The Red Tent: A Novel: Tenth-Anniversary Edition

published	August 21st 2007 by Picador
first published	1997
binding	Paperback
isbn	0312427298 (isbn13: 9780312427290)
ebook
pages	336
description	The red tent is the place where women gathered during their cycles of birthing, menses, and even illness. Like the conversations and mysteries held wi...more [close] The red tent is the place where women gathered during their cycles of birthing, menses, and even illness. Like the conversations and mysteries held within this feminine tent, this sweeping piece of fiction offers an insider's look at the daily life of a biblical sorority of mothers and wives and their one and only daughter, Dinah. Told in the voice of Jacob's daughter Dinah (who only received a glimpse of recognition in the Book of Genesis), we are privy to the fascinating feminine characters who bled within the red tent. In a confiding and poetic voice, Dinah whispers stories of her four mothers, Rachel, Leah, Zilpah, and Bilhah--all wives to Jacob, and each one embodying unique feminine traits. As she reveals these sensual and emotionally charged stories we learn of birthing miracles, slaves, artisans, household gods, and sisterhood secrets. Eventually Dinah delves into her own saga of betrayals, grief, and a call to midwifery. "Like any sisters who live together and share a husband, my mother and aunties spun a sticky web of loyalties and grudges," Anita Diamant writes in the voice of Dinah. "They traded secrets like bracelets, and these were handed down to me the only surviving girl. They told me things I was too young to hear. They held my face between their hands and made me swear to remember." Remembering women's earthy stories and passionate history is indeed the theme of this magnificent book. In fact, it's been said that The Red Tent is what the Bible might have been had it been written by God's daughters, instead of her sons. --Gail Hudson [close]
date added	01-23-07 edit book

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Juushika added it (review of isbn 0312353766)

03/05/08

bookshelves: owned

Read in March, 2008

In the Bible, the character Dinah appears as a brief detour in the story of her father Jacob and his sons. In The Red Tent, Dinah is the narrator, telling the story behind the myth, what actually happened to her mothers and to herself (as imagined by Diamant) both before and after her marriage and the murder of her husband and his family. The novel intends to tell the story of the women in the Bible, but—while Diamant conceives Dinah's story in realistic detail—Dinah has no agen...more In the Bible, the character Dinah appears as a brief detour in the story of her father Jacob and his sons. In The Red Tent, Dinah is the narrator, telling the story behind the myth, what actually happened to her mothers and to herself (as imagined by Diamant) both before and after her marriage and the murder of her husband and his family. The novel intends to tell the story of the women in the Bible, but—while Diamant conceives Dinah's story in realistic detail—Dinah has no agency, and the plot stops and starts not with the actions and lives of women, but rather by their husbands, sons, and other male influences. The novel also suffers from unimpressive writing, but it was the male-directed action that disappointed me most and which prevented the novel from fulfilling its intentions. I found this book frustrating and limited, and while it has some potential, I do not recommend it.

The first section of the book ("My Mother's Stories") begins, "Their stories began the day my father appeared" (pg 7). Although not indicative of its entirety, this sentence does set the tone for the rest of the book. The novel intends to be the story of Biblical women, and does delve into women's practices and their time spent in the menstrual hut (the red tent of the title), but the women's characterizations and purpose, the arcs of the plot, and even the female-specific occupations and locations, are all centered around male influence. Jacob's wives are introduced when Jacob appears, and described largely in reference to how they interacted with and appealed to him. Dinah's story begins with her mothers as wives and moves into herself as wife, herself as widow, herself as mother, and then herself as wife and sister (to her brother). In periods where she cannot be categorized by a male relation (for example, after her son goes to school and before she remarries), Dinah does literally nothing, and entire years of inactivity pass in a few paragraphs. Finally, even the female center, the Red Tent (which is forbidden to men, and the home of birth, menstruation, and femininity) focuses energy on being able to produce, conceiving, and producing children by men, in particular male heirs.

