A reader wrote to ask if I’d read it. I haven’t. Her comments…and yours if you’d like to add to them?

I’m writing because I just finished reading “The Red Tent” by Anita Diamant. A lot of my Protestant and agnostic friends read it, and loved it. So, keeping in mind it is fiction based very loosely on a Bible story, I picked up a copy.

I’m wondering if you’ve read the book, and if so, what you thought about it. And what you think generally about writing fiction that’s originally based on a Bible story.

I have to say, I was greatly disturbed by the author’s (over)emphasis of pagan gods, and flippant treatment of the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. It also rang false to me that Jacob would ever allow the worship of false gods in any of his tents, and that he wouldn’t teach his wives and all his children about the Lord.

It also bothered me that the author turned Rebecca and Sarah into pagan priestesses. Grrrr.

Anyway, I’d be interested in reading your thoughts.