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Book Review of The Red Tent

The Red Tent
reviewed Not an accurate biblical account, but an interesting view of the women of Genesis on
Helpful Score: 6


I was enticed by the story of Dinah, only daughter of Jacob. The story is very compelling, but this is a work of fiction and must be treated as that.

I was disappointed at the many inaccuracies regarding the Biblical account. All the details of the Biblical account are included in the story line, but many are either modified, or recounted as fantasy, gossip or directly false. I personally didn't like that. It wasn't necessary to create a great book. (for example, seven years of waiting for Rachel become seven months, Dinah is happily married instead of being raped and rejected afterward, Joseph has an affair with Potiphar's wife instead of running from her to do God's will).

Also God is pretty much out of the picture. There are brief mentions of sacrifices to El, and a lot of idolatry and mix of family gods and the like, but it doesn't appear to be a story about God and about God's people even though it is from the Bible.

With those exceptions, I think the Red Tent is a very interesting view of the time of Jacob and his family, pure fiction though.