This is the story of the fictional wife of Jesus.
I enjoyed this book from a historical point of view but the story felt that at times it was mocking the bible which didn’t sit well with me.

Due to a sudden, unexpected passing in the family a few years ago and another more recently and my subsequent (mental) health issues stemming from that, I was unable to download this book in time to review it before it was archived as I did not visit this site for several years after the bereavements. This meant I didn't read or venture onto netgalley for years as not only did it remind me of that person as they shared my passion for reading, but I also struggled to maintain interest in anything due to overwhelming depression. I was therefore unable to download this title in time and so I couldn't give a review as it wasn't successfully acquired before it was archived. The second issue that has happened with some of my other books is that I had them downloaded to one particular device and said device is now defunct, so I have no access to those books anymore, sadly.

This means I can't leave an accurate reflection of my feelings towards the book as I am unable to read it now and so I am leaving a message of explanation instead. I am now back to reading and reviewing full time as once considerable time had passed I have found that books have been helping me significantly in terms of my mindset and mental health - this was after having no interest in anything for quite a number of years after the passings. Anything requested and approved will be read and a review written and posted to Amazon (where I am a Hall of Famer & Top Reviewer), Goodreads (where I have several thousand friends and the same amount who follow my reviews) and Waterstones (or Barnes & Noble if the publisher is American based). Thank you for the opportunity and apologies for the inconvenience.

The Book of Longings is a captivating historical novel written by the incomparable Sue Monk Kidd. Through Ana’s story, Kidd gives readers a front row seat to the dramatic and revolutionary events in 1st century Palestine.

Ana is an unconventional woman with extraordinary gifts and dreams that lead her to reject the loveless marriage her father intends for her. Her life intersects with Jesus and the rest of her fate is laid before the reader as she stands strong and brave in the face of impossible odds. Kidd’s portrayal of the women and their lives in 1st century Palestine gives a fresh and much-needed perspective to an oft-misunderstood culture and history.

The Book of Longings is a captivating and moving read, from the lively and entertaining plot, to the intriguing characters, to the powerful themes it explores. Its deep respect for faith, truth and compassion make this novel truly unforgettable. Sue Monk Kidd’s immense talent for bringing history to life is on full display, and will stay with you long after you turn the last page.

Please note that this book is not for me - I have read the book, However I had to DNF and because i do not like to give negative reviews I will not review this book fully - there is no specific reason for not liking this book. I found it a struggle to read and did not enjoy trying to force myself to read this book.

Apologies for any inconvenience caused and thank you for the opportunity to read this book

I am Ana.

I was the wife of Jesus.

But we know from the bible that Jesus did not have a wife. What this book does is weave in a, but what if he did have a wife? We know little about Jesus through his youth and early adult years, and in Galilean society it would be normal for a man to have a wife. In fact, it was expected so it is likely that Jesus was married at some point in his life.

So this is Ana’s story. Jesus is a character in her life, and almost a perimeter character in this book. We don’t hear his voice, or what his thoughts and feelings are. We hear Ana’s.

This is not a controversial novel, and it doesn’t rewrite the bible, or weave conspiracy theories. This is a novel of women living in Galilean society during the 1st century. Its meticulously researched, and the women’s voices were shouting out to be heard, which the author does.

I have already re-read this novel for a Facebook “Book Club”, and I suspect that its going to be come one of the big summer’s reads of the year.

Definitely recommend, and for me it’s a rare five stars.

if Jesus Christ had a wife. And the roles of women in this era. A wonderfully written story with a really intricate plot.

Highly recommended. There are no references to Jesus having a wife, but in 1st century Galilean society it would have been the norm. So, Sue Monk Kidd's fictional account of Ana is believable and compelling. It is the tale of an educated, curious and courageous woman, who is married to Jesus. And although Jesus, and the other disciples all appear in the novel, it is the women (some real, some imagined) who have the main roles, and it is their voices we hear. What happens to her fully explains why we know nothing about her, but the premise is believable, and the reason why women's role in the church over the centuries has been as limited as it has.

The historical background, and societies in places like Alexandria, Bethany, Nazareth are well-researched and accurate. And it is definitely a far better premise than books such as 'The Da Vinci Code'!!!!! Please read it.

With thanks to NetGalley and Tinder Press for an advance copy.

