It's just fiction

I had to keep reminding myself throughout the book that it was just fiction. Although I appreciate the "fleshing out" of the characters, like Laurenda and Amanda, I'm sure that the real characters aren't how they were portrayed in the book. Rebecca was not so indifferent to her family or to Isaac. Joseph did not sleep with Potipher's wife. And so on. I, too, went and read the appropriate chapters in Genesis just in case I was missing something. The one characterization that I preferred in the book to the Bible version is the relationship between Jacob and Leah. I liked the idea that he loved her (even though she wasn't Rachel) rather than the "she was hated" stuff in the Old Testament. However, we still have the problem that the Bible is true as far as it is translated correctly (if I can interject a bit of LDS culture here).

I can't think of the word that best describes what I want to say, but I loved the visual images painted by the author's words; words not describing imagery, but people. Rachel smelled like water and was as strong as the moon. How beautiful and unique is that? Strong as the moon... why not strong as a horse, for example. Beautiful.

The story was supposed to be about the bonds of sisterhood, or so I thought. However, Dinah lost all those with whom she shared such a sisterhood - her mothers, her Egyptian friend, etc. I soon felt that the point of the book was that she was all alone and had to gain the strength to continue on no matter what life gave her. Although, as a midwife, she had opportunities to form relationships with other women, she always seemed alone.

The Red Tent... a place where womanhood is celebrated, shared, and cherished. However, all I could keep thinking was how thankful I am that I don't have to spend a few days a month sitting on hay. Did all women really go to the Red Tent at the same time each month? I know, I'm weird.

I really enjoyed the book. It's just fiction - not a biblical account. Thanks, Carolyn!!