The Dance of the Dissident Daughter 
The acclaimed spiritual memoir from the author of The Secret Life of Bees
I was amazed to find that I had no idea how to unfold my spiritual life in a feminine way. I was surprised and, in fact, a little terrified when I found myself in the middle of a feminist spiritual reawakening.
Sue Monk was a "conventionally religious, churchgoing woman, a traditional wife and mother" with a thriving career as a Christian writer until she began to question her role as a woman in her culture, her family, and her church. From a jarring encounter with sexism in a suburban drugstore to monastery retreats and rituals in the caves of Crete, Kidd takes readers through the fear, anger, healing, and transformation of her awakening. Retaining a meaningful connection "with the deep song of Christianity," she opens the door for traditional Christian women to discover a spirituality that speaks directly to them and provides inspiring wisdom for all who struggle to embrace their full humanity.
Reviews
The author shares a deeply personal and spiritual journey. Kidd discovers that her Christian life is not fulfilling, so she embraces the Feminine Divine. Kidd's story provides the same opportunity for enlightenment regardless of whether you choose a Christian or non-Christian path. This hope, that women find their inner strength and beauty, and then spread that strength and beauty, can be moving and life-changing for anyone, if you are ready and open to the experience.
One thing I appreciate about Kidd's book is that she doesn't tell you what's right and what's wrong. She challenges you to empower yourself to seek your own truth, to seek your own feminine balance. I agree with another reviewer that she sometimes makes some sweeping generalizations. And, although I identified with many aspects of her story, I did find that her focus on feminine oppression was a bit much for me.
I have purchased this book as a gift for all of my closest girlfriends. I hope they capture half as much peace and meaning from Kidd's words as I did. My personal journey is not the same as Kidd's, but I am grateful for the light she has shed on the path.
While its okay as a light read, it won't satisfy your want of solid religious/historical information.
As much as I empathized with her, however, I found the writing less than engaging. Kidd spends much time detailing every twist and turn of her spiritual journey, in prose far below the quality of that found in her fictional work. She is particuarly fond of narrating events which clearly have enormous personal significance to her (encounters with wild animals, dream sequences), but which fall flat when transcribed.
I was also not impressed with her scholarship. While the book is certainly not meant as feminist academic work, I had hoped that the level of her discussion would leave the strictly introductory, which it did not.
On the whole, while less than brilliant, the book is well worth reading- especially if you're a fan of Sue Monk Kidd, a Christian, a feminist, a spiritual seeker, or some combination of the above.