Review on 🏺 The Red Tent: A Captivating Novel Plunging into Ancient Secrets by Ryan Eppinger

First criticism of the verification process. I hate that Revain insists that I use one of her descriptive words to "describe the plot of this book". They let me choose between "predictable," "some twists," or "full of surprises," neither of which is a good description of Red Tent. Many thoughtful reviews have already been published. I contend that it was wonderful to read this story from a woman's point of view. In those days women were treated like chattels and their only power was to produce sons. They demanded that power, and it was fascinating. I also liked the depiction of the women's community and what they contributed to the family economy, I hope that part is 'true'. I like the quality of historical fiction in the book. Alternative views of biblical literalism are a relief. An alternative point of view on Dina's "rape" deserves attention. In today's world, there are "honor killings" that sometimes occur when women engage in extramarital sex, be it consensual or rape. We have a contemporary context to observe women who lack self-determination, whose marriages are arranged, or whose consent still has a price. It's not that hard to see the possibility of an alternate reality for Dina. It definitely makes a great story. I'm fascinated by the tension and structure that comes from meeting people of different faiths, women practicing the ancient ways, those not, paganism, those following the God of Abraham, and then the Egyptians. It's interesting to see how these beliefs color their lives and how they interact with people of other beliefs. You can see that in the reviews here on Revain! I don't find this story anti-male or anti-biblical. If we remember that all power belonged to men, then the tragic use of power falls on men. But other aspects of power also appear in encounters between shepherds and kings, Dinah among the Egyptians, etc. Religious and cultural divisions and social positions within the tribe and beyond are part of the story. without spoilers. This is an excellent book. One can be a man of faith without being offended by a single syllable in this book. The 2000 critique is interesting, but I think the time is on the side of a deep assessment of the Red Tent.