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Women of Sand and Myrrh : A Novel
| Media: | Paperback | | Author: | Hanan Al-Shaykh, Catherine Cobham | | Publisher: | Anchor | | Release date: | 01 July, 1992 | | List price: | $11.95 | | Our price: | $9.56 that is 20% off! |
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Women of Sand and Myrrh : A Novel |
Average rating:  |
 | Parched | | I picked this book up a while ago in the wake of reading Abdelrahman Munif's _Cities of Salt_ trilogy and some books by Naguib Mahfouz. Like Munif, al-Shaykh is mostly a journalist, and I find that the material, while interesting and somewhat informative, is presented drably, with little flavour or variety. The subject matter of the book, which can briefly be said to deal with women and their place in a fundamentalist society, must be set aside. We can all admire a new perspective on lives that most likely remain mysterious. However, here the concern is with the artful presentation of material. If the author had allowed her imagination more freedom, and if she was able to fashion women who were distinct from each other (with the possible exception of Suzanne), then the story would have lifted off the ground and approached the realm of art. Regrettably, it doesn't. The men are caricatures, and the narrative voice is not sufficiently adjusted to each story. For those looking to gather some understanding of life in these circumstances, the book provides much; for those looking for the transcendence of art, they will find it elsewhere. |
| Women of Sand and Myrrh : A Novel - |  | Things you can't learn anywhere else | | This is an extraordinary novel by any standard. Al-Shaykh's willingness to go deep into the hearts of her (yes, sometimes shallow) characters reveals the hidden depths of life behind the veil, and so much more. This is powerfully anti-lyrical writing, and important reading for anyone who wants a deeper understanding of what's happening (and not happening) culturally between men and women, East and West, Islam and the rest of the world. Anyone who dares enter here will venture far beyond the politically correct, when it comes to female sexuality and lies, secrets, silences, customs, and intuition. |
| - Women of Sand and Myrrh : A Novel |  | Women of all cultures | | The book started out slow, but as the book progressed, I had to go back to the beginning and reread it. The stories of each of the women give an outside perspective of the other women. As you're reading about one of the women, you get a mental picture of some of the other characters as they are mentioned from her perspective. Then, you get to see another perspective of these women as they are introduced in different chapters. I really liked this book and thought it was very creatively put together. |
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