Customer Reviews

The Red Tent: A Novel

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It would appear that any book about interesting and perhaps unusual women generates much controversy among its readership ("Bitter Grounds" and "The Poisonwood Bible" come to mind). This book is no different. The Red Tent is loosely based on the Biblical story of Dinah, but it is a novel, not fact, even though it may be based in fact. Diamant even takes liberties with the Dinah story as it appears in Genesis in the Bible. However, it does appear to be thoroughly researched -- I found myself equally fascinated by descriptions of life during Biblical times as by the lives of the characters in the book. Unlike some of the other reviewers I didn't find this book to be anti-male. I and many women I know lead very different lives from our men and we too see them in a completely different light than they see themselves. We often laugh at them or paint them in an unflattering light, despite the fact that we love them. We are not, however, anti-male, just human and female. I suspect men amongst themselves discuss women in much the same way. I personally found this book full of thoughts and ideas that touched me deeply, especially since I am 40 years old, have had several children and have lived in foreign countries. Perhaps much younger people would have trouble identifiying some of the "human condition" scenarios in the book -- I don't know. Regardless, I have wholeheartedly recommended this book to several people and recommend it to you.

First of all let me say that I absolutely loved The Red Tent. It's based on a character, Dinah, who is mentioned in passing in the old testament. Diamant has created a wonderful story about the women of biblical times, our fore-mothers Rebecca, Sarah, Rachel, and Leah, from Dinah's point of view.

You do not have to be familiar with the bible to enjoy this novel, although if you are, you'll certainly recognize stories and characters. It's about the strength of women, their roles in a male dominated religious society, and their all important relationships.

Although I was eager to read this book, I didn't expect it to have such an impact on me, nor did I expect to love it as much as I did. Highly recommended.

This is, by far, one of the best books I have read in a long time, leaving me sorry that it was over. The writing is beautiful in its depiction of life, from the women's point of view, about 4000 years ago. It was so incredibly moving that I found myself in tears at several times -- something that does not happen often!

This tale is a possible story of the life of Jacob's daughter, Dinah, who barely is mentioned in the Old Testament. It starts with a recounting of Jacob's marriages to Dinah's mother, and her mother's three sisters, the births of the resulting children, and Dinah's youth, learning at her "mothers'" sides. It continues with Jacob's departure with his family and flocks from the lands of his father-in-law, and follows Dinah through her death. I don't want to say any more, because it would ruin the story.

The author does not suggest that this is the "real" story, or a "supplement" to the Bible. It is not a religious book, per se, but does discuss the God of Jacob's father and, in contrast, the multitude of gods worshipped by other cultures of the time. The story is meant to provide a possible tale of an otherwise minor character, and affords a glimpse into the women's world of that time, not usually covered in the Bible.

I cannot recommend this book more highly.

I would like to take a moment to address some of the complaints made in the May 19th review. I did not experience THE RED TENT as male bashing. It's intent was to take a female view of the major women of the Old Testament and to breathe life into them. It is "over endowed" with a female viewpoint as a counterbalance to the bible's male view. Women in the BIBLE were often hardly more than property, so it is not too surprising that a fictionalized female character from this period might see men somewhat differently then we do. The BIBLE does portray Laban as a pretty disagreeable character, but in this book Jacob is portrayed as a tragic figure, not a negative figure. He is not the cause of the terrible massacre, but assumes the guilt of his tribe. Until then he is a respected male figure in the book. The women have their weak points as well. Rachel is vain, and the grandmother, Rebecca is a formidable figure of both arrogance and power. Isaac's trauma as a child, being nearly slaughtered by his own father, was treated with compassion. Diamant has Dinah speak of this trauma and how it left Isaac with a stutter for the rest of his life. Some of the women are weak in a way that makes them disagreeable. The carpenter husband of Dinah, Benia, is a truly admirable and loveable male figure and her young husband, the prince Shalem, slaughtered at the hands of her brothers, is as gentle and romantic a young man as you could want.

