Having been powerfully moved by "The Invention of Wings" and "The Secret Life of Bees", I knew Kidd to be a thorough researcher of her books. That holds true for this most recent work. Her premise is: What if the Scriptures are silent about Jesus being married? As I have matured, I have often wrestled with many of the mysteries of God and His Word. Believing that it is inspired and fully relevant today, I read it with an eye to what I need to act upon. However, I have also wondered and questioned about the missing details. There is a gap of time in the Gospels between Jesus speaking as a 12 year old to the religious leaders in the temple, and his public ministry beginning at age 30. What happened? What kind of a young man was he? Who were his friends? What kind of relationship did he have with his family?
In her Author's Note, Kidd states "The story is imagined, but I have tried through extensive research to be true to its historical, cultural, political, and religious backdrop." She further explains that this wasn't written about Jesus, but Ana. Ana captured her mind and heart, and she developed her story around this young girl who had a dream to write, when the culture said that she shouldn't and couldn't. I liked Ana's spirit, her courage, her "rebel" heart. No, Kidd did not persuade me to believe Jesus was married; but she writes about the possibility with passion and purpose....and the story line is fascinating.
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