Review: "The Book Of Longings"

The Book Of Longings

Written By Cindy Dineen

Sue Monk Kidd’s latest novel, The Book of Longings, is one to savor, inviting the reader into a biblical world where women have a voice and a brain.  A beautiful, sad, strength-filled story told from the perspective of Ana, the daughter of Herod’s chief scribe. Kidd deftly spins her well researched tale of a girl who’s father wishes she were a boy, but values Ana’s intelligence enough to provide her with education far above standards of the day.  Ana’s ambitious mother is only interested in social status, power, and compliance to social norms, even if it means consigning her daughter to concubine status.  And Ana,well, Ana only wants to be free to write, to create and to choose for herself what her life will become. 

As blasphemous as it may sound, Jesus is a minor character in the novel.  Kidd weaves historical biblical events into Ana’s life and relationships to shine a light on Ana’s character, and her relationship with Jesus shows Ana’s strength, her honesty, stubbornness, and her tenderness.  There is no co-dependency in their relationship, but rather a mutual respect and understanding that each had a life to lead that was not predicated on dominance of one partner’s needs.  It is a gift to see how  Ana and Jesus support each other’s calling without forsaking their own journey.  Judas’ role as Ana’s adopted beloved brother stays true to biblical tradition.  Ana shows the reader her heart as she grieves Judas’s actions while understanding his compulsion.

The Book of Longings is a brave book, tackling issues of birth control, women’s rights, sexual choice, family relationships, tyranny, and slavery, from a historical lens that somehow manages to mirror back to 2020.

The very best novels cause one to think about the book long after the last page has been read. This is that kind of book for me. I find myself thinking as I ponder current events, “what would Ana do?”  Perhaps it will have a similar impact on you. Regardless, I invite you to read Ana’s story in The Book of Longings...perhaps you will find strength, wisdom and new courage on your journey.