The Red Tent
by Anita Diamant
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Book Reviews of The Red Tent
Book Review: Torn
Summary: 4 Stars
Hmmm. Rating this book was probably one of the hardest things I've done at amazon.com, besides forking over my credit card for one of my periodic book-binges. Anyway, this book is fantastically written, bringing the Old Testament era to life with the sounds, smells, and even tastes of a culture that frankly, I haven't been too intimately familiar with but feel that I should. The language and plot flows smoothly and poetically. The book itself was amazing.The only problem I have is with the author. I grew up in a heavily Catholic family and had 17 years of formal Catholic education. That said, I would be the first to admit that I'm not the most conservatively religious person in the world, quite the opposite, but I have read the Bible cover to cover, several times. However, I had issue with some of the "embellishments" she chose to include in this story. I completely respect the art of removing a Biblical tidbit and building fiction around it, but at points in the novel, the complete lack of respect for what many consider "forefathers" and important religious figures is disconcerting at minimum. Many of these add-ons are cheap and possibly only included to boost sales, as they more resemble a kinship with Danielle Steele. I would feel differently if I knew that the author had conducted alot of research and found that these things (okay I'll say it, bestiality) were common back then, but if she just picked it out of the blue, I am massively disappointed at her slip from the respect which is due religious figures from ANY religion or creed. There is a large gap between coloring these figures as human with massive human flaws and issues aside from what has been present in the OT, and painting them as base characters from the latest trashy grocery stand book. However, this issue seems to only exist in the first few chapters, so it was more like a nagging feeling than a real problem.
Another concern I had with this book is the modernity issue. Again, I couldn't find any implication or hint as to the amount of research this lady did, but nowhere between the covers or even on the website did I see any anthropological or Biblical technical references (although I could just somehow be missing it), so I would have to guess that it was minimal. With that in mind, the contemporary themes were unsettling. I felt like she was trying to make the exasperated point of "times never change" and "history repeats" and other such cliches, but perhaps at the expense of authenticity. Some of the actions and behaviours of the characters were a little too close to home. If I can say, "Hey, I've done that" in reference to someone who lived thousands of years ago, I have to be a little wary that the story hasn't been "updated". Then again, I'm not a specialist, and maybe she is. Who knows, and that's the problem. I did see evidence of a greater knowledge of the culture behind the OT, so it's not like she's making things up as she goes along, just to clarify.
So after all this complaining, why four stars? The artistry of the writing more than makes up for annoying details. I just thought I'd alert any fundamentalists or readers who are particularly sensitive about religious issues, which I can be sometimes, despite all my liberal-ness. For those with tough skin, this is a riveting story well-composed with vibrant images exploring topics and even methods of writing rarely seen.
If the subject matter interests you, I'd recommend Karen Armstrong. She writes wonderful nonfiction investigations into religion, the monotheistic ones in particular. A collaboration between her and Diamant would be unstoppable and world-altering.
Book Review: A Literary/Feminist Read...Not A Christian or Jewish Read
Summary: 2 Stars
This book was highly recommended by a Christian friend of mine, so I purchased it. I was under the mistaken impression that this was a Christian book before I read it. After reading it, I am fairly certain that Diamant had no intention of this being a Christian novel at all. If you are looking for a book about the strength and bonding of women, then this is a good book. If you are looking for a book that will appeal to you in a literary sense (you know, one of those books you are proud to tell people you read, because it's DEEP) then you will probably enjoy it. It is well written. I did not enjoy it, however, because I was expecting something else; I know that is the fault of my own ignorance.
From a general standpoint, I don't really know that it was necessary to describe everything quite as graphically as Diamant did in every situation. There were a few things that should have been left out altogether, in my opinion. Not everything -- I'm not so idealistic as to think that people were somehow perfect back then. But Diamant should have been confident enough in her own writing to know that certain things weren't necessary. It is interesting that the things I found the most graphic and inappropriate were actions that only involved men; this made me feel disgusted with these male characters. As with many of the flawed male characters in this book, Diamant's writing subtly encourages the reader to become annoyed or angry with the male characters because of their choices or their character flaws. While this irritation is certainly understandable, Diamant doesn't treat the female characters equally. They too are flawed, but these flaws are glorified and excused, as they add to the "colorful" nature of the characters. I don't know if this was intentional or not, but if we're going to forgive/sympathize with the women, then we ought to give the men a second chance as well, and not make them out to be so terribly two-dimensional and unredeemable. But I do believe Diamant has some personal issues with Judaism, Christianity, and the male gender, so we'll just let it go.
