Scan barcode
A review by audreyapproved
Yummah by Sarah A. Al Shafei
2.0
Read around the world project - Bahrain
I feel bad giving this a low rating, especially because it seems partially biographical, but I didn't enjoy my time reading Yummah. When it began with the marriage of a 12 year old, I thought the naïveté of the narration and writing seemed appropriate. As our main character aged, I realized that this voice was inherent to Shafei's writing, and not part of the characterization. I felt like many of the people mentioned (all family members) were painted as "perfect", "angels" and unflawed - yet the "other" women were always adulterous and conniving. The story arc also isn't super engrossing - this basically covers the life of our main character, but that doesn't always translate into appropriate pacing and arc of a storyline.
If you're doing an around the world challenge like I am, it's a quick read and does give a small snapshot into life in Bahrain, but otherwise I'd likely pass.
I feel bad giving this a low rating, especially because it seems partially biographical, but I didn't enjoy my time reading Yummah. When it began with the marriage of a 12 year old, I thought the naïveté of the narration and writing seemed appropriate. As our main character aged, I realized that this voice was inherent to Shafei's writing, and not part of the characterization. I felt like many of the people mentioned (all family members) were painted as "perfect", "angels" and unflawed - yet the "other" women were always adulterous and conniving. The story arc also isn't super engrossing - this basically covers the life of our main character, but that doesn't always translate into appropriate pacing and arc of a storyline.
If you're doing an around the world challenge like I am, it's a quick read and does give a small snapshot into life in Bahrain, but otherwise I'd likely pass.