Kidd’s brilliance shines through on so many levels, but not the least in her masterful, reverential approach to capturing Jesus of Nazareth as a fully human young man in his 20s. Yaltha is indeed a fascinating character, who sees and experiences tragedy but refuses to be victimized. How many authors would take this on? But her painstaking research and artful crafting of setting and character ensures that The Book of Longings is not just an extraordinary novel, but one with lasting power. It is clear from the first page that Kidd is courageous in imagining the life of Jesus as a married man. The Book of Longings is well named, well inspired, and well imagined-a superlative effort from a writer at the top of her game. So artfully does Kidd involve the reader with the vibrance and passion of Ana, of the hazard she experiences in a man’s world, of her determined persona and her love for Jesus - that by the time she reunites with her beloved after a long absence.there is little to buffer feelings of loss and tragedy and sorrow. Anyone who reads this novel will feel the impending doom inherent in this historic tale. he sense of longing that she creates between these two souls as they endure many forced separations bears testament to the novel’s title and makes for an emotional journey. She does her homework many times over in all directions, digging for and finding many details that paint a vivid picture not only of Jesus the man, but the interwoven intricacies of the natural, political and religious world surrounding Jesus prior to his ministry. novelist Sue Monk Kidd takes on this high concept challenge and gives it her best.

The book longings