As to the continual reference to pregnancies and childbirth, I believe this had a deliberate intent. During biblical times, childbearing is what gave women power. It is natural to assume that women of that period would indeed be obssessed with their own ability to bring children into the world - especially women of strength who would be able determine ways to use that ability to some advantage. The very nature of the Red Tent, was that it bonded women in a way that as a group gave them more leverage. Their "mysterious" ways were kept from the men who were somewhat fearful of their rituals and knowledge of childbearing. This was a woman's main source of power in a life that was in many ways powerless. Being a mid wife was as close to a career as a woman could have and it commanded respect from everyone. You have to remember that men and women did lead very separare lives at that time. Another source of power, still "mysterious" to men, was the role of a priestess and ordainer. Rebecca had this role down to a science in order to insure her place of distinction in the ancient world. I present these ideas as a difference of opinion to the previous reviewer, who is of course entitled to her opinion. I had my book group meeting last night and our book of discussion was THE RED TENT, so these themes were very much on my mind and I felt compelled to respond.

In spite of four wives and numerous sons, Jacob's only daughter is Dinah, revered and even spoiled by four mothers. The heritage of the Jews is told through the female. Thus, it is Dinah's lot to pass on the stories of her mothers and grandmothers for the next generation to revere.

Dinah begins the tales of her four mothers with the appearance of Jacob in the land of Laban. Over the years, Jacob marries Rachel, Leah, Zilpah, and Bilhah. Mostly, in the "red tent" where the women go to have their female cycles, Dinah learns what is expected of a Jewish woman. She explains their trip to Canaan, the strange meeting between Jacob and his estrange brother Esau, and her own rite of passage into Jewish womanhood. Finally, Dinah falls in love, but that leads to tragedy for her and a need to escape from her family.

THE RED TENT is a fabulous biblical fiction novel that provides a full life to a footnote character in the Old Testament. Purists will take exception to Anita Diamant's liberties with other persona such as Joseph and Leah (even if her description makes them seem more real and complete). However, that aside, strict believers need simply pass on this fictional account that provides an intriguing look at the role of the Ancient Jewish woman. Anyone who enjoyed the QUEENMAKER by India Edghill will fully relish Ms. Diamont's loose, but seemingly feasible, intelligent and entertaining interpretation of the role of a minor biblical player.

Harriet Klausner

First of all, I am very disappointed that Amazon posted reviews that spoil the ending of the book. The great mystery this book purports to answer is what happened to Dinah after her rape. Did she ever find love and/or happiness, and if so how? Some of the reviews here give away those plot points, and diminished my enjoyment of the novel.

Second, comparisons to "Mists of Avalon" are very apt. This is a retelling of a classic story from a woman's point of view. However, unlike "Mists" or "Firebrand" the story being retold is central to major world religions. Readers have a lot more invested in the portrayal of Biblical characters than in Arthurian Britain or ancient Troy.

BE FOREWARNED. These are not the matriarchs you grew up with. They do not worship the G-d of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. In the Bible, Rachel & Leah's father worshipped idols, and the women in "The Red Tent" never convert to Jacob's faith. IF THIS DISTURBS YOU, YOU MAY WANT TO SKIP THIS BOOK. I think that's where many of the negative reviews are coming from. Compare Mists of Avalon with Sword & the Stone and earlier Arthurian stories -- this is just as radical a revision. If you're not prepared for that, stay away. Frankly, I'm still a bit bothered by the concept of non-Jewish matriarchs. But the fact that I'm still mulling over my reactions a week after I finished shows how powerful the book is.

The book presents a rich portrayal of the historical period. Diamant did a lot of research into daily life and paints a very vivid world. Frankly, I find Dinah a less interesting character than the matriarchs -- Rebecca, Rachel, and Leah. While Dinah is supposedly the focus, she was a minor character originally, so there's not much background. However, we already have a wealth of stories about the matriarchs, so those stories become all the more fascinating when compared to that background. [The motives behind the Leah/Rachel switch at Jacob's wedding, for example.]

It's a very good book. I won't say it's a great book, because I am still disturbed by parts, but it's definitely a powerful story.

The Red Tent by Anita Diamant is an engrossing, well-researched story with compelling and believable characters. It is especially gratifying to find a sympathetic, detailed, and believable account of an Old Testament woman's life set in this era and part of the world. The story is told from the point of view of Dinah, daughter of Jacob, a successful nomadic sheep-herder. She is raised by four different women, all wives of Jacob and becomes a midwife. Through an intriguing and dramatic turn of the plot, she ends up in Egypt. The book was a pleasure for even this non-religious feminist to read. The images are riveting. The characters are memorable. I wish I were a screenwriter because the Red Tent would make a wonderful movie.

