Reviews

The Book of Longings by Sue Monk Kidd

isidora's review against another edition

informative sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.5

Goed bedacht en onderzocht, zo had het best kunnen zijn als Jezus een vrouw had. Verder wat weinig diepgang, vooral een voortzetting van het plot en de hoofdboodschap: hoe vrouwen uit de geschiedenis gewist zijn. Niet slecht.

bronski's review against another edition

4.0

You don't need to be religious to enjoy this story. The focus is on Ana, a strong female voice in a time that silenced women.

pelumiii's review against another edition

reflective

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

the_escape_artist_'s review against another edition

5.0

I really enjoyed this book. Highly recommend.

cassiepeachy's review against another edition

4.0

As a reader, I appreciate a trustworthy author who can bring a factual story to life with fiction based on research. No doctrine is speculated within the story. A narrative created of both documented and imagined events and feelings by which I was deeply edified.

lauracooleyjohnson's review against another edition

3.0

I give this book 3 stars. I know lots of people loved it, so this may be an unpopular review as a result. It could be that I’m flawed. But I read for pleasure, and my star ratings are often about how much enjoyment I got out of a book. And this one wasn’t that enjoyable for me. It was well written and seemed well-researched. The premise was that Jesus was married, and the book is narrated by his wife, Ana. And while she lived in a historically interesting time, her story itself wasn’t that interesting to me. The author was making a bold stand about the un-sung heroics of women in history, and Ana is a bold feminist for her time. So that’s kinda cool, but again, just not that fun for me to read. It’s like the Academy Awards: The well-crafted movies might get the awards, but they aren’t always the box office hits. Book of Longings is like that for me: I appreciate the craft, but I’m not pulling out the popcorn on a Friday night to read this.

jennyluwho's review against another edition

4.0

‘The aim of the novelist is not only to hold up a mirror to the world, but to imagine what’s possible.’ What a fascinating take on Biblical characters.

myworldtoread's review against another edition

emotional inspiring reflective sad fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

bibi003's review against another edition

5.0

I absolutely loved this novel. It has everything I look for in a soul-affirming feminist story: brilliant, powerful women working against a patriarchal system; sisterhood; and the courageous pursuit of one's dreams, despite society's best efforts to squash them.

In the style of Diamant's "The Red Tent," Sue Monk Kidd gives a voice and life to the forgotten women of the Bible. Although the character of Ana is imagined (we don't know of Jesus was married or not), this book inspires me to question how the past 2000 years could have been different if women's stories had been told and their voices heard all along.

This book made me so happy and so sad. I cried so hard I woke up my kids. Read this book if you love to be punched really hard in the feels in the best possible way.

jayco's review against another edition

5.0

I don’t believe in god, but I do believe in stories and this is a beautiful one.