Rating: 
Summary: absolutely beautiful
Review: I can't find the words to descibe the connectedness I found with the main character of this book. If I had the funds I would buy it for everyone I know. This has been by far one of the best reading experiences I have ever had. So much was accomplished in it's three-hundred and some pages. I look forward to reading it again as well as this author's other writings. Full of female yayness!
Rating: 
Summary: Remember that it's fiction
Review: I enjoyed this book as a work of fiction, noting that it departed radically from the true story of Rebecca and Issac's descendents found in Genesis. Description of characters in this book is entertaining, though inconsistent with the Bible. Through Diamant's writing, Dinah's mothers were reduced from women of God to pagans. Dinah was not raped, but allegedly fell in love with the prince Shalem. The family life portrayed was interesting, though a little much. I grew tired of their songs, goddesses, and child bearing. I was disappointed at the lack of a relationship between Jacob and Dinah, the rapidity with which Jacob (and the entire family) fell, and what I perceived as the weakening of Dinah's character near the end of the novel. All in all, a good read, if one keeps in mind that it is purely fiction and often contradictory to the Bible.
Rating:
Summary: A Fantasy Novel using Familiar Names
Review: 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.
Rating:
Summary: loved it
Review: fantastic. I kept having to remind myself that it is fiction.
Rating:
Summary: A wonderful book
Review: I loved this book - even though I'm not a Christian and not overly interested in the Bible. It is quite simply a beautifully written story.
Rating: 
Summary: An amazingly good read
Review: This book was recommended to me by a book club friend, and I purchased it right away. However, it took me some months to actually sit down and read it, because I to begin with, felt that the story did not sound like anything I would like to read. How wrong I was!The story about Laban's 4 daughters and Dinah, "their" daughter, is an amazing story about growing up, becoming a woman, about love and hate, about men and women, about sex, child births, triupmhs and tragedies. This book has it all, and even though it is build on biblical characters, it doesn't become "too biblical" in any way. The story is well developed and the characters easy to associate with, even though the story takes place more than 1000 years ago. It is definitely a woman-book, and I am not sure all men will enjoy it as much as the women will. I would have rated this 5 if the last part of the book had moved just a bit quicker and if the editors had cut maybe 20 or 30 pages out, but all in all this is a hughly recommendable book.
Rating:
Summary: Couldn't put it down!
Review: I did not think that I would like "The Red Tent" until I found a copy at a used book store and opened it up. It started off with keeping me mesmerised from page one!
The bond that Dinah had with her four mothers in the red tent was absolutely wonderful............
There were some areas in the book that I thought barbaric, but life was brutal back then, and women were the property of their man..............ewwwwww!
This was a very nice story, one worth keeping on my bookshelf for my daughters to read. I just wish there were more good stories like this one out there.
Rating:
Summary: The Big Book of Biblical Menstruation
Review: I am an avid reader of theologically-based novels. I had high hopes for this book. In many ways, it's well written and indeed an interesting point of view. However, I have to say, the graphic descriptions of menstruation, birth, midwifery, and budding feminine sexuality were far too much for me. After a point, I swore every other paragraph concerned something vaginal. Some might enjoy this. I did not. But, I was determined to finish the book. The author's odd glee and relish in these menstrual musings is a bit disturbing as well. Of course, towards the middle of the novel, we're given much description of circumcision, too. Just so the guys don't feel left out. Again, not really something I want to read. So, yes, this is a well-written book. And, yes, it's an interesting voice on an OT story. But, ewwwwww...unless you enjoy a great deal of gynecological chat (and I mean a GREAT deal), this isn't the book for you. Be forewarned.
Rating:
Summary: Good but not great
Review: I had great hopes for this book after being enchanted by the very promising beginning and Anita Diamant's lyrical, poetic language. Unfortunately the book didn't really live up, even though it's been a fairly entertaining, enjoyable read. I always like reading a fresh spin on an old story and rarely have problems with authors mucking around with facts, so I didn't have problems with whatever historical inaccuracies there were. My problems were more with the way Diamant treats the characters: men are mostly reduced to shallow caricatures and Dinah's two romances come straight from your average bodice-ripper. The rituals and daily life of Dinah's four mothers were interesting to read, although I felt like I might overdose on the celebration of oh-so-harmonious-glorious sisterhood that the book is drenched with at times. I mean, I'm proud to be a woman and all but there was just too much hair-braiding and feet-rubbing for my liking. Also, the story runs out of steam somewhat after the climatic event in Dinah's life: her life in Egypt is simply not that terribly interesting, and the new characters she meets there lack the strength of Leah and Rachel. I would still recommend the book, but just don't expect too much.
Rating:
Summary: Hard to put down! Excellent!
Review: It gives you an idea of what life may have been like at that time. I identified with Dinah & felt her losses and victories in a difficult time for women (and men it seems). I see that some reviewers called this book a romance, but I personally didn't see this book as a romance at all - not even close. Maybe "Historical Fiction"? Either way, it was wonderful!
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