The Book of Longings

The Book of Longings by Sue Monk Kidd
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

What an ambitious and brave thing to decide to write a book from the perspective of the wife of Jesus. I heard Sue Monk Kidd interviewed on Brene Brown's podcast and had to read this book after hearing her talk through how this was the book she was born to write.

It's such an interesting and insightful book about what life might have been like for women in that time period. I can't say it was fun to read because you know that ultimately the main character's husband is going to be killed, but it was a compelling story from beginning to end. I appreciated the exploration of female voice and the value of those voices. As someone who personally believes that Jesus was married, though that detail is not recorded, I liked Kidd's imagining of who that woman might have been.

Reading this book was not a spiritual experience for me. It was a novel through and through, and I don't think you need to be religious to appreciate Kidd's attempt to fictionalize one of the world's most powerful narratives.

Happy reading--