In first-century Judea women had no voice, they were chattels controlled by their families with no rights. Ana grows up as a pampered only child but when her father betroths her to an older man for financial gain she realises the life ahead of her. A chance encounter with a young and charismatic man gives her an escape but fate is chasing both their lives.
There is much discourse about this book and its 'heretical' tale which spoils the fact that actually it is just a really good story about woman's fight for a voice. I particularly liked the alternative biblical story but that is my taste. The research about life in Roman-occupied Judea and also Alexandria is meticulous and I found the customs fascinating. In fact the only thing I found to ring a little false were a couple of plot jumps. If Monk Kidd had changed a couple of names and kept the same plot then it would still be a good book, there were false 'messiahs' throughout Judea at this time and they were treated in the same way. For those that feel that the plot is sacrilegious, don't read, otherwise enjoy an entertaining tale with a slant of female rights.

For many can associate Sue Monk Kidd when her debut novel ‘The Secret Life of Bees’ became a worldwide phenomenon. From churning out one bestseller to another, The Book of Longings is her latest outing which deals with a pretty controversial topic which might surely raise a few eyebrows. Here is my take on why this book should be your pick for this month.

I was provided with a NetGalley of this book in exchange of an honest review.

‘I am Ana.
I was the wife of Jesus..’

The book starts with this pretty controversial statement and deals with the story of Ana. Ana, born in a pretty influential family is much closer to her aunt Yaltha and her step-brother Judas. Twists of fate leads her to marriage with none other than Jesus of Nazareth. The novel is a fictional plot on how Jesus apparently realises his calling from God and how Ana learns to deal with the same.

Most of us would be aware of Dan Brown’s Da Vinci Code which approached the subject of Jesus’s heritage and had rolled up in huge controversies. This book though is from an entirely different genre and the author has tried her very best to stick to being as historically accurate as possible. One gets easily attached to Ana and how her life is being presented here. You see how Ana grown from a person who has been pretty carefree and how she develops as a person as age starts taking toll on her.

Some of the incidents that stand out from the rest of the book are one where Ana loses her child and also how the crucification was dealt with. The women were a central focus throughout the novel and not once the readers feel that Jesus takes the central stage and the author hence succeeds in what she is trying to achieve.

This is easily my most favourite book of the year till now and I would recommend everyone to read this with an open mind and take in the lessons that the book tries teaching us instead of being offended at such a crucial topic. Most recommended.

My Ratings – 🌟🌟🌟🌟 💫 (4.5 stars out of 5)

“When I am dust, sing these words over my bones: she was a voice”. This quote accurately summarizes Ana’s fierce spirit. She is a wondrously strong female protagonist, fighting against the tides of societal norms which act to forcibly restrain the rights, spirits and potentials of women during the years before Christ. Ana embodies a fiery will to express herself, and the women around her, through her writings, which was something almost unheard of in these dark days of the past. I admire Ana to no end - she is a truly amazing character, and I know I will miss her thunder!

This book is one which will stay with me forever, it is both powerful and endearing. On reading that this was the story of a woman who would become the wife of Jesus, I knew that this was a piece of literature to behold, and one that I just had to read. The writing is incredible, it is beautiful and fierce. At times, this book proved a difficult read - nothing at all to do with the language, but wholly to do with content. However, these emotive scenes truly add to the desperation of the times.

In a world where we still strive for equality, it is fascinating to look back through the looking glass to our fellow women of the past and to behold on how far we’ve truly come. The character of Ana is loveable, admirable, courageous and empowering. I found myself at times, when reading this book, almost wanting to cheer as she fought against the societal norms - the cage - that women of Ana’s days were ensnared in.

I seriously cannot recommend this book enough. It is a beautiful piece of literary fiction, it is awe inspiring, and it is also the fictional story of a woman who happened to become married to possibly the most reknowned man ever to have walked the planet - Jesus. This is not a retelling of the biblical tales which we all associate with Jesus himself, and it’s so interesting to read this tale of Ana, his wife, and to behold Jesus as just a man...a man with beliefs...but a man all the same.

Ana builds many strong bonds of friendship and family throughout this novel - something we can all relate to. We walk through her life hand in hand with her - from a tender young age where she’s full of sprite and eager to change the world one word at a time - to her later years as she reflects on her triumphs and tribulations. I cannot see that a book so housed around a literate woman who’s determined to document the experiences of so many of the women she has encountered throughout her life, can be anything but appealing. She writes her stories to cement in history the wrongdoings of societies past, and to fill in the gaps of stories that will become famed but have largely holes in them - secret spaces, where the women surrounding these stories dwelled. Voices that needed to be heard, and stories that needed to be told. Amazing.

