THE BOOK OF LONGINGS by Sue Monk Kidd

The Book of Longings by Sue Monk Kidd
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Personal Rating: A+
I cannot gush harder about how much i adored this book!!!

When my friend suggested we read the book I wasn't sure what to think. I was immediately intrigued by the spicy take of Jesus having a wife, it gave me vibes of THE RED TENT by Anita Diamant (which I LOVED), and I think Sue Monk Kidd is an amazing author (See THE SECRET LIFE OF BEES). So I jumped at opportunity to dig into this one.

Let me start by saying that I'm not a religious person but I grew up in a strict religious christian household and my husband is catholic - so I do have a background of understanding what this book means to some. My husband was offended by the concept, so I get it. However, I am also someone who understands that fiction is fiction, and no matter what your beliefs - sometimes taking the "what if" can be fun - even if you believe it couldnt be true.

What I didn't expect was that this book would be so respectful of religion and so acurate to the historical time period. She didn't step into the areas where different religions conflict. She stuck to the story of this brave and amazing woman, and while Jesus was important to the story - he was also not the focus. It was so beautifully written and everything that i didn't know I needed in my life right now.

Being brought up in a Christian household I was not aware of any Jewish traditions or terminology and this book had me so intrigued that i spent the first few chapters googling everything to get proper background. What I read on google about the timeline of the story was accurate to historical events (and where she changed things she noted in the authors notes).

The characters were so well developed and their stories were touching and vibrant and tragic. I even cried during the scenes leading to the crucifixion of Jesus. This book made me feel so many amazing feelings, i cannot say enough good things about this wonderful book.

If you are even remotely interested in the idea of this book - READ IT. You will not be disappointed.

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