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4.12 AVERAGE
4.12 AVERAGE
I have mixed feelings on this book. On the one hand, the writing for the first 2/3 was intriguing, and it felt like a way of fleshing out the Bible characters I grew up with, even if it did make me a bit uncomfortable to think of the children and wives of Jacob as polytheistic. It was probably more accurate that they continued practicing polytheism and that they interacted with people who did, which again: I’m not mad that it was brought up. Nor am I upset at how Jacob, his wives, and his children were flawed. They weren’t perfect, and this helped humanize them, even if I didn’t love the things that humanized them and even if they aren’t actually true.
What I did hate about the polytheism in this book was how they didn’t accept Elohim as a “valid God,” for lack of a better phrase. It was treated as an eyeroll instead of anything else. Jacob would have introduced his wives to Elohim, and it was the fact that that was often discarded or treated with scorn that bothered me. If you’re writing about Jacob and his family, Jacob’s God deserves better treatment.
The book should have ended earlier. The last two chapters were exposition-heavy, through dialogue, and it felt very tell-y, rather than attempting to show the readers the connection between the vizier and Dinah’s son. The part over Egypt felt out of place and disjointed from the rest of the story. The whole point of the book, the red tent of Canaan, was lost. There were fewer female relationships, and Dinah was isolated from most people. We blew past decades without really knowing anything. 3.5 if it had ended with the massacre of the men in Hamor’s city, but it lost the momentum it had, and I had to power through to finish it.
It is hard to read biblical fiction, especially concerning well-known characters in the Bible. Generally, I avoid it for a slew of reasons. I did hate how Rebecca was an oracle and also didn’t recognize the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. She was cruel and cold, without any real explanation. While I appreciated the humanization of biblical characters, most of them were written as genuinely awful human beings or evolved into being genuinely awful human beings. I’m trying to keep it as unbiased as possible, but yeah, not a fan of how they were treated. Accurate to a degree, sure, but not my type of biblical fiction.
What I did hate about the polytheism in this book was how they didn’t accept Elohim as a “valid God,” for lack of a better phrase. It was treated as an eyeroll instead of anything else. Jacob would have introduced his wives to Elohim, and it was the fact that that was often discarded or treated with scorn that bothered me. If you’re writing about Jacob and his family, Jacob’s God deserves better treatment.
The book should have ended earlier. The last two chapters were exposition-heavy, through dialogue, and it felt very tell-y, rather than attempting to show the readers the connection between the vizier and Dinah’s son. The part over Egypt felt out of place and disjointed from the rest of the story. The whole point of the book, the red tent of Canaan, was lost. There were fewer female relationships, and Dinah was isolated from most people. We blew past decades without really knowing anything. 3.5 if it had ended with the massacre of the men in Hamor’s city, but it lost the momentum it had, and I had to power through to finish it.
It is hard to read biblical fiction, especially concerning well-known characters in the Bible. Generally, I avoid it for a slew of reasons. I did hate how Rebecca was an oracle and also didn’t recognize the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. She was cruel and cold, without any real explanation. While I appreciated the humanization of biblical characters, most of them were written as genuinely awful human beings or evolved into being genuinely awful human beings. I’m trying to keep it as unbiased as possible, but yeah, not a fan of how they were treated. Accurate to a degree, sure, but not my type of biblical fiction.
I might come back to this one someday, but it’s just not in my wheelhouse right now. It’s definitely well-written and an interesting topic but I want to read exclusively fantasy right now
I literally read this book on a yearly basis. It's got such passion and depth.
I didn't find the plot gripping or page turning but, for it surrounding a well-known event, it wasn't predictable. I didn't get emotionally involved with the characters. I did like seeing a biblical event from a different view point, giving a voice to those merely named. I enjoyed the descriptions of the rituals, religions, and relationships. It makes me wish we still had a red tent - a time to recharge and celebrate our role in life, instead of always being busy and serving others. Wasn't such a curse for them! The description of the environment and times were sufficient without being overly historical nor a word picture, and it has changed the way I feel about certain things, so three stars!
I have respect for this book, but in terms of engagement, I dragged myself through it.
Read this about ten years ago. Re-read in 2017, and I still love it. Powerful stories.
challenging
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
This is an excellent book! It has a strong feminist vibe and although I do not care for books with a religious taste, it is still an excellent read.