What bothered me the most about this book was the fact that Diamant makes a clear distinction that Yahweh is the God of Jacob and the men -- not of the women. This is no small matter; it changes the entire message of Judaism and Christianity, and belittles Yahweh as well. This distinction permeates the book, and overshadows what I did like about the book: the relationships between the women, the different personalities of the wives.
This was an interesting read, but Diamant has changed the essence of the story and the characters so much that she probably would have been better off to just make up some other names rather than using the Bible characters. However, I guess unknown, made-up character names don't sell books.
If you are looking for a wonderful historical fiction retelling/expansion of Dinah's story, please read Grace in Thine Eyes by Liz Curtis Higgs. It isn't preachy or predictable, and things aren't necessarily wrapped up neatly at the end like most Christian fiction. I appreciate how Liz Curtis Higgs makes it simple to "put on the skin" of each character -- you can easily see how YOU could have made the same choices that would have led to the same wonderful or terrible outcome. Higgs makes you see how individual choices and individual personalities can create the atmosphere for sin and tragedy.
I am sure that if you loved this book, you are playing the "conservative Christian" label game right now, and are offended by my review. I'm sorry that you feel that way; I wasn't offended by your review. Have a blessed day!
Book Review: Traditionalist View Cannot Darken the Light of The Red Tent
Summary: 5 Stars
... I would like to make a few comments. I understand you are likely a traditionalist and have great faith, which I respect wholeheartedly. However, I believe you give this book the kind of review that speaks of prejudice and a closed mind that fears others' perspectives. You must acknowledge that biblical stories, whether in the Holy Bible or the Torah, severely lack a female point of view. No matter how far off-base you believe these interpretations are, don't you understand the pure value of different readings of an ancient story? We are all left with many stories untold from our past and it's only human nature to imagine what it might have been like to be a man or a woman from that time. Even if you don't agree with an interpretation, it is only an ungrateful scholar who calls a story teller's literary work "trash", misspells the crucial character's name, and laments the idea of donating the book "lest someone else be inspired by such desecration".I loved the book. I released all my faith-based learning and allowed myself to be told a story, as if I were a child. I loved and heard and cried with Dinah. It was a masterfully told story. Yes, it was from the point of view of a woman, surrounded by other women, who were not often in the presence of men in those days except to serve at table and in bed. Yes, some men in the story commit sins and allow fear, jealousy, and hunger for power lead them to do so. But not all the men in the story are hated as you claim. In fact, Dinah is so loving towards her fathers and brothers for the majority of the book that it is even more troubling for the reader in the end to scorn their actions which lead to Dinah's separation from her adored family. But you feel sadness too. You know this family. Even in our own families, we witness bad deeds. To ignore them is unwise; to accept and try to understand them is called love.
Have you considered that women reading the Torah or the Bible have felt a similar alienation that you felt reading this work as a man? That we had a limited role in the most revered literary works of the world, that we were shamed easily and could be sold as slaves for the sins of our parents, that we were fully dependent on men for our quality of life? This book at least attempts to fill a gap where women contribute more to the stories of old, where we hear detailed stories instead of vague and cruel descriptions. I dare say it is closer to the truth than the Bible passages that mention Dinah (and acknowledge the wrong-doing of her brothers). Knowing your place in things and knowing the stories of your ancestors reminds you of how the generations have formed one another.
No faithful and intelligent person is going to read this story and take it for fact. It's a journey that stands alone, in addition to being a perspective on our past. Your offense to the book saddens me; we are past the age of burning books and lashing out at so-called evil 'feminist' texts.
A feminist only means a person who believes women should have equal opportunity to men. That's all. Anything additional is just the belief of that individual. It's not about hating men. It's not about changing everything that's traditional and distorting any truths. In fact, I found joy in celebrating womanhood with the characters in the book and it made me reflect on how insecure most people still are about things that happen often in the lives of women.
We are not all the same, and I do not agree with you. And that's okay. Thanks for reading my comments. I hope you take them without defense in your heart, but instead acceptance for the thoughts of others. ...
Book Review: Interesting, different, and worth reading!
