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In the Land of Invisible Women: A Female Doctor's Journey in the Saudi Kingdom by Qanta A. Ahmed
cathydavies's review against another edition
3.0
I enjoyed reading this except there are some frustration as every Saudi woman was beautiful and every man handsome.
There were also some issues about chronology. It wasn't clear until the very end when she was living in Saudi Arabia and when the book was written.
There were also some issues about chronology. It wasn't clear until the very end when she was living in Saudi Arabia and when the book was written.
mountain_adventures's review against another edition
adventurous
informative
reflective
medium-paced
4.0
I enjoyed this book and the peek into the author's life in Saudi Arabia as a physician and the dynamic of being a female in a male dominated society yet still in a leadership position at the hospital.
However, I found some of the details about name brands of clothes and other items to be shallow and didn't really add to the story except during the first mention when she noted that she found it fascinating that these women appreciated luxury items even thought they can not be seen to the outside world. Continually harping on the designer labels felt unnecessary.
However, I found some of the details about name brands of clothes and other items to be shallow and didn't really add to the story except during the first mention when she noted that she found it fascinating that these women appreciated luxury items even thought they can not be seen to the outside world. Continually harping on the designer labels felt unnecessary.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Medical content and Religious bigotry
hweise85's review against another edition
3.0
I love learning about a completely different culture and country. She describes in great detail, the day to day, the rules and laws. It really helped my understanding of Saudi Arabia and the Muslim culture. My only problem with this book was that her writing was incredibly descriptive. There is such a thing as being overly descriptive. While I appreciate what she was trying to do, it was a little much. I had to skip over paragraphs because it was too descriptive. Her experience was incredible, I was particularly intrigued when I read the 9/11 chapter and her experience being in Saudi Arabia during that time. Was a good book, just took a while for me to get through it.
louisehenriques's review against another edition
4.0
I honestly cannot believe the shallowness of the 1-2 stars reviews about the quality of the writing.
This is a book written by a person who does not write professionally as a living but is an accomplished physician and has had her education focused towards that. But the importance of WHAT she is describing as opposed to HOW she is describing it, is enormous.
I agree that some of the stories are a bit repetitive especially in the latter chapters, but again just the first hand delivery of experiences in such a private and closed kingdom is invaluable.
I am a great admirer of Dr Ahmed and would recommend this book warmly!
This is a book written by a person who does not write professionally as a living but is an accomplished physician and has had her education focused towards that. But the importance of WHAT she is describing as opposed to HOW she is describing it, is enormous.
I agree that some of the stories are a bit repetitive especially in the latter chapters, but again just the first hand delivery of experiences in such a private and closed kingdom is invaluable.
I am a great admirer of Dr Ahmed and would recommend this book warmly!
anne_abundantcolors's review against another edition
2.0
The chapters do not hang together very well. Most chapters can stand alone. Did not finish the book.
kaliaddy's review against another edition
2.0
Lots of descriptions about hair and beauty and name brands that I felt didn't add anything to the story. I thought there would be more stories of medicine. Started off really interesting but kind of fizzled out about halfway through. Was a bit more interesting again towards the end when she discussed the 9/11 reactions.
siria's review against another edition
2.0
An interesting but uneven book, In the Land of Invisible Women is the account of two years spent by Ahmed—a woman born in Britain of Pakistani parents and trained in the USA—as a doctor in a Saudi hospital. As an insight into what it is like for a woman who both is and is not part of the prevailing culture—a Muslim from birth, she is more moderate in the expression of her religious beliefs than the Wahhabis who hold power in Saudi Arabia, and more used to living in multicultural societies—it is fascinating. Ahmed is quick to describe the oppressive laws and traditions which constrain life for Saudi women, while at the same time acknowledging their strengths and achievements, and that certain concepts which may seem alien and constricting to many women in the West—such as veiling—are regarded as liberating by many Saudi Muslim women.
