Lydia V. Simms's Blog, page 3
April 22, 2024
My Thoughts on Laila Sabreen's You Truly Assumed
!WARNING: INCLUDES SPOILERS!
Laila Sabreen, congrats on writing a book like this! It was so fantastic and I felt so sad when the story ended. I loved the characters and I bonded with them. I'm a black American Christian girl, but I still loved and enjoyed this book because it highlights Islamophobia, online bullying, harassment, and struggles with identity that the teenagers face. Despite being far apart from each other, they are all connected through a blog titled You Truly Assumed, which is the title of the book as well.
I've seen many reviews complaining about characters and their development, but I'm not going to do that. Instead, I'll just list my take on the characters and their development.
Sabriya: A ballet dancer who is so very organized, living in Abbott, Virginia. She's a very busy yet ambitious teenager. She's clean, neat, likes to write, and plans everything. She's calm and timid, but she's a worrier. Bri is always pressuring herself to do better and is way too hard on herself, which is revealed in the first chapter. Throughout the book, she is anxious and keeps on losing hope because of the terrorist attack and seems to think that starting the blog is a stupid idea. With the website "Free the Right" attacking her blog with hateful comments and hacking it, and with Mr. Smith, head of volunteering, making microaggressive comments and even being part of the hateful "Free the Right" website. Eventually, she simply decides to take a break and returns, strong and determined. The terrorist attack does make Bri change slightly. She starts to accept that she isn't in control of every situation and that not everything can be planned, like her ballet classes and attending volunteer operations (sorry, that's what I call it). And in the end, she gets a "boyfriend", Hayat, someone she was opposed to in the beginning. Bri learns that unexpected events happen and that things change with time. She also learns to stop coming to conclusions and wait to see what certain events lead to.
Zakat: A more conservative hijabi Muslim who lives in a quiet and peaceful neighborhood that is accepting of all people. This place is rightly named "Lullwood", a fictional town in Georgia, a haven for black Muslims... until the terrorist attack. The masjid (or mosque), a place of prayer and gathering of Muslims, needs to be secured by a fence because of Islamophobic attacks targeting Muslim-owned spaces. Zakat is an artist, and even though her parents want her to follow in their footsteps and pick a "profitable" major, she can't suppress her love for art. Zakat is anxious, quiet, and timid, like Sabriya. She's easily intimidated by Islamophobic people and is nervous about writing for the blog. When she first joins, she prefers to present her art on the blog to inspire other Muslim black teens and young Muslim women, and she secretly does this because her parents don't approve. Throughout the book, Zakat changes a lot because of the terrorist attack and other Islamophobic acts such as the spray-paint incident at the Islamic boys' school and the stealing of the "Book of Secrets" from Aafreen's house. She becomes more confident in decision-making and learns that places can't always be the same as they were before and that Islamophobia can even enter the most peaceful communities, like Lullwood. She learns how to be more confident in herself and stops being so worried. She starts to feel more comfortable and confident by the end.
Farah: A diehard, tech-savvy basketball fan and coding student who's more liberal and has a boyfriend (who I assume is non-Muslim). Farah lives in Iglethorne, California, with her single mom and isn't exactly on great terms with her not-so-present father who's in Kirby, and it's time for her to go on a three-week trip to see him and his new family. As you can already tell, she's not so enthusiastic about it. When she first arrives, she's treated with affection by her new siblings, his two older stepkids, Ally and Samson, who take a liking to her. Her youngest sibling, Emma, is so adorable and the two do bond pretty well. But Farah doesn't get along with Jess, Tommy's new wife. (They've been married for a while and Tommy is Farah's biological father's name.) Unlike Sabriya and Zakat, Farah is more vocal and straightforward, and she speaks up and talks right away when Jess is opposed to Ally accompanying Farah to the vigil. Things are tense between Farah and Jess and Farah is equally as stubborn as Jess is. Opposed to Sabriya and Zakat, Farah prefers not to let people step over her toes and hurt her feelings, and she seems to be more vocal, not afraid of being stereotyped as an angry black girl or an aggressive Muslim. I love this about her. Her role in the You Truly Assumed blog is very crucial. By the end of the book though, Farah is much more friendly with her family in Kirby. She and Jess come to terms with each other, she loves her three siblings, and she's getting along with Tommy too, although she doesn't call him "Dad."
