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heidihaverkamp's review
3.0
A memoir of growing up in Puyallup WA, Qatar, and Cairo. In some ways, this is just a book about being an angry teenage girl! But set in Arab post-modern culture: tents, abayas, Nintendo, goat poop, concrete high rises, satellites, locusts stained pink with pesticides, sexual harassment, sex segregation. Also about what it's like to have two homes and two families, one Bedouin, one white American. A quick and relatively easy read, with a vivid window into contemporary Arab life (although reading about her college life on Tahrir Square makes me sad, with all the violence there right now.)
torpot2255's review
2.0
When I read the summary of this book, it seemed promising enough. I was interested in learning more about the duality of Sophia’s identity as she balances two cultures as a teenage girl.
I enjoyed reading about Sophia's father's journey to the U.S., his experience as a Bedouin, and her experience being raised without him during her formative years. Coming from a conservative culture, I found her experiences of coming to maturity (growth, sexuality, etc.) relatable. Her mother in particular, reminded me of my own.
However, I finished it thinking "is that it?"
I enjoyed reading about Sophia's father's journey to the U.S., his experience as a Bedouin, and her experience being raised without him during her formative years. Coming from a conservative culture, I found her experiences of coming to maturity (growth, sexuality, etc.) relatable. Her mother in particular, reminded me of my own.
However, I finished it thinking "is that it?"
hanntastic's review
3.0
Global Read Challenge 9: Qatar
This memoir/fictionalized memoir was an easy read and I learned a lot about Bedouin life. I haven't read much by modern Bedouin authors so I was glad for the opportunity to peel back the curtain. The tension between her two cultures was also interesting.
This memoir/fictionalized memoir was an easy read and I learned a lot about Bedouin life. I haven't read much by modern Bedouin authors so I was glad for the opportunity to peel back the curtain. The tension between her two cultures was also interesting.
halschrieve's review
3.0
I liked what I learned from this book about the experience of the author and it has a strong ability to create the feeling of a location, but its prose and conclusions didn't leave a strong impression on me. I think it is a good book to pick up and look at to see if it's your thing.
jarichan's review
4.0
Eine eindrückliche Biographie, die davon erzählt, wie es ist, sozusagen zwischen Stühlen und Bänken zu leben.
Al-Maria beginnt ihre Lebensgeschichte bei ihren Eltern und erst später kommt sie selbst ins Spiel. So erfährt der Leser bereits einiges über das ihm wahrscheinlich fremde Leben der Beduinen. Die Autorin selbst ist grundehrlich und erzählt schonungslos davon, wie sie zwischen ihren Leben hin und her gerissen wird.
Zwei solch unterschiedliche Lebensstile zu vereinen, das ist keine leichte Lebensaufgabe. In diesem Buch zeigt uns Al-Maria ihren Weg zu sich selber auf. Es ist ein steiniger Weg, den sie gegangen ist, und vielleicht noch immer geht, aber genau deswegen finde ich die Autorin bewundernswert.
Wer neue Eindrücke aus uns unbekannten Ecken und Enden der Welt sucht, wird hier sicherlich fündig. Ich jedenfalls konnte mein Weltbild um das Leben in der Wüste erweitern.
Al-Maria beginnt ihre Lebensgeschichte bei ihren Eltern und erst später kommt sie selbst ins Spiel. So erfährt der Leser bereits einiges über das ihm wahrscheinlich fremde Leben der Beduinen. Die Autorin selbst ist grundehrlich und erzählt schonungslos davon, wie sie zwischen ihren Leben hin und her gerissen wird.
Zwei solch unterschiedliche Lebensstile zu vereinen, das ist keine leichte Lebensaufgabe. In diesem Buch zeigt uns Al-Maria ihren Weg zu sich selber auf. Es ist ein steiniger Weg, den sie gegangen ist, und vielleicht noch immer geht, aber genau deswegen finde ich die Autorin bewundernswert.
Wer neue Eindrücke aus uns unbekannten Ecken und Enden der Welt sucht, wird hier sicherlich fündig. Ich jedenfalls konnte mein Weltbild um das Leben in der Wüste erweitern.
skiracechick's review
4.0
Such a fascinating tale. Totally reads like fiction... Except it's not. Definitely recommend for others to read.
kbratten's review
3.0
Love me a real life story, especially one where the author's life is so distinctly different than mine. She's young, and you can tell from the writing and level of introspection, but I enjoyed the half-insider's view of life as a female, Bedouin muslim
nae1226's review
4.0
Starts string and fell off for me.
Award-winning filmmaker and writer Sophia Al-Maria’s The Girl Who Fell to Earth is a funny and wry coming-of-age memoir about growing up in between American and Gulf Arab cultures. With poignancy and humor, Al-Maria shares the struggles of being raised by an American mother and Bedouin father while shuttling between homes in the Pacific Northwest and the Middle East. Part family saga and part personal quest, The Girl Who Fell to Earth traces Al-Maria’s journey to make a place for herself in two different worlds.
Award-winning filmmaker and writer Sophia Al-Maria’s The Girl Who Fell to Earth is a funny and wry coming-of-age memoir about growing up in between American and Gulf Arab cultures. With poignancy and humor, Al-Maria shares the struggles of being raised by an American mother and Bedouin father while shuttling between homes in the Pacific Northwest and the Middle East. Part family saga and part personal quest, The Girl Who Fell to Earth traces Al-Maria’s journey to make a place for herself in two different worlds.