Rating: 
Summary: A wonderful celebration of motherhood
Review: My mother passed along this wonderful novel and (I hate to admit this) after ignoring it for a few weeks, I finally picked it up on a rare, quiet evening and quickly became entranced with the vivid characters and enticing story. This beautiful novel is a celebration of women, motherhood, family and faith. Although I abandoned my Christian upbringing long ago, it inspired me to re-read the Biblical passages that describe Dinah and her family and made me feel connected to a long line of brave and loving women who sacrificed everything for their children and their faith. Very inspring. Don't make the same mistake I did and hesitate to pick it up - just read it. I promise you won't regret it.
Rating: 
Summary: i just didn't get it
Review: i must have been the last woman in the world to read it. all i heard from women (whose literary opinions i usually respect and agree with) was "RED TENT IS THE BEST BOOK!" even when i was reading it-- carrying it around visibly, strangers would stop me on the city streets of chicago and say "RED TENT IS THE BEST BOOK!" and now that i've read it, i can't agree. with everyone going on and on about it, i expected a "Lovely Bones" experience -- one of those rare gift reads when all you think about is the book, and you can't wait to get back to it. not so. *sigh* i just didn't get it.
Rating:
Summary: Written beautifully, very moving
Review: Let me begin with the fact that some people may not enjoy this book for the stark details about the female experience. If you can get past that, this is a wonderful book.I loved the stories interwoven in The Red Tent, especially in the first two parts. The last part is does drag a little, but it is still interesting. The reason I gave this 5 stars is because I truly enjoyed reading a book that took me back to the time when life was really like this. While I am sure their lives were much more difficult without the technology we have today, I found myself yearning for the simplicity of baking, sewing, medicine, and sense of community that was so well-described in Ms. Diamant's book. I recommend it for any woman of any age who wants to dive into a fantastic biblically-based novel.
Rating: 
Summary: Review for "The Red Tent"
Review: Although I had a few theological issues with this book, it was clearly well-researched and well thought out. It is a deep look at the silenced characters of the Bible (the women), without whom, there would be no stories at all. This is a deep look into the lives of the women of this time, a culture that many of us have never thought much about. Reading this book will give people a better understanding of the culture surrounding the Biblical stories, as well as getting the reader to question what lies between the lines of these stories. It will give the reader a much deeper understanding of and appreciation for what the people within this culture dealt with.
Rating:
Summary: An absorbing read!
Review: While I'm fond of historically-based fiction, this is one of my first perusals into fiction based on a biblical story. I really didn't know what to expect, fearing that maybe it would get preachy or try to re-write the Bible in strange ways. I must say that I was very pleasantly surprised by the quality of the storytelling! Anita Diamant manages to take basic facts and weave them into a rich, detailed tale that gives voice to women. Her voice is the voice of the main character, Dinah, who is the daughter of Jacob and one of his four wives. She focuses on the lives of these women, the lines that are drawn, the varying roles they play, and the sacred times in the Red Tent itself. Her details are compelling and sensual. The structure of the novel is odd, though. Usually a novel begins with a harrowing, tragic event. In this novel, the tragedy is halfway into the story. Rather than settling down for a denoument after this, the story continues into a kind of tacked-on story in a brand new setting, more Egyptian, that is not told with the same surety and finesse. Just when we're getting used to Dinah's new circumstances, they change again and she is taken even farther away into a simple married life. Somehow it doesn't quite jibe with the rest of the story and instead of reading it because I was enjoying it so much, I found myself reading it in hopes that it would get better. Still, the book deserves 4 stars and deserves to be read. One just can't help wondering how great the book would have been if the author had chosen a different adult life for Dinah.
Rating:
Summary: Beautiful story
Review: This book is absolutely beautiful and tragic at the same time. This story stays with me and I felt as if I was living another life through Anita Diamont. I recommend it to anyone willing to get caught up in the most romantic tale.
Rating:
Summary: It grabbed me from the very first page!
Review: I enjoyed this book immensely. I literally could not put it down. It was so affirming to hear this story told from a woman's perspective. The comraderie and true connectedness of the ancient sisterhood leaves a lot to be desired in our modern-day isolated liberation. I found myself not wanting the story to end!
Rating:
Summary: WOW! One of the best books I've ever read!
Review: As a Dianic Wiccan I was all prepared to write a sarastic little put-down of El and those who choose to worship Him, but this book is so wonderful that it transcends anything like that! Dinah's story is so moving and powerful. I can't imagine any Wombon of any faith that would fail to be deeply moved by this WONDERFUL Mistresswork. My favorite parts are the times when they are in the Red Tent and sharing Wombonlore and Goddesslore. I also really, really, like the parts about the different Birthings that take place. The Birthing Song is lovely! I like this book so much that I've ordered a copy for myself! If a die-hard, radical femminist, Dianic Witch like me likes this book, you know it must be good!
Rating:
Summary: It's a NOVEL, a work of FICTION
Review: In a word, this book is "controversial." Why? Because it has some basis in religious history, and religion is always a controversial subject. I enjoyed this book emmensely because I never stopped thinking of it as a work of fiction. As a novel, it has no obligation to be biblically or historically accurate. The fact that some of the characters ARE based on persons in the bible, definately enhances the story. However, I would have given The Red Tent four stars if all of the characters been entirely fictional. It's a well-written and compelling read that unfortunately slows down in the final 1/3 of the book. Still, I have and will continue to recommend it.
Rating:
Summary: Absolutely fantastic!
Review: I absolutely love this book! What a masterpiece! There is a description on the back of this book that states something similar to: if the bible were written by a female, this is what it would be. I couldn't agree more! For anyone who has even the most remote interest in the bible, this is a must-read. Even for people who haven't the slightest interest in it, this book is amazing. I love to read, and have read many books, but this is by far, one of my favorites. It made me smile; it made me cry. It is an absolutely beautiful story. I didn't think I would be interested in it, or enjoy it. It was given to me as a gift, and I could not have been more wrong. Buy it... you won't be sorry!
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