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aaravbalsu's review against another edition
3.0
This is okay as a primer on MBS's recent moves, but it felt more like a stitching together of multiple op-eds than a cohesive narrative of MBS's rise to power. There are times when the narrative jumps forward and backwards in time, and the reveals aren't really punchy enough to justify the cloak-and-dagger air that this book tries to present.
It was still an enjoyable read, and if you want a broad strokes catch-up on Saudi court intrigue in the 2010s, this will be sufficient. If you read the Africa + Middle East section of the newspapers during that time period, you can probably skip this one.
Short read, finished in a day.
It was still an enjoyable read, and if you want a broad strokes catch-up on Saudi court intrigue in the 2010s, this will be sufficient. If you read the Africa + Middle East section of the newspapers during that time period, you can probably skip this one.
Short read, finished in a day.
miguelf's review against another edition
4.0
Earlier this year Ben Hubbard published “MBS” about the Saudi crown prince and heir apparent. It was a good overview of him, but Blood and Oil paints an even deeper portrait of the man and the Saudi succession drama that’s been playing out over the last decade. “MBS” had a lengthy section on the torture and killing of Jamal Khashoggi and while it was illuminating, Blood and Oil has more background on the prince including his background and dealings with the vast Saudi royal network, his rise to power, the planning of Neom, the extent to which he is willing to open up Saudi society while at the same time ruthlessly cracking down on dissenters within his family and the larger population. Very fascinating work and expertly reported throughout.
jfarges's review against another edition
5.0
A fantastically interesting story! Very well written and incredibly well researched. Would highly recommend
hanspeterebech's review against another edition
5.0
When you have been living in a liberal and secular democracy all your life, then is is hard to imagine what it is like to live in a country like Saudi Arabia.
The book doesn't quite answer that question, but it does illustrate how dysfunctional, ineffective and unproductive a religiously based autocracy and kleptocracy is.
An ambition of using the proceeds from oil to create a modern base for the SA society makes absolutely sense, but I don't believe the political structure of Saudi Arabia is capable of delivering.
The book doesn't quite answer that question, but it does illustrate how dysfunctional, ineffective and unproductive a religiously based autocracy and kleptocracy is.
An ambition of using the proceeds from oil to create a modern base for the SA society makes absolutely sense, but I don't believe the political structure of Saudi Arabia is capable of delivering.
tejas17's review against another edition
4.0
Gives intricate details of working mechanism of Saudi royal family, which is as brutal as it gets. The use of social media as a tool to develop a false positive image is explained. Saudi Arabia is world's largest mom and pop company, Shoddy Arabia!!