There has never been a book that has touched upon the very real (but unsung) roles females undoubtedly played during the years that the bible was written. This book reads like historical fiction; it is that convincing. The narrative voice is that of Dinah, as she states plainly, a woman not well represented in the writings of the bible. She goes on to tell of her mother's life, the tales of her sister-mothers', and her much anticipated birth. The stories woven and the lives intertwined by the author Anita Diamant are mystical, loving, painful, and I dare say enlightening. This novel will happily be shared and passed on from one woman to another...as it should be.

If you are one of those people who tries to take the Old Testament literally, you won't want to read this book. But if you seek to find more meaning, more human qualities to this religious classic, this is definitely the novel for you!

Throughout the Bible, women are rarely mentioned (except for being the mother of this or that male character). For most women, the question arises -- what really happended in the lives of these biblical women? And I think for people everywhere -- were the lives of these people really so colorless?

The Red Tent explores the lives of the wives and daughters of the Bible's Jacob. Told from the vantage point of Jacob's only daughter, Dinah (pronounced Dee-nah), this book brings the last half of the book of Genesis to life.

During the first half of this novel, the author draws you into the intimate details of the lives of 5 women - Dinah, and her four mothers. (As was common in the time, Jacob has 4 wives - all the daughters of his uncle, Laban.) The women struggle through the full range of emotions for one another, from love to jealousy, and back to loyalty once more.

Mid-book, the tone of the book completely changes as the events of the story tear these women's lives apart. As Dinah suffers and becomes distant to the world, so the author makes you distant to the characters. This makes the last half of the book less enjoyable than the first, but without it, the reader would never find closure and would always be asking - but what about Joseph and is Dinah ever reconciled with her family?

After reading this story, my curiousity was piqued and I felt the need to refresh my memory of the Biblical version. It is interesting to note how the author took the basic details and expounded into an amazing narrative of what might have happened. The next time I pick up my NIV, I will strain to see new meaning between the lines of these age old stories. (I am also curious to know how Ms. Diamont got her ideas for this story -- this is never revealed in the book!!)

THE RED TENT is what all fiction should be: powerful, beautifully written, brilliantly conceived and flawlessly executed. It is a work that approaches genius. What an imagination Anita Diamant boasts! It is difficult to understand how she even came up with the concept. As her notes at the end of the work indicate, her research and her scholarship are of the highest order.

This would be a particularly difficult opus for any author, to take a first-person narrative, told in hindsight and with a minimum of dialogue, and set it approximately 5700 years in the past. Yet Diamant's characters seem as fresh and real as one's next-door neighbor. Again, what an imagination!

Her "heroine," Dinah, was the only daughter of the biblical Jacob to have survived to adulthood. Jacob was the son of Issac, grandson of Abraham, brother of Esau, father of the Joseph of "The Coat of Many Colors." Women, it is obvious, were an afterthought to the information handed down about these patriarchs and prophets. Yet THE RED TENT is Dinah's story, the story of a person who was a footnote to history, just as Rosenkrantz and Guildenstern were footnotes to HAMLET. In both cases, authors with fertile imaginations have plumbed the lives of these minor characters for their significance.

In Dinah's case, Ms. Diamant reveals the truth about the story of Jacob. In Sunday school, we are taught about his being tricked into marriage with one sister, Leah, when it was the younger girl, Rachel, whom he had loved. So this book solved a mystery I had wondered about all these years, what had happened to Leah when Jacob finally married Rachel. In THE RED TENT, I finally learned that Jacob, in keeping with the custom of the times, had two wives plus two concubines. No, my teachers never mentioned that detail.

Life then was very hard, another fact which is glossed over in Biblical study, but which should seem obvious when contemplated. Ms. Diamant exhibits just how difficult it was, in every way, by modern standards. There was no notion of sanitation, no medications, women frequently died in childbirth, dental care was six millennia in the future, etc. Even if a reader understood all of this before reading THE RED TENT, Ms. Diamant demonstrates these realities with heart-stopping detail.

These people were so primitive that, properly, they were not Israelites; perhaps they should be known as Canaanites or Semites. Still, from them flowed monotheism, leading directly to the Jewish religion which, in turn, gave rise to both Christianity, in all its permutations, as well as Islam. Yet the reader of THE RED TENT will find it unavoidable to examine the entire meaning of religion once it is set into it this framework of the concepts which fostered it.

Ms. Diamant deserves the highest commendations for THE RED TENT, on every basis: concept, execution and prose. This book is the highest category of fiction.