Scan barcode
karinlib's review against another edition
4.0
The Disobedient Wife is told through two main characters: Harriet, from Britain, married to a business man who is working in Dushanbe, the capitol of Tajikistan, and Nargis a Tajik woman working as a domestic for Harriet. I really enjoyed this book from both views of an expatriate and a local.
The Book's main topic revolves around the domestic abuse a lot of women in Tajikistan are subject to, and a loss of the equality that they had attained under the Soviet Union (but also discussing some of the difficulties of life under the Russians).
The Book's main topic revolves around the domestic abuse a lot of women in Tajikistan are subject to, and a loss of the equality that they had attained under the Soviet Union (but also discussing some of the difficulties of life under the Russians).
krobart's review against another edition
3.0
See my review here:
https://whatmeread.wordpress.com/2016/06/06/day-912-literary-wives-the-disobedient-wife/
https://whatmeread.wordpress.com/2016/06/06/day-912-literary-wives-the-disobedient-wife/
serendipitysbooks's review
challenging
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
The Disobedient Wife was an absorbing read. Set in Tajikistan it tells the interconnected story of two women. Harriet is a British expat, married to an older man who works as a diplomat. Nargis is a Tajikistani woman, struggling to support her extended family and socially somewhat ostracised because she left her abusive second husband. She works part-time as a maid/nanny for Harriet. While Nargis was immediately likeable - hardworking, wise to the ways of the world, yet still kind and generous, Harriet was initially much less so, coming across as entitled, self-indulgent and wilfully ignorant. Thankfully Harriet improved over the course of the novel, much of it due to her changing relationship with Nargis, which became closer and more friendship-like. The disparities in their circumstances were pronounced, yet there were also similarities. Both were mothers and both suffered (albeit in vastly different ways) due to the actions of their husbands. I loved the insights this novel provided into life in Tajikistan, especially the city of Dushanbe, and that it was focused on the lives of women, something I found hard to find in books from the Central Asian region. I also loved the way in which both women were eventually able to use their resources and strength to make a better life for themselves and their children.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Misogyny, and Suicide
Moderate: Islamophobia and Racism
More...