Where the book falls down, and what made me give it only two stars, is how poorly it is written. The narrative meanders rather aimlessly, the description can be florid, and the dialogue hopelessly clunky. That, combined with the author's description of homosexuality in Saudi—there seem to be no lesbians, and gay male behaviour is motivated by the appeasement of an 'uncomfortable libido by seeking acquired homosexual behaviours'—made the book an interesting read, but not an engrossing or a trustworthy one.
Where the book falls down, and what made me give it only two stars, is how poorly it is written. The narrative meanders rather aimlessly, the description can be florid, and the dialogue hopelessly clunky. That, combined with the author's description of homosexuality in Saudi—there seem to be no lesbians, and gay male behaviour is motivated by the appeasement of an 'uncomfortable libido by seeking acquired homosexual behaviours'—made the book an interesting read, but not an engrossing or a trustworthy one.
lory_enterenchanted's review against another edition
dark
informative
sad
slow-paced
2.75
This had some interesting information but the author's style was frustrating (desperately in need of a good editor). Her personality was also not very sympathetic, which is fatal in a memoir. She was so obsessed with designer objects, while I did not care to hear about the Bulgari jewelry and Gucci shoes or whatever. She was also constantly describing people as "Caucasian" or light-skinned as a mark of their beauty, which was regrettable.
I was much more interested in her spiritual experiences in Mecca, but I could get no impression of her spiritual life at all. It seemed to be indescribable, but again, if you're going to write a memoir you need to be able to describe things. All she could say was that she met her Maker in the presence of the Ka'aba. After her Hajj, on the eve of leaving Saudi Arabia, she was drawn to return again to the wonderful rock. She insists Islam is not idol worship, but then she equates the rock with God. It was weird and off-putting.
There seemed to be some painful experiences in her past that she was not being up front about. She shared almost nothing about her childhood and upbringing, nor about her spiritual life prior to her pilgrimage. One senses she did not have an easy relationship with her parents, which she probably didn't want to write about in public, but it leaves the reader feeling they're being denied important information.
She also is very naive about politics, as only the events of 9/11 unveil for her the depth of anti-American and anti-Jewish sentiment among her fellow Muslims. She insists that the terrorist attacks were a betrayal of Islamic ideals, that Islam is a religion that upholds life, but the very quote she references to support this exhorts the killing of enemies, so that was not very convincing. I need to read some more thoughtful and self-reflective authors to unravel the mystery of Islam.
I did really appreciate some of the information about life in Saudi Arabia, especially for women, and the description of Hajj which I found fascinating. It's important to understand the appeal of a religion so passionately followed by so many. This book gave me a hint of it, but I need to learn much more.
I was much more interested in her spiritual experiences in Mecca, but I could get no impression of her spiritual life at all. It seemed to be indescribable, but again, if you're going to write a memoir you need to be able to describe things. All she could say was that she met her Maker in the presence of the Ka'aba. After her Hajj, on the eve of leaving Saudi Arabia, she was drawn to return again to the wonderful rock. She insists Islam is not idol worship, but then she equates the rock with God. It was weird and off-putting.
There seemed to be some painful experiences in her past that she was not being up front about. She shared almost nothing about her childhood and upbringing, nor about her spiritual life prior to her pilgrimage. One senses she did not have an easy relationship with her parents, which she probably didn't want to write about in public, but it leaves the reader feeling they're being denied important information.
She also is very naive about politics, as only the events of 9/11 unveil for her the depth of anti-American and anti-Jewish sentiment among her fellow Muslims. She insists that the terrorist attacks were a betrayal of Islamic ideals, that Islam is a religion that upholds life, but the very quote she references to support this exhorts the killing of enemies, so that was not very convincing. I need to read some more thoughtful and self-reflective authors to unravel the mystery of Islam.
I did really appreciate some of the information about life in Saudi Arabia, especially for women, and the description of Hajj which I found fascinating. It's important to understand the appeal of a religion so passionately followed by so many. This book gave me a hint of it, but I need to learn much more.