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A review by cosymidlifebooknook
A Woman Is No Man by Etaf Rum
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
4.0
Three generations of Palestinian-American women living in Brooklyn are torn between individual desire and the strict senses of right and wrong in Arab culture. A Woman Is No Man is a heart-wrenching story of love, intrigue, strength and courage.
We follow the inter-twinning stories of Isra, her daughter Deya, and her oppressive mother-in-law Fareeda, exploring the complexities of family, culture, identity and honour.
Palestine 1990. 17 year book loving Isra is quickly married off and moves to Brooklyn, America with dreams of more freedom for a woman, but struggles to adapt to the control and the expectations of her mother-in-law Fareeda and strange new husband Adam.
Brooklyn 2008. Isra's eldest daughter 18 year old Deya wants to go to college but her grandmother Fareeda is insistent on her meeting potential suitors.
CW/TW: This book contains themes related to domestic abuse, emotional abuse, mental illness which may be distressing or triggering for some readers.
My Bookish Thoughts 💬
To say I enjoyed reading this book doesn't seem right, I feel the book is important for shedding light on the often silenced voices of women within conservative communities in this day and age and closer to home than we might think.
These are heartbreaking stories from women who are denied access to freedom to live, choose love and be educated. Women whose roles are as baby making machines to male heirs and to carry out the daily grind of never ending domestic chores.
The woman face oppression, shame, verbal and physical abuse and secrets slowly unfold to provide a heartbreaking and chilling story that needs to be told.
I thought the characters were well portrayed and evoked a wide range of emotions in me. It's not an easy read but it's definitely a compelling and thought provoking read.
We follow the inter-twinning stories of Isra, her daughter Deya, and her oppressive mother-in-law Fareeda, exploring the complexities of family, culture, identity and honour.
Palestine 1990. 17 year book loving Isra is quickly married off and moves to Brooklyn, America with dreams of more freedom for a woman, but struggles to adapt to the control and the expectations of her mother-in-law Fareeda and strange new husband Adam.
Brooklyn 2008. Isra's eldest daughter 18 year old Deya wants to go to college but her grandmother Fareeda is insistent on her meeting potential suitors.
CW/TW: This book contains themes related to domestic abuse, emotional abuse, mental illness which may be distressing or triggering for some readers.
My Bookish Thoughts 💬
To say I enjoyed reading this book doesn't seem right, I feel the book is important for shedding light on the often silenced voices of women within conservative communities in this day and age and closer to home than we might think.
These are heartbreaking stories from women who are denied access to freedom to live, choose love and be educated. Women whose roles are as baby making machines to male heirs and to carry out the daily grind of never ending domestic chores.
The woman face oppression, shame, verbal and physical abuse and secrets slowly unfold to provide a heartbreaking and chilling story that needs to be told.
I thought the characters were well portrayed and evoked a wide range of emotions in me. It's not an easy read but it's definitely a compelling and thought provoking read.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexism, Toxic relationship, Violence, and Xenophobia
Moderate: Bullying, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual violence, and Death of parent