To a certain extent, this masculine focus is necessary and unavoidable. The roles of women and men in this era were both structured and limited, and writing a book in which women were social equals to men would be more fallacy than fiction. However, while I expected and accepted differences in gender status and equality, Diamant could have written a book about women within that world—perhaps by decreasing the story's scope, she could have written more about their interpersonal relationships or other struggles and stories that wouldn't latter appear in the Bible. By any number of means, she could have given her characters lives and interests outside of or not strictly defined by masculine influence; she could have given Dinah a sense of agency and self-direction, rather than allowing men, or failing men older women, or failing older women absolutely nothing at all, direct the course of her life. Dinah only does one thing by herself, for herself, with her own power—and when this event occurs, it is so out of place in contrast to the rest of the book that it feels like a different character takes her place—and leaves just as quickly.

Diamant's writing style lacks vivacity and is largely unremarkable; the cast of characters is so numerous that many character descriptions seem no more detailed than the genealogies of the Bible. Conversely, the plot is detailed and differs enough from the Bible myth that it does indeed seem to be the real story behind the story we know. These various strengths and weaknesses effectually annul each other, and my final impression of this book was merely frustration and dissatisfaction: Diamant promised the story of Biblical women, and instead delivered the story of Biblical women as conceived, influenced, and determined by men. While The Red Tent has the potential to be good, it fails to deliver, and instead left me feeling cheated. It would be lovely to see the lives of women, women with personalties, with desires, living under the circumstances and restrictions of their time while still maintaining their own character. That would have been a great book. But this wasn't that book, and the book that this is I don't recommend....less

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Skylar rated it:

(review of isbn 0312353766)

12/31/07

bookshelves: judaism, literature

recommends it for: People who think the "Gospel of Thomas" is actually revolutionary

The Red Tent is (very) loosely based on the story of Dinah in Genesis, and it is a book that is very easy to read. Dinah's tale is one that deserves fleshing out; in the Bible it is an interesting though undeveloped and uncertain chronicle. The author does a fairly decent job of developing her female characters, her male characters are largely flat, stereotypical, and unnecessarily negative. In the Bible, the characters of Jacob and Joseph are more well-rounded; they are humans with both fault...more The Red Tent is (very) loosely based on the story of Dinah in Genesis, and it is a book that is very easy to read. Dinah's tale is one that deserves fleshing out; in the Bible it is an interesting though undeveloped and uncertain chronicle. The author does a fairly decent job of developing her female characters, her male characters are largely flat, stereotypical, and unnecessarily negative. In the Bible, the characters of Jacob and Joseph are more well-rounded; they are humans with both faults and virtues, moments of greatness and of pettiness. In Diamant’s novel, we largely see only one side to these men--the downside. We never get any sense that they are worth caring about, that there is any emotion within in them that we, as readers, can relate to. The narrator states that Jacob was devastated by Joseph's reported death, but we have no reason to believe it, since the author has neither developed nor depicted any love or affection between them. Although Diamant seems to be developing something interesting in the nature of Judah, she quickly drops the matter.

The author unnecessarily, I believe, alters some segments of the Biblical narrative. She even suggests that the significant, divine naming of Israel (a true milestone in the Jewish story) was nothing more than Jacob's cowardly choice to change his name so as not to be associated with the slaughter in Schechem. When Rachel steals her father's household idol in the novel, Jacob seems both to know and yet not to care (at least for a long time). In the Bible, however, he thinks no one among him has taken it, and he basically says, "If anyone took it, let him die," in effect unknowingly cursing his beloved wife, who does die later in childbirth. Had Diamant not altered this point, it might have made for some wonderful pathos in the novel.

