The Girls of Riyadh: You Don’t Know How Lucky You Are
Reem Al-Faisal, Arab NewsA few weeks ago a friend called to tell me about the latest cultural storm brewing in Saudi society: A book entitled “Banat Al-Riyadh†(The Girls of Riyadh) by Rajaa Al-Sanea. My friend wanted to know my opinion of the book. Discovering I hadn’t read the novel yet, he began informing me enthusiastically of the groundbreaking subjects the book has tackled, such as gender issues, and class and regional differences. My friend applauded the writer’s courage in challenging the social taboos of Saudi society and exposing many of its dark secrets, which the society has refused to confront to this very minute.
Back in December, I noted the publication of this novel. Today, Reem Al-Faisal offers commentary that’s worth looking at, not just as a review of the book, but as a review of Saudi society.
She’s quite right that the book deals with only a subset of Saudi women, the rich and pampered. That hasn’t gotten in the way of its popularity, however, nor its pertinance. After all, TV programs like “Dallas,” while not reflective of American society as a whole, were not cut off from actual commentary about American society.
While the book might have been more than it is, what it is is sufficient for now. Al-Sanea does not appear to have set out to write a revolutionary novel along the lines of The Octopus, after all. But she does open a window into parts of Saudi society–good and bad, serious and trivial–that many would not otherwise see.
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February:10:2006 - 11:25
[...] Reading material suggestions on Gender, Women in Saudi Arabia from Crossroads Arabia. [...]
March:11:2006 - 06:52
Read the comment below:
“…Such open frankness about what people actually experience in their lives — instead of the restricted versions of what people are supposed to experience, as dictated by religious leaders — may help crack open Saudi society generally. Fiction can have a powerful social influence if people are able to relate to it, and this may be one of those cases…”
I am not saying anything bad about the author and it may be a wonderful book. My point is, it doesn’t matter much at all if the book is good because they dont care about anything but ‘cracking’ open saudi society and I submit to you they want to crack the religion of Islam with that. They know that Saudi represents the last fort in this effort, may Allah protect us all from their plots, ameen.
August:19:2006 - 09:14
Well done! It’s about time you young ladies had your say. I livwe in KSA, am western and have a Saudi girlfriend. She and her friends lead anything but the strict, shackled life laid down for women by Islam.
August:19:2006 - 11:46
I think the limiting factor here is cultural tradition more than religion.
September:13:2006 - 19:45
I would like to correct “Mike”. The shackled life lead by women, as you say, has not been laid down by Islam. Islam grants women respect and freedom within its boundaries. The shackling has been done by men who interpret everything according to their own whim!