Overall, I like how this book didn't have a dramatic plot but still managed to keep me engaged. I loved the character development and seeing the characters change. Seeing Sabriya accept that not everything can be planned and controlled was a relief. Seeing Zakat gain more confidence in herself and become more bold was another relief. And seeing Farah willing to accept the challenge of long-distance dating and establish a relationship with her father and his new family was a relief as well.
Some people are complaining about the representation of Islam in this book. They're saying that the Muslim representation is "problematic" because it's Westernized and too liberal. Some think it's watered down and that there isn't enough proof that these three girls are actually Muslim except for their necklaces, charms, and calendars. I grew up in Saudi Arabia, the birthplace of Islam, and the way Muslims act in this book isn't very much Islamic. I'll explain.
I think the author is a liberal Muslim or either Westernized/modernized Islam so it wouldn't offend the audience. There were some things that didn't sit well with me, but I'm not going to take off stars because of that. (I grew up in Saudi Arabia but am not Muslim, so I may be wrong about some of these. Please let me know if I am.)
1. There is a non-labeled prayer room to make the mosque that Zakat goes to be more gender inclusive.
In most Muslim-majority nations, Saudi Arabia included, there is no such thing as gender inclusivity. People are either male or female and mosques have divisions for men and women only. In a majority of Islamic communities, being transgender, non-binary, or any other gender or than male or female can lead to arrest and jail sentencing too. From what I know from hearing Muslim scholars explain their religion to non-Muslims like me, Islam is not pro-LGBTQ, meaning there is no such thing as non-labeled prayer rooms for non-binaries, transgenders, and other genders. This leads me to my second concern.
2. A character has a physically intimate relationship with her (most likely non-Muslim) boyfriend.
From what I've heard from studious Muslim scholars, dating is mostly prohibited in Islam and a lot of Muslims practice "halal dating" which means dating with many rules and boundaries to avoid fornication or what is called "zina" in Islam. Farah and her boyfriend, Riley, are rather physically intimate, despite her being a Muslim. In addition to that, I'd like to add that I learned that Muslim men can marry non-Muslim women as long as they're practicing either Judaism or Christianity and that Muslim women must marry Muslim men, meaning Farah and Riley should break up and not take their relationship any further if Riley doesn't plan to convert to Islam. My next concern is related to relationships as well.
3. A character is in a lesbian relationship.
In Kirby, Farah meets a black Muslim girl by the name of Jamilah, who has a girlfriend. Same-sex relationships and all forms of homosexuality are haram (forbidden) in Islam, or that's what I have seen in Saudi Arabia and many Muslim-majority nations. I've read articles on people getting executed in Muslim-majority countries after being caught getting intimate with a person of the same gender.
4. A character is a female imam.
In the story, Zakat goes into the masjid and is met by Imam Farhad, who is a female imam who's about ten years older than Zakat, making her twenty-seven years old. She's a very kind, calm, collected, and wise woman. I like the advice Imam Farhad gives and how she treats Zakat like a daughter and listens to her worries. However, women aren't permitted to become imams in many traditional Islamic communities, which makes this kind of confusing for me. I've never heard of a female imam in Saudi Arabia or any surrounding countries, and many of the studious Islamic educators on YouTube and Islamic websites have explained that a woman can't lead prayers in mixed-gender settings but can teach other women. (Maybe Imam Frahad specifically leads prayers in the women's section?)
If any of the points I made above are incorrect, please let me know. The least of my intentions is to spread misinformation about a religion I do not practice. I loved this book and appreciate the author who wrote this, and I congratulate and applaud Sabreen for taking a stand and spreading awareness about Islamophobia and what Muslims face in Western countries, especially in the USA, a country with a lot of Islamophobia and anti-Middle Eastern sentiment after 9/11. I would recommend You Truly Assumed to young black Muslim teens looking for novels they can relate to.
✨Thank you for reading this review!✨
Laila Sabreen, congrats on writing a book like this! It was so fantastic and I felt so sad when the story ended. I loved the characters and I bonded with them. I'm a black American Christian girl, but I still loved and enjoyed this book because it highlights Islamophobia, online bullying, harassment, and struggles with identity that the teenagers face. Despite being far apart from each other, they are all connected through a blog titled You Truly Assumed, which is the title of the book as well.
I've seen many reviews complaining about characters and their development, but I'm not going to do that. Instead, I'll just list my take on the characters and their development.