Despite being written by a Jewish author, The Red Tent is in many ways an expression of a growingly popular modern neo-paganism, which incorporates the myth of the universal, goddess/Mother, feminist ideology, and a sort of body/self worship. I don't complain that Anita Diamant made some of the characters pagan; it is clear from the Bible that many early pre Israelites were, and of course, the Israelites themselves were always sliding back to idol worship. But in The Red Tent, Jacob appears to be the only monotheist in the world (and even his monotheism is on shaky grounds). What is more, polytheism almost seems to be portrayed as a healthy, feminine alternative to the somewhat deranged patriarchal religion of Jacob's fathers (an idea that does not comport too well with the actual historical treatment of women in cultures that embrace polytheism and goddess worship). ...less

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Sammy rated it:

(review of isbn 0312195516)

06/12/07

bookshelves: the-best

Read in December, 2006

My mom got me this book for Christmas mainly because she wanted to read it. I read the summary on the back and I was intrigued, but wasn't intending to pick it up right away until my mom demanded that I read it as soon as possible so she could read it. So I did. I read it in a day.

I'm a fast reader no matter what, but give me a good book, I'll finish it faster than usual. This book was good. Excellent. I was drawn in with the first word. There were stories within stories and I was able to fo...more My mom got me this book for Christmas mainly because she wanted to read it. I read the summary on the back and I was intrigued, but wasn't intending to pick it up right away until my mom demanded that I read it as soon as possible so she could read it. So I did. I read it in a day.

I'm a fast reader no matter what, but give me a good book, I'll finish it faster than usual. This book was good. Excellent. I was drawn in with the first word. There were stories within stories and I was able to follow each and every one of them and become absorbed.

Diamant's writing took me back to this time period, and instead of pointing out all that was bad and raw in a time we often look back on as savage and uncivilized, she points out and embraces everything that was wonderful. Or at least she writes in such a way you look at it as completely normal and okay. I was also surprised how much these people embraced womanhood, when often when you hear about those times it's all about how women were submissive and cursed, born only to be slaves to men. But the women in nearly every culture Dinah passed through were respected for the most part, and held some sort of power. This is not the time when men began stepping on the women. Something happened between then and now that changed the view of womanhood to be ugly and wrong.

Speaking of the women, the one problem I had was that the women the first third of the book was dedicated to, just ended up disappearing. We were lead to fall in love with these women, only to have them later have them fall off the radar. It's not a huge flaw, because Dinah has to lose them as well, and they fall of her radar as well and we do learn what happened to them in the end, but still...

Other than that one small, but understandable flaw, this book was fantastic. Dinah goes on an amazing journey and it is told beautifully in her voice. Diamant has a wonderful gift as a storyteller. Do yourself a favor and sit down with this book, you will hear Dinah speak and you will feel the gritty, dirty, wonderful world she lives in. Don't let the fact that it was taken from the Bible deterr you. Diamant writes in such a way that if you are familiar with the Bible things come up and you're like, "Hey!" But, if you're not religious at all, she writes so that you aren't shut out from a special world, you are welcomed and embraced and the story is still just as wonderful....less

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Kelly rated it:

(review of isbn 0312353766)

08/18/08

bookshelves: fiction, religion, women-studies

Read in August, 2008

recommended to Kelly by: Krista D.
recommends it for: Adults

I have this personal hang up about god or preachy people. So when I started to read this book I was on the defense waiting to be brow beaten with references to religion or right and wrong. I know where the hang up comes from, having been chased literally by a right wing nut case through my dorm any time she caught me out of my room for over a year, from family members who told me I was evil possibly going to hell that I needed to go to church or that I needed to turn to god to be a good person(w...more I have this personal hang up about god or preachy people. So when I started to read this book I was on the defense waiting to be brow beaten with references to religion or right and wrong. I know where the hang up comes from, having been chased literally by a right wing nut case through my dorm any time she caught me out of my room for over a year, from family members who told me I was evil possibly going to hell that I needed to go to church or that I needed to turn to god to be a good person(what they don't seem to realize is that I never left god and that in fact me questioning the yin and yang and the magic in the everyday allowed me to grow. It also allowed me to have my own morals/values and yes, I am a good person regardless of anyone else's opinion.), to a society whose elders are caught up by what they saw pre 1980's in film, TV, and books that said gay people were evil and needed to be killed or treated as the scourge of the earth (Pat Robinson insisted that the horrible hurricanes that hit Florida was all the fault of Disney World having gay day). I could go on and on but I stand here humbly knowing that I have to acknowledge and in some cases forgive parts of the past to continue to have a future.

