I picked this one up for the premise. I love books. I love movies. I love Nora Ephron. But I found the plot to be predictable and honestly a little corny. But sometimes that's what you need; it didn't resonate with me. I give this book 2 stars, knowing full well that another person may rate it differently.

Initially I wasn't sure how someone could write such a long book about journaling. Well, it's also about mindfulness, treating yourself gently, learning from mistakes, setting goals, among other things. There's a lot of good stuff in this book, and now I'm fully on board with the belief that bullet journaling can be life changing - if that's what you want to use it for. It can also be for making lists and schedules, too!

I grew up in a conservative church, so the premise of this book was strange at first. But I ended up really enjoying this book, for the way it portrayed Ana as a relatable, human being. Jesus was written as multi-faceted character, gentle and intellectual and angry and playful, but always loving. I thought the world Sue Monk Kidd created was immersive and beautiful and raw, and quite cruel at times, as it must have been.

I enjoyed these stories very much. It was a good reminder and a way to acknowledge what women have gone through before I came along. A story about women fighting for the right to vote, a woman who had to hide her true identities to do what she loved, women who couldn't own property.. but they all wanted a voice. My favorite story comes in the second chapter, but I think each one is relatable in its own right.

It’s got that story within a story thing going on. Elements of the movie are definitely there, but it was convoluted and too wink-wink for me. If you enjoy silliness and absurdity, I think you’d like the book though.

The audiobook, narrated by Cherry Jones, was great. The experience of listening to the stories was enriched by her voice, as well as the occasional snippets of singing and fiddle playing. As I listened, I tried to figure out what has given these books longevity. I can only conclude that there is something about listening to stories about regular people facing and overcoming hardships. It almost seems like you could live and even thrive in those times, difficult as they must have been (grasshoppers ughhh), with the steady presence of Pa and Ma and their pioneer spirit. I admire Mrs. Wilder for her ability to convey our shared humanity through her stories, in spite of how different those times were compared to now.