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A review by donnaadouglas
Dreams of Trespass: Tales of a Harem Girlhood by Fatema Mernissi
5.0
This is a lot more than just a straightforward memoir of life in a harem (A harem being a family living quarter for women and children, not the publicised westerm view of it as a 'brothel') - this is a coming-of-age tale at a major turning point in the history of Morocco.
Fatima Mernissi, the writer, was fortunate to grow up at a time when Morocco was granted two freedoms: freedom from the French, and freedom for women.
As a European woman married to a Moroccan man, this was of particular interest to me. My husband comes from a family of strong women, and reading about a time when women weren't allowed to show 'strength' publicly is something I feel incredibly moved by. It's something that it is easy to forget about when you grow up in a postfeminist society, but a lot of strong women made sacrifices so we can live as we do today, and I feel honoured to walk in their footsteps. Fatima Mernissi gives voice to lost generations of women who previously had none, and she should be applauded for this.
Women's lib aside, this is a onderful memoir, balancing the funny, awkward innocence of youth, with the mature and educated wisdom of hindsight. A five-star read!
QUOTATIONS I LIKED
" Our Medina streets were narrow, dark, and serpentine - filled with so many twists and turns that cars could not enter, and foreigners could not find their way out if they ever dared to come in. This was the real reason the French had to build a new city for themselves: they were afraid to live in ours."
"Cousin Zin, who had visited England, said that the tea up there was so bitter, they mixed it with milk. So Samir and I poured some milk in our mint tea once, just to give it a try, and it was ugh! awful! No wonder the Christians were always miserable and looking for fights!"
Fatima Mernissi, the writer, was fortunate to grow up at a time when Morocco was granted two freedoms: freedom from the French, and freedom for women.
As a European woman married to a Moroccan man, this was of particular interest to me. My husband comes from a family of strong women, and reading about a time when women weren't allowed to show 'strength' publicly is something I feel incredibly moved by. It's something that it is easy to forget about when you grow up in a postfeminist society, but a lot of strong women made sacrifices so we can live as we do today, and I feel honoured to walk in their footsteps. Fatima Mernissi gives voice to lost generations of women who previously had none, and she should be applauded for this.
Women's lib aside, this is a onderful memoir, balancing the funny, awkward innocence of youth, with the mature and educated wisdom of hindsight. A five-star read!
QUOTATIONS I LIKED
" Our Medina streets were narrow, dark, and serpentine - filled with so many twists and turns that cars could not enter, and foreigners could not find their way out if they ever dared to come in. This was the real reason the French had to build a new city for themselves: they were afraid to live in ours."
"Cousin Zin, who had visited England, said that the tea up there was so bitter, they mixed it with milk. So Samir and I poured some milk in our mint tea once, just to give it a try, and it was ugh! awful! No wonder the Christians were always miserable and looking for fights!"