Rating: 
Summary: Swept Away
Review: Anita Diamant...please write more of these!! I am a Presbyterian Minister who picked this book up (on recommendation from other clergy) about a week after giving birth to my first daughter, Magdalyn. The timing was incredible as I have connected, in a spiritual way, with the sisterhood of mothers and all who assist and nurture them. Yes, some creative license has been taken with the scriptural account...but most good preachers do the same thing every Sunday! The story is moving, grand, life-affirming... I will read it again and again for inspiration as a mother and wife, as well as a woman. How wonderful to have stories brought to vivid life such as this!!
Rating:
Summary: To Go On My List of Favorite Novels
Review: I realize that Diamant's work may not be entirely biblically accurate. However, The Red Tent really brought that age and its characters to life for me. I thoroughly enjoyed this book - the writing is beautiful, the story captivating and unpredictable, the events both heartbreaking and inspiring. I finished it feeling fulfilled. Please read it!
Rating:
Summary: Unless you're a fundamentalist you'll find it breathtaking
Review: I'm puzzled by those who find fault with the book because it contradicts "historical fact". Surely anyone who has heard two people relate entirely different versions of a recent event must understand that tales from several thousand years ago cannot be taken literally. Then again, people send money to Pat Robertson, so perhaps I shouldn't be puzzled. To predicate one's enjoyment of this work on how well the story fits with biblical accounts is to view this novel too narrowly. The fundamentalist faction in these reviews is as geeky as the nerds who can't enjoy Star Trek novels unless they get a plausible explanation of how the transporter would handle a person sneezing. Relax. Enjoy a finely crafted work of fiction.In any event, whether one believes in the Bible as a literary-historical document or as a divinely inspired revelation, the author has found a flawless narrative voice to relate the events surrounding Jacob and his four wives. Indeed, she handles even issues of the female protagonist's unusual access to events so skillfully that one never questions her veracity. The novel works on many levels. Not only is it a great story, but it made me think about the past (and my connection to those who came before me and those who will come after) in a new way. It also made me appreciate with more immediacy the tragic loss of women's voices in our historical documents. Is anyone else tired of history as a list of wars and powerful figures? Here is a new way of seeing the world, and no one could argue that this woman's life was boring or trivial. The author is insightful about family relationships, articulating the deepest feelings of children and parents, lovers and friends, as her protagonist grows from a child in the camp of Laban to a midwife in Egypt. I look forward to reading this book again, as I know I will, and sharing it with others.
Rating: 
Summary: what might have been
Review: We recently had a book review at our Temple by the Rabbi. This event was well attended and there was not a person there who did not enjoy this book. The book has some interesting twists and turns. The book is well written, easy to read. The story is thought provoking and may give you new insight and a new vision of Women's roles in Biblical times. Diamant's interpretation of what might have been relates well to areas of the Bible,that are extremely limited in explanation relating to women. Focus on the message of what really is the spiritual and symbolic meaning of The Red Tent. Read it...you will like it....If you are a Biblical Scholar and not open- minded then find another book.
Rating: 
Summary: The Red Tent
Review: This book was not what I expected from reading the other reviews. This book is not Biblical!!! The only thing she took from the Bible were the names. It should be looked at as a TOTALLY fictional story. It was good reading until about half way through, then it got kind of slow.
Rating:
Summary: Provocative, insightful, yet somewhat disappointing
Review: Diamant takes a bare-boned Biblical tale and gives it flesh, blood, color, and skin. It doesn't matter if it's accurate or not; accuracy would be impossible to prove anyway. And besides, she's not trying to fool anyone: she does call it a novel, which is by definition a work of fiction. The result is an interesting tale and an appreciation for and closeness with the female characters of the book. Often when reading the Bible, we're too lazy or busy to take the time to imagine what it meant to pack up and move with flocks of sheep and goats and food and belongings. I am thankful for Diamant's efforts in having elucidated aspects such as these for us. From a literary point of view, however, I was disappointed. Contrary to other reviewers, I do not feel that Diamant is talented in "turning a phrase" or that she has "poetic language." In fact, I found her language frustrating at best, mixing modern expressions with forced Biblical language... which is only called "Biblical language" because we have become accustomed to old translations. I found her style dry and, ironically, not particularly feminine. I also tired of her repeated adjectives, such as "mortified," which was always too extreme a word for the situation. Diamant's purpose is never entirely clear--I disagree that she is male-bashing, since Dinah has appreciation for several of her brothers and a strong admiration for Jacob in his younger days. It is only after the murders that she turns against him. The plot is vague until about 2/3 of the way through, at which time it becomes simultaneously evident and predictable. Nonetheless, the details of female life during this time period and the relationships being established carry the reader through all this. Sometimes the characters seem forced to be so different; Diamant's efforts become transparent especially when characterizing Jacob's wives. Other characterizations are simply hard to believe: are 13-year-old girls really capable of such profound romantic relationships and gratifying sexual