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hbelle01's review against another edition
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
freundlichl's review against another edition
challenging
reflective
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
oddtreeford's review against another edition
challenging
hopeful
informative
sad
medium-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? It's complicated
4.5
This book follows four different women living in an unnamed (but inspired by Saudi Arabia) Middle Eastern country. Their story is divided into four sections, one for each woman, and tells of their personal, cultural, and religious struggles living in this region. It’s an incredible insight into the region and the lives of the women there. In particular, I thought the stories of Suha and Tamr, the first two stories, were inspiring for their explorations of marriage, motherhood, and trauma.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Sexual harassment, Rape, and Misogyny
Minor: Sexual content
unabridgedchick's review against another edition
3.0
Set in an unnamed country in the Mid East, this novel follows the lives of four women: Suha, Nur, Suzanne, and Tamr. Each woman is affected by the conservative Muslim culture they live in, but react in four distinctly different ways. Suha--Lebanese born and educated--chafes at the restrictions she faces and acts out by entering into a dangerous sexual relationship with Nur. Wealthy and pampered Nur uses sex to break up the boredom of her life as does American Suzanne. Unsurprising, both women do not find the happiness they seek, but with different results. Finally, mousy Tamr risks family ire by attending classes and opening up her own business.
I found this novel striking but difficult: Al-Shaykh's characters are fleshy and realistic, often acting in ways challenging to the reader to like or admire. I was surprised to realize that even in the Mid East, local mores vary; Lebanese Suha, in particular, struggles to show the reader that Islamic doesn't have to equal repressive.
I found this novel striking but difficult: Al-Shaykh's characters are fleshy and realistic, often acting in ways challenging to the reader to like or admire. I was surprised to realize that even in the Mid East, local mores vary; Lebanese Suha, in particular, struggles to show the reader that Islamic doesn't have to equal repressive.
booktwitcher23's review against another edition
2.0
I was disappointed with this read, as it promised do much. I was interested in life in the desert, but it was written and translated in a very dispassionate way, which made the four women seem somewhat flat.
jennseeg's review against another edition
3.0
This book was interesting, but not so engaging that I couldn't put it down. This became problematic because the narratives of the characters often read the same way and I had difficulty keeping track of their stories. Additionally, I thought the prose related to the Ex-pat woman was clearly an Arab writing about her impression of Americans, rather than an American writing about her impression of Arabs, as was intended.
kristamorris's review against another edition
3.0
I read an article titled "Gender, Genre, and the (Missing) Gazelle: Arab Women Writers and the Politics of Translation," after I finished this book. This article was suggested by another Goodreads reviewer, and I really appreciate it.
While I rate the English translation 3 stars at most, I learned that significant changes were made from the Arabic, ranging from the title to order of the four narratives. After reading through the changes, I feel it is quite possible I would rate the original work higher, as the rearranging significantly changes the meaning and weight of the stories.
All that to say, if you read the translation, try to read the article for a better understanding of the author's purpose.
While I rate the English translation 3 stars at most, I learned that significant changes were made from the Arabic, ranging from the title to order of the four narratives. After reading through the changes, I feel it is quite possible I would rate the original work higher, as the rearranging significantly changes the meaning and weight of the stories.
All that to say, if you read the translation, try to read the article for a better understanding of the author's purpose.
cozyinthenook's review against another edition
3.0
I wanted to like this book much more than I did. Conceptually, it’s great. However, one must wade through very murky and ambiguous prose to figure out exactly what the author is attempting to convey, and I often found that my efforts were not worth the cliche.
corvidquest's review against another edition
challenging
informative
slow-paced
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.5
An interesting window onto the restricted lives of women living in the Arabian Gulf, though as with its subject, the view is constrained.
Each section is written from a first-person account of one of four different women: two natives, and two expatriates, one Lebanese and one American. The constraints on women in the culture makes for very insular lives, and the narrative structure is even more restrictive: we’re privy only to their perspectives and the stories that are told by other women they encounter, and they rarely leave their homes. The result is a novel that feels more like a series of interviews, with little in the way of narrative.
Since these women all interact with each other, it’s a curious choice. I’m sure the narrative claustrophobia is intentional, but it can get tedious, especially in the case of Suzanne, who is such a stupid woman that being stuck with her for so long feels like torture. She could have worked in smaller doses.
Matters aren’t helped by the sense that the author has such contempt for most of these women, or at best contempt for what they’ve become under such circumstances. And because the writing is first person narrative, there are a few times where reading between the lines is difficult when the culture is so different from a Western perspective.
Still, the novel is interesting enough for me to seek out al-Shaykh’s other writing, like something set in her native Lebanon.
Each section is written from a first-person account of one of four different women: two natives, and two expatriates, one Lebanese and one American. The constraints on women in the culture makes for very insular lives, and the narrative structure is even more restrictive: we’re privy only to their perspectives and the stories that are told by other women they encounter, and they rarely leave their homes. The result is a novel that feels more like a series of interviews, with little in the way of narrative.
Since these women all interact with each other, it’s a curious choice. I’m sure the narrative claustrophobia is intentional, but it can get tedious, especially in the case of Suzanne, who is such a stupid woman that being stuck with her for so long feels like torture. She could have worked in smaller doses.
Matters aren’t helped by the sense that the author has such contempt for most of these women, or at best contempt for what they’ve become under such circumstances. And because the writing is first person narrative, there are a few times where reading between the lines is difficult when the culture is so different from a Western perspective.
Still, the novel is interesting enough for me to seek out al-Shaykh’s other writing, like something set in her native Lebanon.