Summary: 3 Stars
The Red Tent is a story told through the eyes of Dinah, a woman who lived during Old Testament times. Many readers think this book is based on a story in the Bible, but it is actually about 1% truth and 99% imagination. The premise of this story is that Dinah, a daughter of Jacob, is telling the reader about her life as she is remembering it many years after it occurred. Jacob had four wives, and thus Dinah had four mothers. Dinah spent much of her childhood observing the four very different feminine characteristics of her mothers, listening to their stories, and learning their traditions. The lives of these ancient women revolved around childbearing and child-rearing. Childbirth defined their triumphs, their tragedies, and their sense of self-worth. The story tells us about the relationships between women of the time and the bonds they formed. When Dinah transitions from girlhood to womanhood, the women of her life celebrated with her, and Dinah eagerly anticipated the new phase that this transition was to bring to her life. However, early in this new phase of Dinah's life, a great tragedy occurs that alters her forever. A traumatic series of events caused Dinah to leave her family and her land for a new life and a new culture. Despite the time and distance that separatd her from the people of her past, Dinah continued to be influenced by the women of her childhood. In everything Dinah did, she carried part of her mothers with her. Many people who have read this book have expressed dismay that the story contradicts the Bible. Personally, I don't understand why anyone would expect the story to agree with the Bible? This fictional story is told through the eyes of an imperfect human being looking back on her life, while the Bible is the truth given breath by the perfect God. I think maybe the whole point of this story is that when a human being looks back on her life, she may see things very differently from the actual truth. In truth, Dinah was raped by Hamor's son. But isn't is plausible that the trauma of his murder caused Dinah, later in life, to perceive they had a great love affair? The truth is that Jacob was, in spite of his mistakes, a good and faithful man of God. But isn't is a possibility that his only daughter never knew him or loved him and saw him as a weak man? The truth is that Dinah's brother Joseph was intelligent and of high moral character; he never slept with Potiphar's wife despite her attempts at seduction. But isn't it likely that false rumors, like those told by Shery in The Red Tent, were spread about Joseph? And isn't it probable that some of the Egyptians grumbled that Joseph was stupid and arrogant, and belittled his talents? The truth is that Jacob did not love Leah. But isn't it believable that Leah could have distorted stories she told to Dinah to make Dinah believe Jacob did love her? I found this book to be a great break away from modern-day stories. I thought it was interesting and intriguing. The reason I give it 3 stars instead of a solid 4 is because I feel that the story would have been much better if Dinah had accepted the one true God, as her father Jacob did. I could have become more attached to the character of Dinah if she had embraced God and sought prayer in her times of need. Still, this book is worth reading... as long as the reader understands the difference between fiction and truth!Book Review: Haunting and Beautiful
Summary: 5 Stars
This book touched me more than any other book has. The characters are haunting and very human. It speaks to all women, even those who are not mothers--it is about sisters and aunts as well as mothers and daughters. It is about love and sacrifice and loss. It fills a void and gives a voice to those women who came before us--whose voices have never been heard or have been drowned out by men throughout history. Whether or not you believe in the Bible as literal fact, you have to admit that the Bible is written from a male perspective and women's lives are generally ignored with a couple of exceptions.This book is for those with an open mind. Anybody who knows anything about ancient history and the little we do know about women's lives during this time will find this book to have a vivid, believable interpretation on what their lives could have been like (yes, even with some of the facts being stretched or distorted). However, someone who is fundamentalist in their Christian beliefs will have issues with this book and would probably be better off not reading it if they are easily offended by differing ideas.
Yes, this is a fictional story and, yes, the author has taken certain poetic license with some of the details in the Bible or changed them to better fit her story--we need to keep that in mind and not berrate her for doing that. It is all to be expected in a fictional work. I do take exception to certain problems that some reviewers had, however. For example, some have suggested that the author is "audacious" to portray the women as pagans when they clearly,in the mind of some reviewers, were not. Men and women were very seperate in many ancient societies and many paid tribute to different dieties. It states in the Bible (Genesis ch 35, vs 2), "So Jacob said to his household and to all who were with him, "Put away the foreign gods that are among you, and purify yourselves..." So, it is not unthinkable that these women may have worshipped pagan dieties. To insist that they absolutely could not have because their husbands worshipped the one God is ridiculous. Additionally, some reviewers have been bothered by Dinah's seduction by the prince in the book, suggesting that the author is wrong to gloss over what was actually a rape. Well, if one reads the text closely, it states (Genesis ch 34, vs 2), "...the prince of the land, saw her, he seized her and lay with her and humbled her..." There really is nothing in this passage or in later passages that says that Dinah was raped. "Seized" does not necessarily mean by force and "humbled" could simply mean "defiled" (which is a word used in later verses describing the incident). "Defiled" does not, nor has it ever, meant "raped." Remember that during this time period a woman who has had sex before marriage or with a man who was not her husband was damaged goods--she was no longer pure and was now tainted and dishonored...the very meaning of the word "defiled." Therefore, the author's interpretation of Dinah as being seduced instead of raped is a valid interpretation of the text and does not warrant attacks.
The bottom line is that our foremothers deserve to have their voices heard and their lives remembered...even if we have to make their stories up. This book does a wonderful job and it will touch your soul.