So yeah, I have a hang up about god, about preachy people, about having religion forced down my throat. I am who I am, shaped by my past, yet still open to learning, love, joy, pain, and humbled by all I still have yet to learn.

Deep down under it all, I feel sadness over all of those feelings. Sometimes I feel biter, some of the time, depressed, and sometimes I feel great joy. I face each day trying to stay open to healing. I don't feel bigger or better than anyone else. I still love Jesus like I did as a child, I still feel a calling towards the grand universe, to god, to life, to what is right to and for me. This is what this book has brought to my mind... the joy and the struggle... It opened not just a window to a part of myself but it opened up several doors as well...

So to say to you that I believe this book to be read by any adult is a huge thing. I think this work is something my mothers people should read. I think this is a book that my wife should read. I think this book is telling a story that can touch many lives. I think it could be scary to read for someone who doesn't know how many stories of women have been deleted.

It took me a long time to finally sit down and read this book but once I did I was drawn in to a story that has allowed me to open up to the pain and lost feeling I have with in my heart. It has allowed me to reconcile with some parts of my past.

So yes, read this... perhaps it will bring an opening or healing to your life... or perhaps it is just a good story that will make you think.

Thank you for taking the time to read this, perhaps it shines a light upon things people never knew about me. perhaps just writing this has helped heal a part of me. Forgive me if I offend.

may peace joy and harmony visit you all.

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Bobby rated it:

(review of isbn 0312195516)

12/16/07

bookshelves: reviewed

Read in December, 2007

This is an epic tale based on the Biblical character Dinah and her life. I found the story very moving, and much credit goes to the author, Anita Diamant. I think she is a great storyteller, a la Barbara Kingsolver and John Irving. Although I was familiar with Dinah and what happened to her from having read her story in the Bible, Ms. Diamant's story is much richer and complex. Though I should add that some religious people, especially those who believe Bible to be literally true, may be offende...more This is an epic tale based on the Biblical character Dinah and her life. I found the story very moving, and much credit goes to the author, Anita Diamant. I think she is a great storyteller, a la Barbara Kingsolver and John Irving. Although I was familiar with Dinah and what happened to her from having read her story in the Bible, Ms. Diamant's story is much richer and complex. Though I should add that some religious people, especially those who believe Bible to be literally true, may be offended and I can see them accusing Ms Diamant of distorting the "truth."

Warning: the following reveals some details from the plot.

I was surprised how much I was taken in by Dinah and felt emotionally connected to her, e,g., when she dislikes Rebecca, I did too; when she curses Jacob, I was cursing him with her; when she was moved to tears with grief or happiness, I was on the verge of tears myself. I think the credit goes to Ms. Diamant for developing her characters, especially, but not only, Dinah, in a manner that I totally found believable and it transported me from my world to that of Dinah.

Even more surprising to me was that I found myself being envious of the close, nurturing relationship that the women share in the book, especially when they are in the red tent (birthing or menstruating). It's rather sad that men have nothing equivalent and what passes for "male bonding" is, in my opinion, quite pathetic and immature in comparison (beers and football? Gimme a break!). And may be it's even sadder that, as far as I know, now there is nothing remotely like that for women either.

There is a strong theme of Goddess worshipping and celebration of the female power in the story. The contrast between Jacob's masculine god and Dinah and her mothers' gods/goddesses is quite stark and it left me wondering just how our modern world might have been different had the masculine Judeo-Christian God not supplanted the Goddess pantheism which had existed for thousands of years before.

