woman-centered" tale.

When Ana, who is the daughter of an influential Jew working in Antipas' employ, meets a laborer in the hills outside of her village, she is mesmerized by his manner and his compassion. Sue Monk Kidd approaches this relationship in an unique, and to some, controversial way. Ana tries to find her way in a society that gives little freedom or credit to women. This novel challenges standardized viewpoints in a thoughtful and moving manner and will be a great novel for book groups.