An upright, modern book on women, coming straight from the
heart of Riyadh – this one is sure to capture your imagination right from the
start. The book is a story of four friends living in Riyadh, their struggles
and learning’s as they work to find a balance between the conservative Saudi
society and the West. Essentially a chick flick, it stands apart from the fact
that it is based out of Riyadh, and there are very few books that would give
you an account of some of the women staying there (in this case barely 2 % of
the women population).
The story telling of the author at first caught my
attention. Every chapter begins with her sending mails to random people telling
them her story. It always starts with a verse or poetry. The book is a bold
attempt by the author as she tries to bring into light lives of a certain
section of the society of Riyadh, breaking all the cliché’ surrounding Saudi
women.
The girls here are the ‘velvet’ Riyadh upper class, similar
in their upbringing but different in their choices. The plot revolves around
all of them as they discover friendship, love and marriage, retaining the
strong chains of their conservative upbringing. The book is a series of
beginnings and break ups for each of the girls. The double standards of the
Saudi society, particularly of men, have been highlighted with every narrative
within.
Yet another chick lit, I would recommend this book if you
are looking to understand the lives of girls in Saudi. It is a captivating
insight into a concealed culture. The story telling is simple, and descriptive and
the girls are a lot more than “which nail polish do I wear today” types.
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