Kidd, Sue Monk

Don’t shy away from this historical fiction page-turner thinking that it falls into the inspirational genre. The intensity, bravery, and strength of character of Ana, wife of Jesus of Nazareth, as imagined by Kidd (The Invention of Wings; The Secret Life of Bees) will inspire readers but in a different way: to live authentically and remain true to oneself.

An exceptional audiobook—this story is not to be missed. ["This richly imagined narrative brings both black history and women's history to life with an unsentimental story of women who became sisters under the skin," read the starred review of the Viking hc, LJ 11/1/13; see the Q&A with author Kidd on this page.]

This richly imagined narrative brings both black history and women's history to life with an unsentimental story of two women who became sisters under the skin—Handful, a slave in body whose mind roves freely and widely, and "owner" Sarah, whose mind is shackled by family and society. [See Prepub Alert, 7/8/13.]