Bonus: The Red Tent

Picador USA

The Red Tent
Anita Diamant
1997

The Summary
In the Book of Genesis, Dinah is a forgotten story.  Except for a brief and bloody chapter, in which Dinah is only mentioned in passing, she never acts or speaks on her own.  She has no story to tell, no history to relate, no memories to share:  she is merely a tool used by her brothers.

Until now.

Now, Dinah has a voice.  Now, Dinah - daughter of Jacob and Leah, sister of Joseph, wife of Shalem - has a story that is uniquely, singularly her own.

The Good
Rich in storytelling and tradition, Anita Diamant weaves a tale that is both provoking and intimate  - and, if I may say so, utterly captivating.  As I described in other posts (read:  In Progress), I found Dinah's story thoroughly engrossing and wonderful.

The Red Tent is beautiful in a way that only books are beautiful:  it is a window to a world we wouldn't otherwise see, it is the culmination of thoughts, ideas, traditions and experiences that weave their way into our lives unexpectedly.  Although Diamant's novel is entirely fictive, there's an element of history and memory that makes it incredibly real.

The Bad
The Red Tent is a heady story.  Without some prior biblical knowledge, Diamant's novel can occasionally be confusing; however, the author does a competent job of explaining and describing enough of the religious and social context to properly flesh out her story and that of Genesis.

The Ugly
From the first page, Dinah alludes to her future, to the tragedies that are sure to come, but when it comes to pass, it's like a thunderbolt - fast, sudden, and agonizing.  Dinah faces loss like she's never known, and it's a heart-wrenching thing to witness.

I should also point out that The Red Tent is not for the faint of heart.  It's a story about memory and tradition, but it's also a story about mankind's faults, child-birth, death and loss.  Dinah does not conceal the truth.  She tells all from her first menstrual cycle to the rituals of womanhood to the trials of childbirth.  Some of it is shocking and some of it is stomach-turning, but it's all a part of her life, which she isn't afraid to lay bare.