experiences in their wedding beds? Many of the actions seem unjustified or out of character. Diamant fails to sufficiently prepare her characters in certain situations. For example, why would a good and honorable man like Jacob, who took the time to walk equally with each wife and show tenderness in ways that shows he understands their different personalities, suddenly be so cruel with Dinah's fiancé? Does he agree with the action, or does he become suddenly spineless? Furthermore, many doors are opened which are never closed or passed through. What do Joseph and Dinah experience that they swear to secrecy, and what effect does that have on the story? What attacks Jacob, and again, what affect does that have on the story? Why would the old midwife make the strong prophecy that Dinah would be at peace near a river, which could have been the beginning of a plot, only to be proven wrong as a sort of afterthought near the end of the book? Why would Diamant name Dinah's second husband "Benia," the same name as Joseph's youngest brother, and then have Joseph comment on the coincidence, without having any reason for it? Why does Dinah check in the pond to see her aging reflection, when she asked for a mirror during the birth of her son? Why can't she forgive Joseph, who is also treated horribly by their brothers and who had not agreed to the murders in Shechem? Nevertheless, despite these criticisms, the novel works because in the end, a good story has been told, and it has the fine quality of tying up a lot of (but not all) loose ends in a clever way. I'm sure I didn't appreciate her suggestion that Joseph was a homosexual anymore than anyone else did, or any other of her "Biblical inaccuracies," if we can call them that--because they destroy happy images we created for ourselves in Sunday School (among other reasons). But it is the author's creative license to do what she wants with her characters, and if anything else, it challenges us to defend our beliefs even more strongly or to read the Bible with a more critical eye, which are the kinds of things which lead to better understanding and truth. An artist who can have this sort of effect on her audience certainly can not be considered unsuccessful. Her art has accomplished its goal through its provocative read.
Rating: 
Summary: I guess I just don't get it.
Review: After reading the 5 star reviews on the web, I purchased the Red Tent. Being a lover of historical fiction, I thought I was in for a real treat. I guess I just don't get it because I had to force myself to finish this book. I got into the characters alright but halfway through the book they were gone. The part that had the most profound affect on me was when Dinah had to accept the fact that she would always be distant from her son. I think it is since their life and customs are so unfamiliar to me that I found it hard to follow. I'm not familiar with a lot of Bible stories.
Rating:
Summary: You MUST read this book
Review: What an outstanding piece of work! I have read very few books that I've enjoyed as much as this. It is so beautifully written, I felt the earth and smelled the straw as I was transported to Canaan and Egypt. I just cannot give enough praise for this book, I would have chosen more stars if there was an option to! I whole-heartedly recommend this to anyone, female and male alike.
Rating:
Summary: Interesting
Review: The Red Tent is a fictionalized account about the biblical figure Dinah, Jacob's daughter. Anita Diamant uses the last half of Genesis as the basic framework for her novel. She then embelishes the gaps in the Old Testament with "what might have happened". Of course her detailed writings are fiction, but it is interesting to read familiar stories from the female perspective. I enjoyed the novel, and liked the second half of the book better than the first. When starting the novel, I found myself frequently looking at the family tree at the beginning of the book. As the novel progressed, family dynamics changed dramatically, the narration blossomed and I was drawn into the lives of the characters. The Red Tent is worth reading.
Rating:
Summary: Weaving & Unraveling
Review: [A note to Bible believing people: This is not a biblical novel! Although based on characters created by the Bible, those who seek anything other than a deeper appreciation of life in Patriarchal Times (as opposed to patriarchal times--in which we still live), will be disappointed if not outraged. If you cannot set aside (at least long enough to enjoy this book) your knowledge of how the stories surrounding Jacob's family "really" happened, do not pick this book up, it will frustrate you.] This poignant tale of community built and then unraveled, showcases solid research about life in the ancient near east. Although characters originate in the Bible, their behaviors are frequently explained far differently than in the corresponding Biblical stories. My recurrent response was "that's not how I thought it happened, but it's not an impossible explanation." This didn't distract for long, however. Diamante writes to connect with the heart, not just boggle the mind. We become entranced, sucked into the community of Laban's daughters. We find their experiences awakening our own longings to connect. As the novel progresses, we feel the torn fabric of our own community in Dinah's tragedy and isolation. Listen, guys, you who always complain that women cannot be understood--read this book! If you don't get it, read it again. And again. Reflect on the men in this book. Reflect on how their lives impacted the women around them. CONSIDER YOUR LIFE IN THIS LIGHT. Or, continue grousing over your lite beer. Keep on complaining about women to your buddies at the sports bar. Perhaps that =IS= more satisfying, after all. Five stars for a great story. Five stars for handling "historical" material fairly & with novelty. Five stars for research (I've read a bit on the ancient near east & this this novel doesn't contradict any of it). Five stars for writing with a heart. (If you'd like to dialogue about this review, please click on the "about me" link above & drop me an email. Thanks!)
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