Book Review: The Red Tent 3 out of 5 Stars

Last week I finished my book club's April selection, The Red Tent by Anita Diamant. The story of Dinah, Jacob's only daugther, among eleven brothers was a wonderful one. The author took the briefest mention of an individual in the Bible and expands upon it to provide a full picture of what the life of Jacob's only daugther might have been like. I loved this concept, taking a brief mention in history and fleshing it out to provide us with a story that we would otherwise never hear. It also provided some additonal perspective on some of the well known biblical stories that I gre up with - I always envisioned the Donny Osmond version of Joseph (heretical of me I know) but this book provided a very different picture of what Joseph ultimately became. Another reason the book was so compelling to me was it's very detailed description of daily life in biblical times, these are the things I've always wondered about but things that were never touched upon in more known works: what did people do all day, what were the customs, what were the other gods they worshipped - all pieces that brought the puzzle of those lives and times together for me.
Finally, my favorite component of the book was the emphasis and strength of female relationships all throughout the novel. While the concept of Jacob's four wives, all of whom were sisters is fodder enough for a novel, it was the web of their relationships and how their unique gifts all came together to provide for their family that I found so fascinating and inviting. In what would definitely be material for the Jerry Springer show today, there was power and unbelievable capability among these women - I found myself being envious of the tightness of their relationships, when I live in a society today were women are so catty. The work also served as yet another example of all that women did and still do, Dinah and several of her companions were essentially the first OB/GYNs and what they accomplished all on their own amazed me.
If you're looking for a fresh perspective on an old biblical tale or an story that will leaving you feeling in awe of women then this is a must read for you.