Looking Back... In an effort to transfer my book journal entries over to this blog, I'm going to attempt to post (in chronological order) an entry every Friday. I may or may not add extra commentary to what I jotted down in these journals.
Fiction
1997 Picador USA
Finished on May 12, 2001
Rating: 4/5 (Very Good)
Publisher's Blurb:
Her name is Dinah. In the Bible, her life is only hinted at in a brief and violent detour within the more familiar chapters of the Book of Genesis that are about her father, Jacob, and his dozen sons. Told in Dinah's voice, this novel reveals the traditions and turmoils of ancient womanhood--the world of the red tent. It begins with the story of her mothers--Leah, Rachel, Zilpah, and Bilhah--the four wives of Jacob. They love Dinah and give her gifts that sustain her through a hard-working youth, a calling to midwifery, and a new home in a foreign land. Dinah's story reaches out from a remarkable period of early history and creates an intimate connection with the past. Deeply affecting, The Red Tent combines rich storytelling with a valuable achievement in modern fiction: a new view of biblical women's society.
My Original Thoughts (2001):
Very easy to get interested in, although I had to refer to the genealogy chart several times during the first few chapters. I really enjoyed this novel, but I thought it began to drag in the last 50+ pages. I could put it down, so only an 4-star rating. Overall, it was very enjoyable and I'd recommend it to others.
My Current Thoughts:
This was such a popular novel when it was first released. I either read it with a book group or talked about it with fellow readers. I've read one other book by Diamant (Good Harbor), but somehow forgot all about her. She has written a few more novels that I'd like to try (The Last Days of Dogtown, Day After Night, and The Boston Girl).
