Scan barcode
meghan111's review against another edition
3.0
So this is about a group of friends in Saudi Arabia, from their late teenage years through marriages and divorces, and it's structured and written in a way similar to the Gossip Girls books, where an anonymous narrator is sending out a weekly email about the doings of the group. And the girls in Iran are wealthy like the Gossip Girls, and mention a lot of the same luxury brands and are in some aspects very Westernized.
Things get interesting with this, though, and it makes for compelling reading, not because of the writing, but because the book reveals so much about what it's like to live with enormous constraints on your behavior, and what it's like to live in a society where the genders are completely unequal, and how personal choices are complicated by the limits of what is proper in Saudi society. And yet at the same time I found myself just reading this on a surface level as a chick-lit type book about four friends.
Things get interesting with this, though, and it makes for compelling reading, not because of the writing, but because the book reveals so much about what it's like to live with enormous constraints on your behavior, and what it's like to live in a society where the genders are completely unequal, and how personal choices are complicated by the limits of what is proper in Saudi society. And yet at the same time I found myself just reading this on a surface level as a chick-lit type book about four friends.
vikingwolf's review against another edition
I really thought that this book was crap on so many levels. First I hated the form of writing that the book was done in. Each chapter is meant to be a long email sent out to subscribers who are reading the continuing story of the writer's friends. The start of each chapter has the writer droning on about her subscribers comments and why this edition is a day late in arriving, and one chapter goes off into a 7 page waffle of categories of different types of men and women which was where I quit! It is very much chick-lit so if you enjoy the type of book like 'Life isn't all ha ha hee hee', you might like this but I hated both books personally.
The constant footnotes to describe what every Arabic or Islam related word or phrase meant was also starting to irritate me, not because it was explaining Islam or life in SA, just because footnotes always bug me as it takes me out of the story too often. The characters themselves bored me and the plot just seemed to wander aimlessly along looking for a purpose that was never quite discovered. Bland, dull and I wish I had picked up something a bit more exciting.
The constant footnotes to describe what every Arabic or Islam related word or phrase meant was also starting to irritate me, not because it was explaining Islam or life in SA, just because footnotes always bug me as it takes me out of the story too often. The characters themselves bored me and the plot just seemed to wander aimlessly along looking for a purpose that was never quite discovered. Bland, dull and I wish I had picked up something a bit more exciting.
velvetcelestial's review against another edition
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
michelleflaherty's review against another edition
4.0
I was surprised how much I liked this book. The writing was a bit stilted and the translation odd at times, but it was a really interesting glimpse into the world of wealthy Saudi women and their search for husbands. I can't imagine having to live life they way they do, with the disappointments and betrayals and the vulnerability of the women. In some ways, it isn't so different from what happens in western countries, but the women's vulnerability and the fact that they are entirely subject to the whims of their males relatives is beyond my experience. I knew it existed and could intellectualize it before now, but I think I understand better from reading this book.
kamckim's review against another edition
4.0
The first few chapters of this book seemed very clunky. It's set up as a series of emails from an anonymous 20-something woman in Saudi Arabia. The writer describes the experiences of four friends, as they seek to find "true love" in upper-class Riyadh. While some readers might be horrified by the restrictions placed on Saudi women, this book isn't really about equal rights. It is more a romance novel, and as the book progresses, one becomes more familiar with the characters and truly invested in their lives. What is actually more helpful are the several references and quotes from popular Arabic singers and poets, generally unknown outside of the Middle East. The selections from Nizar Qabbani are exquisitely handled and translated. In the context of the story, the poetry and lyrics make more sense than they might if taken out of the contextual setting. I really enjoyed that aspect of the book. I can see why it caused such a stir when it was first published. For a conservative society, the details revealed are quite shocking. They are things everyone knows, but no one talks about. For example, what happens in the milka period, the time between the civil marriage ceremony and the wedding. I believe the events and experiences the author describes in the book are very true-to-life. Much of the book reminded me of stories I heard from my female students in Kuwait. These are the same girls who encouraged me to read this book. It only took me 4 years, but I finally managed to do it. I miss my Kuwaiti students.
julesanne's review against another edition
3.0
Set in Saudi Arabia. Interesting perspective. Take time to explore the culture while reading the story.
readingwithstardust's review against another edition
4.0
A slower read for me, but every time I put it down I couldn't wait to pick it back up.
ghillyam's review against another edition
2.0
*2,5/5*
Una sorta di Gossip Girl ambientato in Arabia Saudita. L'avessi letto dieci anni fa l'avrei apprezzato molto di più.
Mi interessava avere uno sguardo sulla vita di ragazze lontane da me per tradizioni, ma vicine per sentimenti e aspirazioni. Tuttavia, devo ormai ammettere di essere fuori target (sto crescendo ahimé
Una sorta di Gossip Girl ambientato in Arabia Saudita. L'avessi letto dieci anni fa l'avrei apprezzato molto di più.
Mi interessava avere uno sguardo sulla vita di ragazze lontane da me per tradizioni, ma vicine per sentimenti e aspirazioni. Tuttavia, devo ormai ammettere di essere fuori target (sto crescendo ahimé
paperbackmo's review against another edition
1.0
The love stories that follow the lives of four girls and their relationships with men. Literally just one after the other. One of the more boring books I have read. I found this book highly immature and full of naivety.
Do not read, unless you want to waste your time.
Do not read, unless you want to waste your time.
meowmediareads's review against another edition
3.0
Hated the format. The stars are for the lens of the subject matter. Pretty shallow Saudi chick lit. Quick read.