Books like The Red Tent show that there are many different ways to tell a story.

Dinah is given a voice in Anita Diamant's 1997 novel, which gives readers a glimpse into what life was like for women in biblical times. Aside from a brief mention in Genesis focusing on her father Jacob and his twelve sons, Dinah is only mentioned once in the Bible's entire text.

Dinah's story is retold from her point of view in Diamant's spellbinding novel, which also delves into ancient traditions of womanhood, such as the red tent, where women would gather when menstruating or giving birth, and the difficulties they faced. Diamant's spellbinding novel

Aside from The Red Tent, I've included other retellings of well-known stories or historical events, and books that give voice to those who were previously silenced. A new perspective on history, religion, legend, and so much more is offered by these authors.

Books like The Red Tent

The Other Boleyn Girl, by Philippa Gregory

Historical novelist Philippa Gregory is known as a "Queen" because of the number of novels she has penned about famous monarchs like Mary Queen of Scots and Henry VIII during the Tudor period.

Many of Gregory's novels will appeal to fans of The Red Tent, but I've chosen The Other Boleyn Girl for its examination of women's roles in Tudor society.

 

A young Henry VIII notices Mary Boleyn, and the two become infatuated with the idea that she will one day be his queen. In the end, Mary falls behind her sister Anne, realizing that she is nothing more than a pawn in her own family's plans for the future.

The Other Boleyn Girl is an engrossing read that vividly depicts the politics, motives, and aspirations of Europe's most exciting and glamorous court in rich and detailed prose that anyone can appreciate.

Circe, by Madeline Miller

Madeline Miller, like Philippa Gregory, is quickly gaining notoriety for her mythical retellings, and her book Circe is the next on our list of books like The Red Tent.

It is strange that Circe, a daughter of Helios and a water nymph named Perse, does not possess any divine powers of her own. Circe is banished to a remote island after being rejected by her family and learning witchcraft.

Hercules, Daedalus, and Odysseus all feature in Greek mythology, and she becomes entwined in their stories as she perfects her sorcery in this location.

Increasing her powers of witchcraft, Circe is forced to make a difficult choice: stay in the mortal world, or return to the gods.

One of Greek Mythology's most misunderstood goddesses, Circe tells the story of a goddess with a human heart in a startling narrative by Miller.

Has this book already been read by you? We've compiled a list of books that are similar to Circe.

The Historian, by Elizabeth Kostova

The Historian, a part-epistolary novel by Elizabeth Kostova, explores everything from the legends of Vlad the Impaler and Dracula to biblical retellings, Greek myths, and historical events.

Our narrator discovers an ancient leather-bound book and a stack of old letters addressed to "My dear and unfortunate successor..." as she explores her father's library one night.

It's not impossible that Vlad the Impaler, inspiration for Bram Stoker's Dracula, is still alive and wreaking havoc after all these years, as these letters from various countries and eras suggest.

She follows her father's trail to shocking and unexpected conclusions, as have many other eminent historians and professors before him.

As a novel like The Red Tent, The Historian explores Dracula's origin story and brings it forward through the ages with an innovative twist, making it a must-read for anyone who enjoys a good vampire story.

The Silence of the Girls, by Pat Barker

You'll enjoy Pat Barker's The Silence of the Girls, which tells the story of the Trojan War through the eyes of a female protagonist, if you enjoyed The Red Tent for its female perspective.

furthermore For the most part, war stories like Barker's are about men, the winners and losers of battle, the heroes and villains of war. The women, on the other hand, are left to fend for themselves when the men in their lives die in battle. As a result, The Silence of the Girls focuses on this idea in depth:

After being captured by Achilles, Briseis, the Queen of a Greek kingdom located next to Troy, is transformed into a war spoil. Using her new position as a slave, Briseis provides readers with a unique perspective and a wealth of descriptive detail from the battlefields.

To read Barker's prose is to be mesmerized; The Silence of the Girls is a startling narrative that emphasizes the significance of not only who tells a story, but also why they do so.

Lavinia, by Ursula K. Le Guin

Reiterating my claim that there are many ways to tell a tale, Lavinio is a fresh take on events surrounding the Trojan War.

