bestmonthofspring's reviews
22 reviews

Eloquently draws ties between the oppression of women and capitalistic patriarchy. Highlights the importance of women in the workforce and the necessity of financial independence in order to acheive social equality of the genders.

The information in the book is outdated as it was written in the early 1970s. Her views on homosexuality are lazy, especially since she is both a psychiatrist and gender and sexuality scholar. When the book was written, homosexuality was still generally considered a mental illness. But El Saadawi is not someone who accepts what the majority agree on (especially if it oppresses a certain demographic, due to her Marxist ideologies), so it is all the more confusing why her views on homosexuality are so primitive.

Wow! I highly reccomend this book.

Although set in an unknown dystopian city in Egypt, the themes addressed by Abdel Aziz are prevelant in the majority of -if not all- modern day countries, especially those with an entwinement of church and state (or the prescence of a large religious populace).

Some of the themes in the book include surveillance, bureaucracy, fear-mongering, censorship, manipulation of historical events, and psychological warfare. Another prevalent theme is religious propoganda and the use of the clergy to intimidate the public into shaping the status quo. The book is based on the events of the Arab Spring in Egypt, so the plot employs the use of an Islamic clergy.

The ending of the book is vague and the plot does not come to a traditional resolution. I thought this was quite clever! In order for the book to reach a resolution

a "neutral" and law abiding character would have had to act against the status quo. They did no such thing for the duration of the novel, in accordance with their character and the privileges they wanted to protect, in spite of knowing what was right and wrong. Thus the events and atmosphere have no noticable change, and therefore no resolution.

Overall an excellent and well-written book, and a warning on the dangers of willful ignorance, religious fanaticism, and political neutrality.

Thw writing style is confusing and unengaging

I did not find the writing style engaging at all. The writing was also confusing at times.

It's a great book! The book is set in post-colonial Syria and explores the many nuanced characters of an extended family and their relationship dynamics. Focuses on the lives of girls and women and how they navigate what society dictates they can or cannot do.

As an Arab woman and feminist, no book has ever made me feel so heard and understood, it was as if Eltahawy was putting into words every thought and frustration I had never been able to verbalize. Also a great read for non-Arabs who want to learn more about feminism in the Arab world (and not from the Western liberal "we respect your culture even the misogynistic parts of it" view that Arab feminists reject)