the read: The Book of Longings by Sue Monk Kidd
the rating: 9.5 / 10
the recap: I was hooked from the moment I read this story is historical fiction set during the life of Jesus. Not only that, the protagonist is Jesus's WIFE . . . What?!
Our main character Ana is a wealthy young woman living in first-century Galilee, destined for political marriage and a life of domesticity. However, Ana is feisty and strong-willed; she dreams of writing and giving a voice to women silenced by history. Throughout the novel, she grapples with her faith and identity in a culture which inherently suppresses the longings of her heart. When she meets 20-year old Jesus of Nazareth, Ana seizes a chance to pursue love, justice, and a calling greater than herself.
gold: "How would the Western world be different if Jesus had married and his wife been included in his story?" The Book of Longings has made a huge impression on me because of its well-developed provocations and feminist implications like this one. As soon as I put down the book, I was at a loss for words, honestly, because of how Ana completely changes how to consider and re-consider the story of Jesus. I have always been fascinated and confounded by the mystery of his unrecorded years, and now I also wonder at the absence of a female partner for a man who was expected to marry in this time period. Then Ana stepped into the narrative, initiating so many exciting questions and thoughts.
What if, what if, what if?
What if, during the unrecorded middle years of Jesus's life he did fall in love and marry? What if, that woman was somehow overshadowed and forgotten by time? In the author's note, Kidd proposes, "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." Woah.
I love that Ana's identity comes from so much more than simply being Jesus's wife. He treats her as an equal, a counterpart, and the two often mirror each other in their beliefs and passions. Jesus grows closer to God; Ana bonds with Sophia (the female aspect of God). Jesus champions the "mamzers" (outcasts, people judged or scorned by society), and Ana champions silenced women. They empower and support one another through so many ups and downs.
Among so many dynamic Biblical characters—Judas, Mary and Salome, Mary of Bethany, etc.—my favorite characters were actually the new ones of Kidd's imagination. It's within these characters the theme of family and sisterhood develops and flourishes. Yaltha, Ana's aunt, becomes her primary role model and mother figure, sticking by her neice's side no matter the circumstances. She is the one who encourages Ana to keep writing even when hearts break and words fail. Yaltha and Ana embark on a beautiful journey together and form a new family of their own along the way. In Tabitha, Lavi, Skepsis, and Diodora, Ana finds the people who believe in her and her calling even when she does not. They make true sacrifices for each other and push both social and legal boundaries to fight for what is right, for love. The interdependence is extremely empowering for not only women but anyone who has a dream, who has experienced loneliness and suffering, and found a group of people with whom to rise up.
I must also mention that this book, its characters, and its setting radiate due to a backdrop of spectacular research on the author's part. The way she integrates Ana into Jesus's story, into Roman-occupied Galilee, into the Therapeutae (a historical religious community in Alexandria), into Scriptural mystery and, specifically, The Thunder: Perfect Mind is masterfully crafted, to the point where I could believe this to be plausible truth. Amidst these details, Kidd develops a transcendent story that I could not put down.
bronze: I must say, what I found perplexing about this novel is Ana's attitude toward Jesus the Messiah. While his family and friends address him as "Master," Ana never appears to believe he is the true Son of God. She never overtly grapples with the question, and her lack of conviction on this front minimizes the weight of the crucifixion/end of the novel in general.
Perhaps this could be attributed to Ana being absent during the peak of Jesus's ministry; she witnesses his activism and religious devotion but not his miracles, sermons, gatherings, etc. She does not even know his disciples. Consequently, has she missed his message altogether? At his death, she sees her husband, not God's Son. She never even mentions the resurrection, still believing years later that Jesus is dead. When he (spoiler) appears to hear after death, Ana brushes it off as a figment of her imagination.
I recognize that this is Ana's, not Jesus's, story. Even so, I would have liked to see her at least consider the question: is my husband actually the Messiah, the King of the Jews, the Son of God? Doesn't she wonder how things escalated so extremely to the point that Rome wants him executed? Maybe it's just me, but if I were Ana, I'd want to know every detail of his ministry. I'd think back to all those moments that accumulated over years, how he treated her and everyone else, and what he said about God. When Ana moves on with her life without doing this and distances herself from the upheaval in Jersualem . . . I found that hard to believe.
personal feels: One of my favorite things about historical fiction is that despite knowing how the story must ultimately end, the climax and conclusion somehow still manage to surprise me. I was moved to tears at the end—and multiple times at that. The moment that has lingered the most was Jesus appearing years later, offering peace and reassurance to his widow by saying simply, "Ana, I never left."
The way this story humanizes Jesus was brilliant. I think often his story feels, well, like a story, rather than a reality I can envision and feel. At first, I was upset this book omitted the more Gospel-y parts of Jesus—his miracles and sermons, the resurrection. However, the more I think about it, whereas the Scriptures usually promote the divine side of Jesus, this story compelled me to see first the human side of Jesus. The humanizing effect was spell-bounding and so so thought-provoking. Did adolescent Jesus already know he was the Son of God? Or was he, like me, struggling with identity and destiny? Did he too long for love and kinship? At roughly my own age/stage of life, this version of Jesus is much more relatable and heartening than the traditional holier-than-thou depiction. No one knows what happened at this point of his life; it is actually far more plausible this guy in his 20s did fall in love, or experience those feelings at some level. To resist such natural temptations and desires . . . I mean, he wasn't an automaton; he was HUMAN!
Suffice it say, witnessing the humanity of Jesus in Ana's story has given me a lot to contemplate, and I love it.
recommendation: READ IT! Whether you are familiar with the Gospels or not, Ana's story radiates power and passion every step of the way. The authenticity of the characters and the richness of the setting, which Kidd obviously researched very thoroughly, capture you into the story and don't let go. You will leave this book only wanting more.
"It's always a marvel when one's pain doesn't settle into bitterness, but brings forth kindness instead."
- The Book of Longings, Sue Monk Kidd