A review by sirija
My Past Is a Foreign Country by Zeba Talkhani

4.0

It took me quite some time to collect my thoughts on this one. It was a simple yet powerful piece of writing that explores many themes from racism to sexual assault. The author tackles all of these issues with expertise so it never comes across as jarring. I'll admit, I went into this one expecting to follow the journey of a woman who grew up in shackles in Saudi Arabia and moves to the West and ultimately finds her voice. But it turned out to be so much more than that. The author doesn't hate her time in Saudi and she doesn't hesitate to point out the shortcomings of both societies. However, I wish the author explained a few topics in a little more detail than she chose to. Then again, it might've messed with the pacing of the book, which was one of its biggest assets, so I don't really know.
The summer visits to her grandparents' place transported me back to my childhood. Her struggles while trying to live up to these unattainable beauty standards that society has placed upon us felt all too familiar. Her rocky relationship with her mother and how it develops over the course of time forced me to see my own mother in a different light. It made me smile, it made me cry and it made me check my privilege boxes.
All in all, this book was a very impactful read. The last few paragraphs were very insightful. She has a strong voice and i look forward to reading more of her works.