Reviews tagging 'Miscarriage'

The Red Tent - 20th Anniversary Edition, by Anita Diamant

14 reviews

phantomgecko's review against another edition

medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.0

On one hand, it's a fascinating retelling of parts of Genesis.

On the other hand, I greatly disagree with some of the characterization/explanations/actions. It really felt like the author just wanted to take biblical people and smear them as much as possible because she can. "Look, your biblical figures were horrible people with no actual redeeming qualities." The female characters were lifted onto pedestals at the expense of the morality of the men.

idk, I think depicting Rebekah as a pagan priestess  bothered me the most. My girl Rebekah was a righteous, chosen woman. It does her so dirty to have her act cruelly with family and despise her husband while she runs the moon temple. It's not empowering or feminist. It sucks. Obviously she wasn't a perfect person, but when you're righting a novel exploring characters, why would you choose to make her wicked?

Again, there were some really cool parts of this novel. Some perspectives were great, the relationship between Jacob's wives was actually delightful. But a lot of the book felt spiteful.

Reading statements from the author makes me feel better about things. Still not my favorite book tho.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Misogyny, Pregnancy, Religious bigotry, Abortion, Sexual content, Blood, Grief, Death, Infertility, Murder, and Miscarriage

emilyjeanne's review against another edition

emotional inspiring 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? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide, Domestic abuse, Child death, Abortion, Miscarriage, Slavery, Pregnancy, Blood, Pedophilia, Medical trauma, Grief, Adult/minor relationship, and Sexual violence

smallredboy's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful inspiring reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.5

It's a beautifully written book; some parts were a bit of a lull and I didn't find myself liking them, mostly the sudden end to Dinah and Shelem's romance, but afterward the book took shape again and I found it really enjoyable. As much as I'm only woman-adjacent nowadays, the depictions of womanhood and mother-daughter relationships were really tender and I loved them.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexism, Misogyny, Death of parent, Pregnancy, and Death

Moderate: Murder, Suicidal thoughts, Slavery, Miscarriage, Violence, Rape, Incest, Grief, Domestic abuse, Child death, Sexual content, Physical abuse, and Adult/minor relationship

Minor: Pedophilia

_fallinglight_'s review against another edition

dark sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.5

Men are bad and boorish and everything evil under the sun unless they can do their jobs as studs and pleasure women. Women are mystical beings whose biggest accomplishments are bleeding and birthing because that's the real meaning of Womahood™. A simplification of this wack ass retelling. I don't know anything of the author and I'm not a super expert on the Old Testament story (I did see José do Egito, a Brazilian biblical tv series/telenovela about Joseph's story lol) but I can tell there were choices made here that were just to shit on the tradition just bc she could but were kinda sus. That's within her artistic license sure but there was no profound commentary, just a very New Age, White Feminist take that hasn't aged well. There were a few good passages but overall it was a version of glorifying a type of Womanhood™ I really loathe. I only finished it bc it had the keyword in one of my reading challenges and was intrigued how she'd tackle some other points of the story but it was unbearable to say the least. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Miscarriage, Blood, Death, Infertility, Murder, Pregnancy, Rape, Sexual assault, Child death, and Slavery

claudiajades's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Miscarriage, Death, Pregnancy, Violence, Murder, Child death, and Grief

Minor: Rape

laserdiscreader's review against another edition

emotional reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.25

I'm vaguely confident this was a reread and, if it was, it was just as enjoyable the second time round. A wonderful piece of biblical fiction about a woman I never learned about in church yet recognized every part of her story because of who her family is. I loved the reimagining of why certain religious traditions were/are as they were/are and it was refreshing to read such a familiar story through the modern, feminist lense. My copy also had a Q&A with the author which was a fun post-read cool down to hear her own thoughts of how the book has been received by various groups. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder

Moderate: Misogyny, Infertility, and Miscarriage

zestymelon's review against another edition

emotional hopeful informative medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Genocide, Infertility, Adult/minor relationship, Miscarriage, Misogyny, and Pregnancy

kateausten's review against another edition

emotional reflective medium-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Death, Grief, Infertility, Medical content, Medical trauma, Miscarriage, Murder, Pregnancy, and Sexual content

Moderate: Domestic abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Slavery, and Suicide

kaylamoran's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional inspiring sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

I almost DNF's this but I'm so glad I didn't.  That ending... damn.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Death, Death of parent, Grief, Infertility, Medical content, Miscarriage, Pregnancy, and Sexual assault

mooseyotl's review against another edition

challenging emotional inspiring reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Pregnancy, Murder, Miscarriage, and Child death

Moderate: Abandonment

Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Body horror, Cursing, Incest, and Sexual content

The book is succinct and detailed about sex, but does not move into sickening realms. Most times sex is described, it is done in a matter-of-fact way.