The Red Tent

The Red Tent by Anita Diamant

Description from Amazon:
"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 tell of her father, Jacob, and his twelve sons.Told in Dinah's voice, Anita Diamant imagines the traditions and turmoils of ancient womanhood--the world of the red tent. It begins with the story of the mothers--Leah, Rachel, Zilpah, and Bilhah--the four wives of Jacob. They love Dinah and give her gifts that sustain her through childhood, 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."

My thoughts:
I loved the imagery and richness of this book. Diamant brings the story of Dinah to life in an honest and compelling way. While Dinah's character is based on a Biblical story, this plot is not focused on religion. Instead the focus is on the history of women, of mothers and daughters and their struggles and triumphs. In reverence of women, this is a masterpiece.

I recommend for those of you who enjoy historic fiction and also for women who enjoy reading about the journeys of past women.