A review by fatima13
The Story of Zahra by Hanan Al-Shaykh

sad tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

2.0

This book is all tell no show. I feel no emotional connection to the main character even though it is set in my country. The book reads as though the writer is retelling a story she heard leaving out all depth and just relaying the main points of what happened.
Moreover, the writer mentions a lot of stuff that are considered as taboos in the Lebanese society only for the sake of shock factor without actually delving into them and their circumstances.
I was really bored and indifferent as I read the novel. 
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