Dinah's Background

I know I haven’t been the best blogger this month. I have barely written anything about this Month’s selection, The Red Tent. My problem is I don’t feel particularly called or inspired by much in the book to write about. Don’t get me wrong I did enjoy reading the book for the most part but it’s just not one that I have lots to write about. In chapter one, we come across a couple of those brief moments where I want to slam the book and shut it. If you have read through it you know what I’m talking about. Dinah is giving us the run down on all her “mothers” and their stories. There is a lot of talk about gods and goddesses but I’m not familiar with what other gods they believe at this time in History and I did not enjoy reading about them. It was confusing for me to read about these other idols and gods that they were constantly sacrificing to. As we read through Chapter two, the author tells us a story of what could have happened between Rachel and Leah and the marriage switch up with Jacob. Of course the majority of these details are not in the Bible so this is something that we just won’t ever know. I don’t particularly care for this part of the story of what could have been or the fact that some of the details are changed from what we are given in the Bible. In Chapter three we get into even more detail of the struggles of the women and the birth of all of Jacob’s children. Dinah is telling all of this background to prepare us for “her story,” as the author calls it. If I were you I would go back to Genesis and freshen up on this story of Jacob and his wives. You can start about Genesis Chapter 29 when Jacob arrives at the well and meets Rachel or you back up even a little farther to the story of Jacob and his brother. Because so much of this is not found in the Bible, I would not want anyone to get confused with the fact vs. fiction.

If you feel like you would like to write an opinion on this book or about a part that particularly spoke to you, please let me know! I would love to have some other opinions since I can’t find much to write about. Just drop me an e-mail at abookjunkie@gmail.com.

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