Book Review: The Book of Longings by Sue Monk Kidd

 

5 BIG stars for The Book of Longings by Sue Monk Kidd. When I read the description for BOL, I didn't even raise an eyebrow with interest. But, I continued to see positive review after positive review from people who I KNOW read good stuff. I figured I could chance it. After all, I was already in a slump of reading slumps. 

Is the book about Jesus? Sort of. It's more about a strong woman named Ana, who doesn't fit into the mold society has set out for her. It's about the search for meaning, about women who see each other during difficult times in a world I am sure still exists today. And, about Jesus- this man Ana loves. There is a wonderful dance between fact and fiction, written so well, I was only able to enjoy it after I stopped trying to line up what I recalled about Jesus and let Ana tell her story. 

There are some deeply moving scenes in this book, as you can imagine. The notion that everyone has a largeness inside of them and a "voice," runs throughout the pages with such sensitivity, I continue to think about it after finishing the last page.. This book was so carefully and masterfully written, I doubt I will ever read anything that would touch me in the same ways. 

I highly recommend this book. I set aside another one to start it, with a lot of reluctance and a heap of hope that I would dig out from the reading slump I had been in. It may be my first read of 2021, but it will have a place on my shelf and in my heart for all the years I have left. 

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