I have been a fan of Sue Monk Kidd's for a long time, so I knew I would more than likely enjoy this book, What I didn't expect was to be completely blown away by it.

"The Book of Longings" is the story of Ana, a precocious young woman raised in a wealthy family in first century Sepphoris. Encouraged by her formidable aunt, Ana engages her talents to record the details of silenced women from history, and when she meets a young man named Jesus, the two of them are drawn together by their shared philosophies and spiritual beliefs.

One of the things I loved most is that while of course the novel is centred around the story of Jesus, Ana is the axle on which the story turns. Although Jesus is incredibly important to the story, it is Ana who is the central protagonist; Ana who the reader who invests in; Ana who tells the story. I also loved that the author keeps the story very measured and balanced - though Jesus is portrayed as a spiritual man, a holy man, there is no hint of miracles here, just a very human Jesus, and I enjoyed the story more for seeing this humbler narrative. This is a Jesus I can get behind - a normal man who incited political change for the good of the people.

I really fell for Ana as a character - smart, honourable, loyal, fierce, and unimaginably brave. I loved how the author took well known Biblical stories and characters and used them in ways that made the situations and characters more real - Ana being the woman who was almost stoned, for example, makes the reader see how the beliefs of the time could be twisted, and people - especially women - unfairly punished.

I love historical fiction, but this felt to me like something much greater than a book about people who may or not have lived once - it was a commentary on politics, on feminism, on women in historical culture, on love, on ideology, and on honour. I absolutely loved it, and will be gifting copies like mad.

Intelligent, incisive, and beautifully executed, this is a novel I will be thinking about for a long time.

Thank you to NetGalley and to the publisher of this novel for giving me a free ARC copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

This book is about Ana, Jesus's fictional wife, rather than about Jesus himself. Jesus is portrayed only in as much as he impacted her life and is not the main character. She is fourteen at the beginning of the book and unlike most girls of the period is literate. In many ways that is the main theme of the story. The author gives a voice to women of the time who have been silenced through history. As interesting as that is, I could not help but feel that Ana was a 21st century woman transplanted into history and with a modern feminist attitude.

That said, I loved reading about how strong these women were. At a time when nothing more than marriage, and that of their fathers choice, would have been expected for them. Ana in particular, has quite other ideas. She is headstrong, resolute and determined to live life through her own choices. She makes for a compelling character.

The meticulous research needed for this book has clearly been well done and has resulted in a book which is carefully told. The chapter in which the crucifixion is described has been movingly portrayed not only by the way the author describes the brutality of such an execution, but she brought alive how it must have felt to stand at the foot of that cross watching their husband, son, friend die in such an horrific manner.

The book is rich in atmosphere and imaginatively written. She evokes the sights, sounds and smells of the period which made for a captivating and compelling read.

A very intriguing story based on the premise of "what if Jesus had a wife?" I liked that it is written from his wife's point of view and feeds off the theory that some of the books of the bible may have been composed by women or other ideas that those written by women were later edited out to create the modern version. It focusses on the idea of Jesus as a real person who was trying to do what was right rather than a mythologised version who performs miracles. I am not a Christian so could not say how it compares with the bible beyond my rudimentary knowledge of the stories. I am also not certain how true this interpretation is to the culture of the region at that time. It does feel slightly like a modern Western take on the culture and society and perhaps just missed out on some authenticity in the telling which is why I only gave it four stars.

The Book of Longings by Sue Monk Kidd

'When I am dust, sing the words over my bones; she was a voice'.

Opening in the year 16CE, the novel introduces us to 14 year old Ana, a girl who, unusually for the time, is able to read and write. Encouraged by her trusted aunt Yaltha, Ana initially writes the stories of the women she has read mention of in the Torah, and later on of those she has known herself.

'She tapped the bone over my chest, striking it to life. "Write what's inside here, inside your holy of holies", she told me'.