 

When Lavinia is brought out of the shadows, it is thanks to Virgil's Aeneid's final chapter that she is brought to life by Ursula Le Guin.

Like most women of the time, Lavinia supported her husband in battles and forged empires, but that isn't the case in this story, where she is the protagonist. Lavinia takes control of the narrative by arguing and conversing with Virgil himself.

While most people associate Ursula K. Le Guin with sci-fi and fantasy, in Lavinia, she tells a deeply moving story of war, destiny, love, family, and duty from the perspective of a female feminist.

Wolf Hall, by Hilary Mantel

King Henry VIII of the British monarchy is one of the most well-known figures in British history, and he is also one of the most memorable characters in fiction.

However, what about the people who surround these well-known individuals? To get a better understanding of this period, I've included Wolf Hall, the first book in Hilary Mantel's booker-winning trilogy about Thomas Cromwell, the king's chief minister.

It's a real-life rags to riches story, complete with all the grit and ambition that comes with it, as Mantel tells the story of Oliver Cromwell from his childhood being beaten by his Blacksmith father all the way to becoming an influential royal aid.

This trilogy—which includes Wolf Hall and Bring up the Bodies and The Mirror And The Light—has solidly established Mantel as one of the greatest living novelists. Readers looking for a novel similar to The Red Tent will enjoy all three.

The Five: The Untold Lives of the Women Killed by Jack the Ripper, by Hallie Rubenhold

 

A new book by historian Hallie Rubenhold, The Five: The Untold Lives of the Women Killed by Jack the Ripper, sets the record straight in a powerful and astonishing debut.

It was a group of six people: Catherine; Polly; Annie; Mary-Jane; and Elizabeth.

They were musicians, baristas, coffee shop owners, and smugglers' s spies, as well as printers.

People from London, Wolverhampton, Sweden and Wales were among those who traveled to the event.

 

There was nothing they could have done to prevent it.

They were far more than the sum of their parts.

Few details are ever revealed about these five women who were widely regarded as sleazy ladies of the night, but all died in the same tragic and violent way.

Any fan of The Red Tent should read The Five, as Rubenhold not only gives voice to these women, but she also reveals the misogyny that surrounded the case for decades to come.

Home Fire, by Kamila Shamsie

The searing Home Fire, Kamila Shamsie's seventh novel, is a modern-day reimagining of Sophocles' Antigone. It examines the trauma and turmoil that many British Muslims experience today.

When Isma's mother, Aneeka, and Parvaiz, her twins, died at a young age, Isma had to step in and take care of them for the first few years of their lives.

Aneeka, who stayed behind to care for Parvaiz while she went to study in the States, and Aneeka, who followed in the footsteps of his Jihadist father, are two of Isma's greatest concerns despite her success as an exchange student and subsequent return to London. In the hopes of reuniting Parvaiz with his family, Aneeka and Isma get involved with the son of a prominent political figure.

If you've read Antigone, you'll know what happens to Isma and her family, but even if you haven't, Shamsie's unique take on the story and her writing style make it worth your time.

If you're looking for a book in the vein of The Red Tent, look no further than Home Fire, a literary tour de force.

Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West, by Gregory Maguire

Gregory Maguire's book, Can Anyone Be Born Truly Wicked?, explores the question of whether or not anyone can be born truly wicked, as in the story of Dorothy, Oz, and the Wicked Witch.

Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West tells the story of Elphaba, the titular green witch, and how she came to be known as one of the most infamous characters in literature.

All that Elphaba's animals want is to be treated with equality, but so many want to return them to their natural habitats. Enter Elphaba, a woman who has been judged, persecuted, and overlooked her entire life.

Through political, social, and ethical commentary, Maguire expertly navigates his way around the nature of good and evil.

When you're done reading books like The Red Tent and need something new, pick up a copy of the critically acclaimed musical Wicked.

What I love most about books like The Red Tent is I get to relive some of my favourite stories again but from another perspective breathing new life into stories I thought I knew so well, I hope you enjoy this aspect and the many more the books listed here have to offer.

---