Bottom line: this a story that very much appealed to me on an emotional and intellectual level. Highly recommended! ...less

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Lauren1113 rated it:

(review of isbn 0312353766)

04/02/08

The Red Tent is an interesting novel based on the story of Jacob, as told through the eyes of Dinah, his only daughter. Dinah is mentioned in the bible in a single sentence regarding the rape of Dinah. Beyond this, we know nothing about her. Diamant's novel revolves around this passage and about the ensuing destruction of Shechem. The Red Tent is not a simple retelling of the story of Jacob - Diamant creates realistic characters and gives context to the characterizations of Laban, Jacob, Es...more The Red Tent is an interesting novel based on the story of Jacob, as told through the eyes of Dinah, his only daughter. Dinah is mentioned in the bible in a single sentence regarding the rape of Dinah. Beyond this, we know nothing about her. Diamant's novel revolves around this passage and about the ensuing destruction of Shechem. The Red Tent is not a simple retelling of the story of Jacob - Diamant creates realistic characters and gives context to the characterizations of Laban, Jacob, Esau, Rachel, Leah, Joseph, and the rest of the patriarchs and matriarchs of the Jewish religion. Further, as I mentioned before, the story is told via female eyes - an entirely different perspective than the normal biblical analysis. While not all will agree with Diamant's characterizations, they seem to fit generally with the text of the bible (except her portrayal of Rebecca as a cult priestess and her portrayal of Laban which seems more negative). There are a few inaccuracies - in the bible, Jacob worked for 7 years before he married Rachel and another 7 years before he married Leah wheras in this book, he worked only for a few months. Diamant's interpretation of the rape of Dinah is novel - but not entirely implausable considering the fact that Shechem indeed asked to married her and agreed to submit to circumcision in order to do so. Indeed, in one passage Rachel hides her father Laban's teraphim (idols) from him by placing them under her while she had her period. This passage is taken directly from the bible! I had no idea about the presence of idols in Genesis and this book creates what I would guess to be an accurate portrayal of the state of religion at the time of Jacob. While the bible does not explicitly discuss the practice of idolatry, it seems very likely to me that Diamant in theorizing that idolatry was commonplace amongst the wives of Jacob is spot on.

Diamant creates an interesting discussion of daily life in biblical times. After the destruction of Shechem, we know nothing of what happened to Dinah. I do not want to spoil the book, but the sections that follow are purely of Diamant's imagination and are just as good as the sections derived from the bible. The book discusses menstruation and childbirth quite a bit - Dinah becomes a midwife. While this is purely Diamant's invention, these sections are very interesting and important because menstruation, pregnancy, and childbirth were very important in the daily lives of women of that era. ...less

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Liz rated it:

05/18/08

I'll have to think about this...I may go back and add another star, depending on what stays with me. I think if I wasn't reading this book through a Latter-day Saint lens, I would have given it four stars, because the prose is absolutely gorgeous.
This is the story of Dinah, the sister of Reuben, Gad, Asher, Levi, Joseph, Benjamin, etc., etc. You know, the twelve sons of Jacob. It is written by Anita Diamant, and does a wonderful job of giving motivation to all the things that happen from ...more I'll have to think about this...I may go back and add another star, depending on what stays with me. I think if I wasn't reading this book through a Latter-day Saint lens, I would have given it four stars, because the prose is absolutely gorgeous.
This is the story of Dinah, the sister of Reuben, Gad, Asher, Levi, Joseph, Benjamin, etc., etc. You know, the twelve sons of Jacob. It is written by Anita Diamant, and does a wonderful job of giving motivation to all the things that happen from the time Jacob meets Rachel through where Simeon (she calls him Simon) and Levi kill Dinah's husband.