Following a chance meeting in the marketplace, and subsequent encounters with the then 18 year old Jesus, Ana admires his kindness and egalitarianism and her eyes are opened to his philosophy. Various circumstances enable their marriage which lowers her status, and although her husband acknowledges her desire to write, their humble existence in Nazareth largely prevents this. Opportunity arises later in Ana's life when she is entrusted work as a scribe, and she is able to pursue her own writing secretly once more. Courageous and curious despite difficulties in her adult life, Ana holds within both the desire and ability to document the experiences of the women that she knows will be otherwise lost from history

Ana, although a fictional character, is entirely convincing and not just because of her encounters with genuine individuals of history, but because the author's account of daily life is meticulously detailed. Entirely in the first person, the novel allows us a view of the world and civilisations we have read of before but through female eyes; Ana arriving at the Library of Alexandria is for me a highlight of the novel.

First and foremost, this is the story of the silence of women in history; feminist yet refreshingly so. As expected, there are frustrations aplenty in the lives of Ana and other female characters, however the fist-pump moments of joy and satisfaction are superbly timed throughout.

This is Ana's story, and the life of Jesus the historical man is important within Ana's narrative but his is the subplot. As the author notes in her afterward, no-one knows whether Jesus married or not, yet according to Jewish law and custom it would be unusual for a man of his age in that time not to do so. I do worry that this single strand of the book will be fixated on. This story is great, I'd rather not get caught up arguing over historical accuracies and just accept this for what it is; an absolutely superb novel set in a fascinating era with amazing detail, characters and plot, and an emotionally uplifting end.

five stars

The author notes read:
’If Jesus actually did have a wife, and history unfolded exactly the way it has, then she would be the most silenced woman in history, and the woman most in need of a voice. I’ve tried to give her one.’

She’s absolutely done so, in the same vein as Pat Barker’s ‘The Silence of the Girls’ - a wonderful tale of women in a time when their stories were marginalised or untold.

I think it's a very spiritual book, not religious or simply historical but spiritual as it talks to your spirit and makes you reflect on what you're reading.
It's the first book I read by this author and I fell in love with the style of writing.
Ana is a complex and interesting character, a bit too modern, but complex and well thought.
I loved how the author describes her relationship with Jesus who is seen as a man.
This is a poignant and brilliant story that made me sad when it ended.
I strongly recommend it.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

Ana is a very unusual young woman for her time. From a very young age she has been interested in reading, writing and learning - pursuits deemed, not only unnecessary for a female, but most unseemly for a girl who should be thinking just of marriage and motherhood.

But Ana's position as the only child of head scribe to Herod Antipas, tetrarch of Galilee, has put her in the privileged position of being able to study as much as her disapproving mother will allow and she spends the precious moments she devotes to her beloved studies copying the words of the matriarchs of the scriptures onto scrolls that she keeps in a chest in her room.

Ana is rebellious at heart and wants more than the life her parents have marked out for her, and she is encouraged by her aunt Yaltha - herself a woman of learning and unconventional notions. So when she meets the young Jesus, his ideas and passion call to her, and she longs to be free of the marriage contract her parents have arranged to further their ambitions.

Yaltha emboldens Ana to express her inner desires in prayer. Ana wants to be "a voice" and to be free to choose her own fate in this world, and her life is about to change in ways she could never have imagined - for Ana is about to become the wife of Jesus of Nazareth.

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Where do I even start to try to do justice to the beautifully written and utterly compelling The Book of Longings, by the writer of the sublime The Secret Life of Bees?

In this book, Sue Monk Kidd has taken on the mammoth, and might I say, incredibly brave task of reimagining the life of Jesus as one in which he had a wife - rather than being the celibate and scholarly single man we are used to hearing about. For a number of years now, it has seemed to me to be somewhat of an anachronism that a man of the first century, living the life that Jesus is said to have lived, is always described as being unmarried. So I was looking forward to reading this book enormously and as soon as I read the first line I knew I was going to be in for a treat - it made the hairs stand up on the back of my neck!

I am Ana. I was the wife of Jesus ben Joseph of Nazareth.

I was curious about how Sue Monk Kidd would tackle Jesus himself in her book. I am not a religious person, but can appreciate that there was a difficult path to be walked with this one. But our author takes exactly the right line, from the perspective of a novelist, and not from a religious stance. As such she has produced a book which is full of humanity and tenderness, which I found surprisingly touching. Ana is not married to a paragon, but to an ordinary man - one who is capable of great love as a son, a brother and a husband - albeit one who comes to see himself as a man with a singular purpose.

She takes just the right amount of what we have read about Jesus from the Bible and works this into her story, in a way which gives The Book of Longings very wide appeal - I particularly enjoyed the way Judas has such a central role to play in this book, and the way his part plays out in these pages gave me real pause for thought.

