A Review of Sue Kidd's Book of Longings

Have you ever wondered if Jesus was married? I had never really given it much thought until I read “The Book of Longings” by Sue Monk Kidd. It is a novel about the wife of Jesus.

I was first introduced to Sue Monk Kidd’s writings many years ago when she wrote articles for Guideposts magazine. I have read her three previous novels. “The Secret Life of Bees” is one of my favorite books and the movie is really good, too! So, when I saw “The Book of Longings” on the shelf at the Hope Library (which is one of my favorite places to visit), I grabbed it right up! But when I read the synopsis inside the front cover, I was a little skeptical. Jesus married? I don’t know about that. Well, it does say “A Novel” on the cover, so I thought I’d give it a try.

As I started reading, I realized that the book isn’t so much about Jesus or his marriage, but about the girl he married. Her name is Ana. Her father is the head scribe and counselor to Herod Antipas. Ana begs her father to bring home papyrus to write on, teaches herself Hebrew so she can read “The Torah” and is educated by tutors. Neither her father nor her mother thinks that a girl should have these aspirations and are embarrassed. After only hearing from the rabbis about the men in Scriptures, once Ana was able to read the Scriptures, she discovers there were actually women. Ana takes it upon herself to write the stories of the matriarchs, such as Eve, Sarah, Rachel, and Leah to name just a few. However, she has to keep all of her writings hidden. There is a quote from the book that says, “A man’s holy of holies contains God’s laws, but inside a woman’s there are only longings.” Ana is a woman with her own quest—that of following her longings in pursuit of the largeness inside herself.

Being told in Ana’s voice, this book is a first-person look at the role of women living in a time, place, and culture devised to keep them quiet. Because of a bold act that puts her in danger, Ana has to run away and is separated from Jesus. Men are trying to silence and imprison her; women are trying to give her refuge and protect her.

Sue Monk Kidd says, “The story is imagined, but I’ve tried through extensive research to be true to its historical, cultural, political, and religious backdrop.” I recognized many people and events I have read about in the Bible, which made the story more interesting to me. However, even if you have no knowledge of biblical events, “The Book of Longings” is a great read. I encourage you to check it out!