When Ana commits a brazen act that puts her in peril, she flees to Alexandria, where startling revelations and greater dangers unfold, and she finds refuge in unexpected surroundings. She is sustained by her fearless aunt Yaltha, who harbors a compelling secret. Ana’s pent-up longings intensify amid the turbulent resistance to Rome’s occupation of Israel, partially led by her brother, Judas. Their marriage evolves with love and conflict, humor and pathos in Nazareth, where Ana makes a home with Jesus, his brothers, and their mother, Mary. An encounter with eighteen-year-old Jesus changes everything. Ana is expected to marry an older widower, a prospect that horrifies her.

She engages in furtive scholarly pursuits and writes narratives about neglected and silenced women. Raised in a wealthy family with ties to the ruler of Galilee, she is rebellious and ambitious, with a brilliant mind and a daring spirit. In her mesmerizing fourth work of fiction, Sue Monk Kidd takes an audacious approach to history and brings her acclaimed narrative gifts to imagine the story of a young woman named Ana. This means that if you choose to purchase, I’ll make a small commission.) The Book of Longings Synopsis If you enjoyed the book, be sure to read to the end of this guide for three more books like The Book of Longings. Finally, we’ve curated a few quotes from book reviews to put you in touch with the world’s reaction to this groundbreaking novel. These questions should draw out the different perspectives and insights among your book club members. Next, we’ve crafted 10 The Book of Longing book club questions. First, we’ve provided a synopsis of The Book of Longings, to help you keep track of the major plot points.

Our discussion guide for The Book of Longings is designed to enrich your book club’s analysis of the novel. How do women experience spirituality in a religious system dominated by men? How can we both protect and support the women we love in a society where oppression is the norm? Is it enough to long for a brighter future, or should we sacrifice everything we have to bring that future into existence? We’re here to help you approach these themes and others with our list of The Book of Longings book club questions. Kidd unearths many questions as she tunnels towards her novel’s central theme. The most recent bestselling novel by Sue Monk Kidd, The Book of Longings humanizes the dramatic Biblical world and sheds a modern light on characters whose revolutionary personalities made them ahead of their time.

Since your book club was prepared to take on a controversial novel, The Book of Longings is sure to spark your conversation.

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