However, from the very beginning, Sue Monk Kidd's intentions are clear about where she wants to take us with her novel. This is going to be Ana's story. It is obvious that Ana's journey is going to be one fraught with difficulties, as we cannot fail to be aware of the fate of the man she marries, but this is ultimately a book that sings the song of female friendship and power - that gives voice to Ana, and her small group of female companions.

And what a fabulous cast of female characters we have - all of them women of unfathomable inner strength, who support, and transform each other. It is the voices of the women who sing out from these pages. The women who have been silenced and made invisible over time. It is the women who carry this story and their struggle is still relevant today.

The Book of Longings is the most incredible book and one which will stay with me for a very long time. Trust me, it is one you are really going to want to read.

This is not a story I’d usually read but I’m glad I did.

It’s a historical read and the story of Jesus fictional wife Ana. There are many years that we don’t know about Jesus. This author has took a gamble and wrote a story about if he did marry. She pulled it off nicely.

Even with my religious childhood I could still get my head around that this was fiction. I’ll definitely be wanting to read more from this author in the future.

The Book of Longings is the story of Ana, an educated, intelligent and strong willed young woman, all characteristics that embarrass her parents and make her stand out in society. Under the control her father, on the day she meets her future betrothed, a man much older than herself, she also meets Jesus. He seems to understand her, they share similar interests and he is willing to let her be her. Giving up her privileged lifestyle, she marries Jesus and starts a new life where she can shine and not be caged. This is Ana’s story, the the story of other marginalised women, who not matter what their station in life, are ruled by and owned by men.

The first thing to point out with this book is that it is an imagined story, there is no reference to Jesus being married in religious texts, but Sue Monk Kidd looks at what it would be like to be his wife if he did marry. This is historical fiction, and is not a theological text and is more about Jesus the man, the son, the brother, the carpenter and the husband. Ana’s story is the main focus of The Book of Longings, and through her we are witness to the important events of this period. Ana’s loves to read and write, not an attribute that is admired in a woman, and records the stories of the women left out from the Scriptures like Esther, Rebekah and Rachel. She also records the lives of the women she knows like her aunt Yaltha, her constant companion and her friend Tabitha; both stories are part of this book. Ana’s strength of character, and confidence shines through, as does her ability to adapt to different situations. She is betrothed to a man old enough to be her father, then her father wants to sell her as a concubine the Herod Antipas, and in both cases she is ready to defy him and her mother. She goes as far as giving up her privileged lifestyle, and her beloved papyrus and ink, to marry Jesus, where she has to learn to cook and look after animals as she becomes part of his larger family. Alongside Ana’s story, there is also the story of her aunt Yaltha, and her friend Tabitha, both mistreated and victims at the hands of the men, and whose shocking stories are explored in the book.

Sue Monk Kidd’s meticulous research shines through in this book; she really captures the zeitgeist of the period. This was a time of political and religious unrest that saw uprising against the Roman rule. The Jewish community felt marginalised and angry, as the the Roman occupation had seen many men killed and women sold into slavery. Included are some of the stories from the Bible, like The Good Samaritan and Jesus condemning the money lenders in the temple at Jerusalem. These and other Biblical references are treated with care and a reality that shows the humanity of Jesus, his kindness and compassion for all. The prose flows beautifully throughout the book, drawing you in and taking you on the journey with this incredible woman.

It was only after I started reading this that I realised it was Easter weekend, so perfect timing. The Book of Longings is the story of an inspiring woman, who wants to be heard in a society where history is written by men for men. Told with compassion, understanding and care we see a different view of Jesus, the man rather than the Messiah, conflicted and not sure of his place in life. Ana is a true heroine, a woman ahead of her time, who shows strength and courage when faced with challenges, a woman who wants not only her voice to be heard, but that of other woman as well. Thought provoking and ambitious this is an outstanding book that will stay with me for a long time.

I've been so looking forward to reading this but wanted to save it till Easter-time. "The Book Of Longings" is beautifully written. Sue Monk Kidd really brings the era and characters to life, combining research with imagination, fact with fiction. Narrator Ana is a wonderful creation and I loved her voice. I imagine the book will send some readers apoplectic so from that perspective it's a brave piece of work. I am glad that the author mustered her audacity. I found it really inspiring and heartwarming. A truly perfect Easter read.