Sabriya: A ballet dancer who is so very organized, living in Abbott, Virginia. She's a very busy yet ambitious teenager. She's clean, neat, likes to write, and plans everything. She's calm and timid, but she's a worrier. Bri is always pressuring herself to do better and is way too hard on herself, which is revealed in the first chapter. Throughout the book, she is anxious and keeps on losing hope because of the terrorist attack and seems to think that starting the blog is a stupid idea. With the website "Free the Right" attacking her blog with hateful comments and hacking it, and with Mr. Smith, head of volunteering, making microaggressive comments and even being part of the hateful "Free the Right" website. Eventually, she simply decides to take a break and returns, strong and determined. The terrorist attack does make Bri change slightly. She starts to accept that she isn't in control of every situation and that not everything can be planned, like her ballet classes and attending volunteer operations (sorry, that's what I call it). And in the end, she gets a "boyfriend", Hayat, someone she was opposed to in the beginning. Bri learns that unexpected events happen and that things change with time. She also learns to stop coming to conclusions and wait to see what certain events lead to.
Zakat: A more conservative hijabi Muslim who lives in a quiet and peaceful neighborhood that is accepting of all people. This place is rightly named "Lullwood", a fictional town in Georgia, a haven for black Muslims... until the terrorist attack. The masjid (or mosque), a place of prayer and gathering of Muslims, needs to be secured by a fence because of Islamophobic attacks targeting Muslim-owned spaces. Zakat is an artist, and even though her parents want her to follow in their footsteps and pick a "profitable" major, she can't suppress her love for art. Zakat is anxious, quiet, and timid, like Sabriya. She's easily intimidated by Islamophobic people and is nervous about writing for the blog. When she first joins, she prefers to present her art on the blog to inspire other Muslim black teens and young Muslim women, and she secretly does this because her parents don't approve. Throughout the book, Zakat changes a lot because of the terrorist attack and other Islamophobic acts such as the spray-paint incident at the Islamic boys' school and the stealing of the "Book of Secrets" from Aafreen's house. She becomes more confident in decision-making and learns that places can't always be the same as they were before and that Islamophobia can even enter the most peaceful communities, like Lullwood. She learns how to be more confident in herself and stops being so worried. She starts to feel more comfortable and confident by the end.
Farah: A diehard, tech-savvy basketball fan and coding student who's more liberal and has a boyfriend (who I assume is non-Muslim). Farah lives in Iglethorne, California, with her single mom and isn't exactly on great terms with her not-so-present father who's in Kirby, and it's time for her to go on a three-week trip to see him and his new family. As you can already tell, she's not so enthusiastic about it. When she first arrives, she's treated with affection by her new siblings, his two older stepkids, Ally and Samson, who take a liking to her. Her youngest sibling, Emma, is so adorable and the two do bond pretty well. But Farah doesn't get along with Jess, Tommy's new wife. (They've been married for a while and Tommy is Farah's biological father's name.) Unlike Sabriya and Zakat, Farah is more vocal and straightforward, and she speaks up and talks right away when Jess is opposed to Ally accompanying Farah to the vigil. Things are tense between Farah and Jess and Farah is equally as stubborn as Jess is. Opposed to Sabriya and Zakat, Farah prefers not to let people step over her toes and hurt her feelings, and she seems to be more vocal, not afraid of being stereotyped as an angry black girl or an aggressive Muslim. I love this about her. Her role in the You Truly Assumed blog is very crucial. By the end of the book though, Farah is much more friendly with her family in Kirby. She and Jess come to terms with each other, she loves her three siblings, and she's getting along with Tommy too, although she doesn't call him "Dad."
Overall, I like how this book didn't have a dramatic plot but still managed to keep me engaged. I loved the character development and seeing the characters change. Seeing Sabriya accept that not everything can be planned and controlled was a relief. Seeing Zakat gain more confidence in herself and become more bold was another relief. And seeing Farah willing to accept the challenge of long-distance dating and establish a relationship with her father and his new family was a relief as well.
Some people are complaining about the representation of Islam in this book. They're saying that the Muslim representation is "problematic" because it's Westernized and too liberal. Some think it's watered down and that there isn't enough proof that these three girls are actually Muslim except for their necklaces, charms, and calendars. I grew up in Saudi Arabia, the birthplace of Islam, and the way Muslims act in this book isn't very much Islamic. I'll explain.
I think the author is a liberal Muslim or either Westernized/modernized Islam so it wouldn't offend the audience. There were some things that didn't sit well with me, but I'm not going to take off stars because of that. (I grew up in Saudi Arabia but am not Muslim, so I may be wrong about some of these. Please let me know if I am.)
