THE BOOK OF LONGINGS by Sue Monk Kidd

I like that Sue Monk Kidd tackles some sticky subjects.  Here she surmises that Jesus had a wife named Ana, who was the stepsister of Judas.  In Kidd’s imagining, Ana does not participate in Jesus’s ministry but her “longings” lie with having her own voice manifested through her writings.  I applaud the idea of this book much more than the actuality.  Kidd’s writing style does not turn me on, and by the end of this book I was tired of living in the world of the first century A.D.  I also admire the prodigious research that certainly went into the writing of this novel, and perhaps the historical nature of the book is partly what made reading it somewhat of a chore.  Ana moves from a privileged but unloving household to a completely different life as a carpenter’s wife, where she has to learn how to milk goats and make bread.  Yawn.  Plus, we all know how Jesus’s life ends, so there is no suspense there.  The author steers clear of miracles—no mention of turning water into wine or the loaves and fishes that fed a multitude or the resurrection, for that matter.  I think this was a wise choice, as it allows us to see Jesus as a loving husband who happens to have a calling from God.  This novel, however, is Ana’s story, and Kidd comes up with some adventures for her, as Ana seems to be constantly fleeing the authorities, along with her beloved aunt, who herself has spent years in exile.  And heaven forbid that women should travel alone.  Therefore, Kidd has had to insert a loyal servant into the story to help with evasive maneuvers and other such activities.  These were not easy times for independent women, but the consequences were even more dire for men preaching love and humility.