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Summary: I couldn't put it down!!!
Review: I didn't expect that this book would be so enthralling when I first picked it up and started reading it at midnight. Anita Diamant does a tremendously superb job in the storytelling. It is wonderfully woven together and the imagery is so vivid. I highly recommend it.
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Summary: A Beautiful Story!
Review: I was totally captured by this beautifully compelling story. It was powerfully scripted, with characters(of which there were many) and situations so very fully, warmly and vividly presented. I miss Dinah. This is a book I will read again and there are very few books I would say that about. I was grateful for the geneology chart in the beginning of the book; I referred to it often
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Summary: Bible-based bodice-ripper bound to be buffeted...
Review: by those who quarrel with its possible lack of total historical accuracy (never mind that with Dinah we are discussing legendary times). This book takes the slimmest of stories from the Bible and creates living, breathing, earthy, fascinating women who experience life to the fullest in epic scope. It brought the world of the Old Testament alive to me in a way that few other books have.
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Summary: It's the best read I have had this year.
Review: I laughed,I cried, and I marveled at the life and loves of Dinah. I would recommend this book to anyone who wants to transport herself to the world of long ago, and learn about the women who lived and loved there.
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Summary: I'm Puzzled....
Review: This book was very well written and I found much to like in the characters. The one thing I don't understand is why the author felt compelled to rewrite history as far as the men of the Bible are concerned. I can see embellishing a historical person from the Bible....but to totally change the stories and character of strong positive role models (ie: Joseph) didn't make sense to me. She could have used fictional men and made them out to be whatever she wanted them to be. Instead, she chose to alter the characters of what I accept to be real people and made several of them into petty, lustful, lying sloths. And yes, many people in those times were pagans and idol worshippers...and throughout the Old Testament God condemned such practices. I'm sure that some of the women in that time were pagan, but Ms. Diamant seems to portray a polarized religious atmosphere where men worship their male deity and women worship goddesses and the earth. Sigh. Still, I really enjoyed the book.
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Summary: Every woman's Voice
Review: I love Diamants style. She gave each woman in The Red Tent a voice. Each spoke to the reader directly...I loved that! You knew what the women felt. They were given identity. I was hooked after reading the first page. However, I must say I became gravely disappointed with the turn of pages post Dinah's retreat to Egypt. She became shallow. Why didn't we hear about how she coped with the changing world she lived in? What kind of foods did she eat? Why didn't she speak to her Father? Hmmm. Nonetheless, this was a great book and worth every penny.
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Summary: The Perfect Gift For A Mother, Daughter, Sister, or Aunt
Review: Anita Diamant does a great job of retelling the story of Dinah from the book of Genesis. The story is told in Dinah's voice and from the point of view of the women around her. This is a story about mothers, daughters, husbands, and sons. I specifically liked the details about the food and farming, social organization, and medical practices of the time. I was able to easily imagine the caravans, midwives, artisans, and slaves.This would be a difficult read for those who take the bible literally -- but for me, it makes me wonder what the bible would read like if it were written by women. This is a clever idea -- I like it when a author retells a story from a different perspective. I recommend Sena Jeter Naslund's, "Ahab's Wife" and Jeanne Rhy's, "Wide Sargasso Sea" if you are interested in a different perspective from either of the classic tales: "Moby Dick" or "Jane Eyre."
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Summary: this will be your new favorite book
Review: Hands down, the best book I have ever read. This is the wonderful story of the lives of family and of women. I was shocked at times in the book and brought to tears often. I can't recommend this book enough. You will not be able to put this book down once you start and it only gets better and better the more you read!
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Summary: This is the best book I have read this year!
Review: I loved this book! This book does an excellent job of re-telling the story of Dinah from the female perspective. This is great piece of historical fiction, which gives you a peek into what life would have been like for women in Biblical times. The book is well written and the characters are well-developed and interesting. I disagree with some of the reviews which say that the story deviates completely from the Biblical version, what I found especially compelling about the story is that it is very believable. It is different from the Biblical version the way that any retelling of events would be when coming from different perspectives. The story is especially captivating for those of us who are frustrated with the way women are portrayed in the Bible and are dying to catch a glimpse of "her side" of the story. I do recommend you read the stories of Jacob and his wives and particularly the story of Dinah in the Bible if you have never read them -or- if it has been awhile since you last read them--- however, I suggest that you read them AFTER you read the book to prevent spoiling the story.
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Summary: The Red Tent Is Worth Reading!
Review: The Red Tent by talented writer Anita Diamant is a nicely written portryal of the strong and wise women in biblical times. A new twist of that era offering a little fuel for thought. Nicely done and well worth reading...
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