The Red Tent by Anita Diamant Summary and Reviews
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Book Reviews of The Red Tent
Book Review: A Compelling, Thought-provoking Read
Summary: 5 Stars
There was some mention of feminism and the depiction of the male characters as fools. That was true, where many were concerned, including the female characters. To me, that made them real.I have to admit that I have read very little of the Bible, and probably wouldn't have read this book had a friend not recommended it to me. I'm glad that I did. Although the book started out rather slow, Diamont drew me in with the characters of Leah and Rachel, who fell in love with a man named Jacob. She did an excellent job of describing the sibling rivalry between the two women, the clash between father and son-in-law, and the horrifying event that rips the family apart.
The Red Tent is a tightly interwoven novel of female bonding, lust and jealousy, and family legacies. You don't have to have a strong knowledge of the Bible to enjoy this book. The fact that Diamont took a very brief glimpse of history and blew it up into a believable story shows how creative she is. I'd recommend this book to anyone.
Book Review: A Convincing Historical Novel
Summary: 4 Stars
Carefully bringing the little known Biblical character of Dinah into a fictional novel, Anita Diamant has written a wonderfully convincing historical novel - The Red Tent. As the only daughter of Jacob, Dinah is surrounded by four mothers, Leah, Rachel, Zilpah, and Bilhah, all wives of Jacob, as she grows up among a community of women in Mesopotamia. Diamant artfully describes the culture of separated genders: the women exist to keep their men prosperous; the men work to provide for the community. These men appear to the women, however, as distant, mysterious characters. While our culture would see this kind of lifestyle as difficult and oppressive, Diamant describes their way of living as a vibrant culture of women, who are made complete by the sisterhood of the "red tent." They cherish everything that composes their feminine nature, relishing their monthly cycle as a celebration of strength and friendship. Images of Dinah's simple childhood - cooking, baking, weaving, storytelling and midwifery - are conveyed with vivid color. The ensuing tragedy of Dinah's "rape" and Jacob's tribe's reaction is filled with pain and remorse with which the reader easily empathizes.Diamant portrays a believable culture of the Old Testament era, but one must remember that the book is a work of fiction, structured by a framework of Biblical characters and events. Portions of the novel are shocking, including many descriptive accounts of giving birth. Let the reader be warned, Diamant also portrays the women in the novel as pagans, worshipping household spirits and gods, not as believers in the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Unfortunately, the fantastic character development of the first half of the book was not duplicated in the second half as Dinah goes off to Egypt to begin a new life. Furthermore, the novel's tempo drastically speeds in the second half, as it becomes more of a chronicle of her life, lacking the rich detail portrayed in the first half.
The novel left a deep impression on me with its vibrant stories, fascinating descriptions, and deep emotional passages describing life in the Biblical era. While reading I became fascinated with the high value that women gave to their place in society -- that they made life possible through the blessing of childbirth. It was inspirational to experience a culture where women were fulfilled by having children, a concept not frequently honored in our culture. The book also presents a refreshing look at female closeness to a culture where girl bonding often consists of shopping and devouring ice cream.
Book Review: A Diamond by Diamont
Summary: 5 Stars
Last night, after I finished this book, I unintentionally woke up my husband in bed with my sobbing. I am not ruining this book for you--there is joy in it, and sorrow. Diamont's writing style coincides with the style of the Old Testament, which enhances the believability of the book. It's not to say that this is how the Bible would be written if written by a woman, but it is to say this book provides a snapshot of what it would be like to be a woman during ancient biblical times. The threads of sisterhood, womanhood, motherhood, gratitude, pain, and the joy in ordinary, everyday life are beautifully woven together. I cannot recommend it highly enough. What a privilege to have found and read this diamond of a book.Book Review: A FABULOUS BOOK
Summary: 5 Stars
IF THE DEPTH OF LIFE CAPTIVATES YOU. IF THE FULLNESS OF WOMEN'S FRIENDSHIPS ARE A ROOT OF TRUTH FOR YOU. IF LOVE MEANS GIVING THE BEST OF WHO YOU ARE AT ANY GIVEN MOMENT AND YOU HOPE AT THE END OF YOUR LIFE TO LOOK BACK AND KNOW IN YOUR SOUL IT HAS BEEN A LIFE WELL LIVED..... READ THIS BOOK. IT WILL LIVE FOR YOU. ELLAE ELINWOODBook Review: A Fantasy Novel using Familiar Names
Summary: 3 Stars
I am almost finished with the Red Tent and I have to admit, it is very engaging. However, as a Christian and a student of the Bible the book is at best, a guilty pleasure. It is a wonderful fantasy but SO FAR DEPARTED from the Scriptures that it no more resembles the Bible than Joseph and the Multicolored Dream Coat or The Last Temptation of Christ. I almost have to wonder at the author and her purpose for writing it. I am almost certain that she too must be a man-basher, and a paganist. The fables she weaves about the gods and goddesses drip with her admiration and fascination with them. She seems almost indifferent to the True God and her Jewish faith. It's sad really how lost she is if her writings are any reflection of her true faith. That she would refute and dismiss facts such as Leahs weak eyes and the circumstances surrounding Leah's marriage to Jacob is shocking. She is also cavelier about the truth surrounding Dinah's rape and disgrace. She explains that Jacob's wrestling with God and being renamed by Him is nothing more than an attack by demons. If so then the foundations of true religion are shaky at best. Then again, one must remember this is only a work of fiction. However, to weave such a tale makes me believe that she must not truly embrace Biblical truths and certainly does not hold them sacred. I sincerely hope that no poor soul ignorant of the Word of God will embrace this farcical creation as truth. In it the great matriarchs of faith are reduced to man-hating witches. It makes a sad statement really.