She also does a beautiful, heart-tenderizing job of tying each of us as women to the concourse of womanhood from the beginning of time. My friend gave me this book for Christmas. As I read about the ties of womanhood, I realize what she was thinking of as she gave me this book, for she and I, and she and my mother, and I and her mother are all tied together by many of the red strings that Ms Diamant speaks of. The reason I had to put off reading it for five months is that I've been teaching a class in Old Testament, and since it's been about fifteen years since I've taught the class, or even studied the Old Testament, I've not had discretionary time to read. However, it was a wonderful segue into this book. The scenes in the King James Version are still fresh in my mind, and I was able to appreciate how she wove them in.

However, her treatment of Joseph has left a bad taste in my mouth. Though she has the tale come from an enemy of Joseph's, the word is that he bedded Potipher's wife, rather than the story we get in Genesis. In that and in other things she paints him as an opportunist and hints that he is gay.

But then, that is Dinah talking, and she never has forgiven her brothers. But, listen to one of her final paragraphs: Egypt loved the lotus because it never dies. It is the same for people who are loved. Thus can something as insignificant as a name--two syllables, one high, one sweet--summon up the innumerable smiles and tears, sighs and dreams of a human life.

Ah, what the heck. I'll give it four stars. That's what will stay with me.

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Jess rated it:

(review of isbn 0312353766)

10/01/07

Read in July, 2001

recommends it for: no one (or if I want to trick someone into wasting their time)

The ONLY reason I read this is because a post-menopausal lady I worked with at the time said, "Hey this book is great you'll love it! You have to read it and tell me what you think - my book club is reading it! I got it at Costco!" So about four chapters into it I thought, "wait this is really depressing and I don't want to even finish reading this when I can read my Bridget Jones talk about Vodka and Pride and Prejudice." But I already told her I would finish reading it and ...more

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Embee rated it:

(review of isbn 0312353766)

06/07/08

Read in January, 2002

I was at Border's Express one day searching for a little something to curl up in a chair with for an extended period of time. When I was approached by a clerk asking me if I needed help with anything, I KNOW, WEIRD!, right? Customer service? Who knew it even existed anymore? Anywho, I made my desire known to the saleswoman and she points me to this...

I immediately think to myself, "Oh crap! a religious book!" I know I'm taking a chance at offending the church goers among you, but l...more

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Samantha rated it:

(review of isbn 0312195516)

10/30/07

bookshelves: fiction, historicalfiction

Read in October, 2007

I wish I didn't hear so much hype about certain things. I expected this to blow me away. And I did enjoy it, and I was intruiged by the historical aspects and by aspects of the plot. There is a however, coming later.

The second half of the book, I enjoyed more. Basically after the whole craziness with the murdering brothers happened, I felt like it picked up for me a bit. I guess when it was more conjecture on the author's part, and less historical showing off, I enjoyed it more.

Especiall...more I wish I didn't hear so much hype about certain things. I expected this to blow me away. And I did enjoy it, and I was intruiged by the historical aspects and by aspects of the plot. There is a however, coming later.

The second half of the book, I enjoyed more. Basically after the whole craziness with the murdering brothers happened, I felt like it picked up for me a bit. I guess when it was more conjecture on the author's part, and less historical showing off, I enjoyed it more.

Especially during the first half I found myself half rolling my eyes at how affected it all seemed. Many times it read like a high school or middle school history text book where they have a little colored box in the lower right corner that says "Voices From The Past" or something, with an illustration of a period girl, and a paragraph telling about her daily life back in the day.

I think the author is probably a stronger non-fiction writer, b/c this book felt, many times, like she was just trying to show us all she knew about this time period and this culture. It felt a bit insincere to me, not genuine. The fictional parts I mean. And it might be partially because I'm familiar with the story more or less (don't be impressed, it's from the musical), but a lot of the book felt like an attempt at integrating the Biblical version with facts about ancient Jewish / goddess worship culture/religion along with some fiction, kind of stirred in as a last thought or something?

