I must start by confessing that The Red Tent by Anita Diamant was a book club choice which I might never have come across left to my own devices
Essentially The Red Tent is about women and menstuation and it is set in Biblical times.
I believe that there is nothing new under the sun and so I can easily accept that women thousands of years ago were not so very different to how we are today. That’s one of the things that I like about this book. You can relate to the female characters.
Nothing new?
The club girls had quite divergent views on The Red Tent though. Some thought if you have read women’s studies during your formative years, you’ll find nothing new in this format. I accept that, but still thought it a good story, nicely told – an enjoyable read with enough pace and content to keep you interested.
I loved the image of the women collecting herbs and sewing them into the hemlines of their dresses as they traversed the desert. I can even say I was moved to tears – particularly at the ending.
I read a lot of books so one of the ways I rate them is whether they stay with me months after I’ve read them. The Red Tent by Anita Diamant does. I couldn’t necessarily recount the tale or describe the characters but some of the images have lingered in my head. For that reason, I’m happy to recommend it.