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A review by ekp10
Celestial Bodies by Jokha Alharthi
4.0
It's a bit hard to get into the book at the beginning, but it's written beautifully and it flows easily, which makes it easy to continue. The timeline could be jarring because it jumps around a lot, but once you get used to it, this could be a rewarding read, which really surprised me toward the end.
The book discusses many things, but mainly what it means to be a woman in a relationship. Relationship with your husband, with your family, with your friends, with your culture, and most importantly with yourself. It talks honestly about motherhood and culture.
*Spoiler Below*
Throughout the book, there are many different kinds of relationships. The best examples are from the three sisters.
The first, Mayya, married without a choice, we didn't even find out who she loved.
The second, Azzan, married with some consideration. She fits into the idea of her husband, which excludes her from his world but let her grow to bring more social points. Azzan forged her own way and create her own world, which ended up co-exist with her husband's.
The third, Khawla, married for love. Blinded herself of the shortcomings in the name of "love" that she barely understands.
All three found their ways to be okay with herself. They found a way to cope, that works for them. They shed who they were before, some raised higher, and some plateaus. They found a way to claim themselves and fight for what's theirs.
It's interesting to see the different generations grow as culture also changes. A big chunk of the book is also an appreciation of Zarifa, the narrator's slave, but also the woman that raised him. He saw Zarifa as a mother figure, not as a slave. This brings up the question of ownership, and it's hard to decipher the black-white of the world. Zarifa stayed long after slavery is abolished because of love, but nevertheless the narrator's father still saw her as a slave although he loved her too. This outdated idea of possession does not belong anymore to the current world.
Another thing that strikes home for me is this exploration of what others and cultures have in mind for you, and how do we handle it when it doesn't match with reality. The pressure and the urge to please other people can be too much, and it's up to us to forge a way for ourselves and find a way to handle it. This idea of someone can also be imposed on someone we love. Many people only fall in love with the idea of someone, and they couldn't accept it when reality shows that the person is different from the idea.
The book discusses many things, but mainly what it means to be a woman in a relationship. Relationship with your husband, with your family, with your friends, with your culture, and most importantly with yourself. It talks honestly about motherhood and culture.
*Spoiler Below*
Throughout the book, there are many different kinds of relationships. The best examples are from the three sisters.
The first, Mayya, married without a choice, we didn't even find out who she loved.
The second, Azzan, married with some consideration. She fits into the idea of her husband, which excludes her from his world but let her grow to bring more social points. Azzan forged her own way and create her own world, which ended up co-exist with her husband's.
The third, Khawla, married for love. Blinded herself of the shortcomings in the name of "love" that she barely understands.
All three found their ways to be okay with herself. They found a way to cope, that works for them. They shed who they were before, some raised higher, and some plateaus. They found a way to claim themselves and fight for what's theirs.
It's interesting to see the different generations grow as culture also changes. A big chunk of the book is also an appreciation of Zarifa, the narrator's slave, but also the woman that raised him. He saw Zarifa as a mother figure, not as a slave. This brings up the question of ownership, and it's hard to decipher the black-white of the world. Zarifa stayed long after slavery is abolished because of love, but nevertheless the narrator's father still saw her as a slave although he loved her too. This outdated idea of possession does not belong anymore to the current world.
Another thing that strikes home for me is this exploration of what others and cultures have in mind for you, and how do we handle it when it doesn't match with reality. The pressure and the urge to please other people can be too much, and it's up to us to forge a way for ourselves and find a way to handle it. This idea of someone can also be imposed on someone we love. Many people only fall in love with the idea of someone, and they couldn't accept it when reality shows that the person is different from the idea.