The times where I rolled my eyes a bit are the times where she would wax poetic and get all Oprah's book clubby and all "women are so great and myyyyssssttttiiiccaaaal." I like when a book tells me women are so great, don't get me wrong. I just prefer it when that message doesn't hit me over the head. It's all about subtlety.

I just complained a lot but I did enjoy the book for the most part. Reading about what this culture was like, whether it's true or not, was really fascinating, especially having recently had a baby. Quite a different picture. But still nice to be in this fellowship of mothers. I hope I do a good job....less

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Chris rated it:

(review of isbn 0312195516)

02/14/08

bookshelves: biblical, favorites, historical-fiction, kirkus-ok-d, philos-psychology, religion

Read in February, 2008

It doesn't matter at all what is fiction and what is history in this book - it is just as lovely to imagine what it would be like if such a custom as "the red tent" did exist. I have now finished the book. WOW! Diamant truely moves our emotions. The beauty of birth, the sorrows AND wonders of aging, the horror of injustice - elements that are a part of all lives. The ending of the book is so beautiful and profound. What exactly is it that we want to reap from our lives? What hurts mos...more

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Vanessa rated it:

(review of isbn 0312353766)

06/08/08

I had to read "The Red Tent" for a book club I was in a few years ago. I agree with an earlier post that decribes it as chick-lit masquerading as historical fiction. It also seemed to be two different books - one set in the desert with Jacob, biblical super-stud, and his wives; and the other one set in ancient Egypt. There were all sorts of things that irritated me about this book, including:

1. Descriptions like how everyone loves Rachel because she smells like water. What kind of ...more

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Jen rated it:

(review of isbn 0312353766)

02/21/08

bookshelves: adult-fiction

Read in February, 2008

recommended to Jen by: Mary
recommends it for: Fans of historical fiction who aren't easily offended.

Anytime a work of fiction targets a Judeo-Christian audience, it's hard to rate. Should religious doctrine be taken into account, or should we judge it solely on it's merits as a good story? Because I think some of the more negative reviews of The Red Tent are in regards to its biblical inaccuracies.

Let me start by saying that if you're a moral conservative who believes in the Old Testament, I'd advise caution before reading this book. That's not to say you shouldn't read it; just be aware ...more

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Holli rated it:

(review of isbn 0312353766)

04/28/08

Read in January, 2005

One of my favorite books. After I read it, I began taking "Red Tent Days." I live in a household of men (one husband, three sons), but one day a month I go to my room and drink tea and read and tune out the testosterone.

The red tent is the place where women gathered during their cycles of birthing, menses, and even illness. Like the conversations and mysteries held within this feminine tent, this sweeping piece of fiction offers an insider's look at the daily life of a bibli...more

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Feather rated it:

(review of isbn 0312353766)

02/12/07

Read in January, 2005

I love this book - very enchanting and captivating.

From the Publisher
Deeply affecting, The Red Tent combines rich storytelling with a valuable contribution in modern fiction: a new perspective of female life in biblical society. It is a vast and stirring work described as what the Bible might have been had it been written by God's daughters instead of sons.
Far beyond the traditional women-of-the-Bible sagas in both impact and vigor, The Red Tent is based upon a mention in Genesis of J...more

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Jodi rated it:

(review of isbn 0312353766)

08/23/08

Read in August, 2008

recommended to Jodi by: Megan Werely
recommends it for: everyone

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I found this book to be an interesting glimpse of what life might have been like for women in biblical times. In many ways the setting of this book was timeless - it obviously takes place "long ago" but it could have happened 200 years or 2000 years ago because it concentrated more on the relationships of the women rather than on setting it specifically in a certain time period.

I also enjoyed she was born all the way through after Dinah's death. I really got a feel for this chara...more

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Tifnie rated it:

(review of isbn 0312353766)

07/15/08

Read in July, 2008

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.