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A review by starryeyedenigma
A Woman Is No Man by Etaf Rum
4.0
Its books like these that make me thankful to be part of a global book club/book community, since I wouldn’t have even thought of picking up this book, had it not been chosen as the BOTM selection for one of my online book clubs. And I’m glad I read it.
Trigger Warnings: Domestic violence, murder, rape
In a nutshell, the story is about Isra, a Palestinian woman (not more than 19 years I think), who grows up in Palestine, but is married off quickly and goes to America with her husband and his family. And then, it is the story of Deya, Isra’s eldest daughter, who is narrating her story in the present, and trying to find out more about her parents, especially her mother. Although it seems that the story is just about these two women, there are a few other characters who I felt had their own story going on as well, and seemed like really strong characters – my favorite being that of Fareeda – Isra’s mother in law. There is also Sarah, Isra’s sister in law, and the only rebel in the family, initially. We also have side stories of Adam, Isra’s husband and all the other men folk that she interacts with in the short span of her life.
This is the first book I’ve read about what it is to be a Palestinian woman, so I’m not sure if I can take everything written in the book as face value or as the baseline for their culture and their treatment of women. In the book, it’s simply abhorring. I’ve read many books in the past about women’s struggles in eastern countries, but usually, there is at least something good going along in the story too. Some hopeful or positive characters. But in the case of this book, it probably took me as much courage to finish it, as it did with The Handmaid’s Tale. And the worst part was, the author claims, that this is how women are treated there in reality.
The story does have a redemptive ending, but I felt it wasn’t enough for me. I wanted more for the women in the story and I was left heart broken for the most part of the story. This is not a story I wanted to read during this lockdown period, but I wanted to finish and discuss it with my book club members too. At least now that its over, I can go back to being in denial and hiding behind my romances and fantasy books. Yes, Im a coward that way.
There were some really good discussion points in the book and I’ve noted a few of them here. I would be interested to know your thoughts on these questions too
Trigger Warnings: Domestic violence, murder, rape
In a nutshell, the story is about Isra, a Palestinian woman (not more than 19 years I think), who grows up in Palestine, but is married off quickly and goes to America with her husband and his family. And then, it is the story of Deya, Isra’s eldest daughter, who is narrating her story in the present, and trying to find out more about her parents, especially her mother. Although it seems that the story is just about these two women, there are a few other characters who I felt had their own story going on as well, and seemed like really strong characters – my favorite being that of Fareeda – Isra’s mother in law. There is also Sarah, Isra’s sister in law, and the only rebel in the family, initially. We also have side stories of Adam, Isra’s husband and all the other men folk that she interacts with in the short span of her life.
This is the first book I’ve read about what it is to be a Palestinian woman, so I’m not sure if I can take everything written in the book as face value or as the baseline for their culture and their treatment of women. In the book, it’s simply abhorring. I’ve read many books in the past about women’s struggles in eastern countries, but usually, there is at least something good going along in the story too. Some hopeful or positive characters. But in the case of this book, it probably took me as much courage to finish it, as it did with The Handmaid’s Tale. And the worst part was, the author claims, that this is how women are treated there in reality.
The story does have a redemptive ending, but I felt it wasn’t enough for me. I wanted more for the women in the story and I was left heart broken for the most part of the story. This is not a story I wanted to read during this lockdown period, but I wanted to finish and discuss it with my book club members too. At least now that its over, I can go back to being in denial and hiding behind my romances and fantasy books. Yes, Im a coward that way.
There were some really good discussion points in the book and I’ve noted a few of them here. I would be interested to know your thoughts on these questions too