1. There is a non-labeled prayer room to make the mosque that Zakat goes to be more gender inclusive.
In most Muslim-majority nations, Saudi Arabia included, there is no such thing as gender inclusivity. People are either male or female and mosques have divisions for men and women only. In a majority of Islamic communities, being transgender, non-binary, or any other gender or than male or female can lead to arrest and jail sentencing too. From what I know from hearing Muslim scholars explain their religion to non-Muslims like me, Islam is not pro-LGBTQ, meaning there is no such thing as non-labeled prayer rooms for non-binaries, transgenders, and other genders. This leads me to my second concern.
2. A character has a physically intimate relationship with her (most likely non-Muslim) boyfriend.
From what I've heard from studious Muslim scholars, dating is mostly prohibited in Islam and a lot of Muslims practice "halal dating" which means dating with many rules and boundaries to avoid fornication or what is called "zina" in Islam. Farah and her boyfriend, Riley, are rather physically intimate, despite her being a Muslim. In addition to that, I'd like to add that I learned that Muslim men can marry non-Muslim women as long as they're practicing either Judaism or Christianity and that Muslim women must marry Muslim men, meaning Farah and Riley should break up and not take their relationship any further if Riley doesn't plan to convert to Islam. My next concern is related to relationships as well.
3. A character is in a lesbian relationship.
In Kirby, Farah meets a black Muslim girl by the name of Jamilah, who has a girlfriend. Same-sex relationships and all forms of homosexuality are haram (forbidden) in Islam, or that's what I have seen in Saudi Arabia and many Muslim-majority nations. I've read articles on people getting executed in Muslim-majority countries after being caught getting intimate with a person of the same gender.
4. A character is a female imam.
In the story, Zakat goes into the masjid and is met by Imam Farhad, who is a female imam who's about ten years older than Zakat, making her twenty-seven years old. She's a very kind, calm, collected, and wise woman. I like the advice Imam Farhad gives and how she treats Zakat like a daughter and listens to her worries. However, women aren't permitted to become imams in many traditional Islamic communities, which makes this kind of confusing for me. I've never heard of a female imam in Saudi Arabia or any surrounding countries, and many of the studious Islamic educators on YouTube and Islamic websites have explained that a woman can't lead prayers in mixed-gender settings but can teach other women. (Maybe Imam Frahad specifically leads prayers in the women's section?)
If any of the points I made above are incorrect, please let me know. The least of my intentions is to spread misinformation about a religion I do not practice. I loved this book and appreciate the author who wrote this, and I congratulate and applaud Sabreen for taking a stand and spreading awareness about Islamophobia and what Muslims face in Western countries, especially in the USA, a country with a lot of Islamophobia and anti-Middle Eastern sentiment after 9/11. I would recommend You Truly Assumed to young black Muslim teens looking for novels they can relate to.
✨Thank you for reading this review!✨
April 19, 2024
My Thoughts on Britney Spears's The Woman in Me
I didn't know Britney Spears well enough before I read this book. And it opened my eyes to so many things I've never seen before.
Britney has been through literal hell. And despite that, she's still one of the kindest people out there. I've never met Britney, and if I ever do, I'll let her know that I respect and admire her for her strength and endurance through the years of abuse she was put through.
Britney's family is full of terrible people who used her for profit.
Once she got famous, her alcoholic father put her in a conservatorship, her mother put out a memoir and went on TV for an interview, Jamie Lynn was a spoilt brat and was ungrateful for what Britney had provided her family, and Britney's brother... I have nothing to say about what he was doing but it was clear that he and Britney didn't have any contact or a good relationship then.
Some of the most heartbreaking moments from this book are right here:
The saddest part to me was that what I always wanted was a dad who would love me as I was—somebody who would say, “I just love you. You could do anything right now. I’d still love you with unconditional love.”
Why did everyone treat me, even when I was a teenager, like I was dangerous?
That was a good time in my life. I was so in love with Justin, just smitten. I don’t know if when you’re younger love’s a different thing, but what Justin and I had was special. He wouldn’t even have to say anything or do anything for me to feel close to him.
Abortion was something I never could have imagined choosing for myself, but given the circumstances, that is what we did. I don’t know if that was the right decision. If it had been left up to me alone, I never would have done it. And yet Justin was so sure that he didn’t want to be a father.
When I tell you it was painful—I can’t begin to describe it. The pain was unbelievable. I went down to the ground on my knees, holding the toilet. For a long time, I couldn’t move. To this day, it’s one of the most agonizing things I have ever experienced in my life.
Still, they didn’t take me to the hospital. Justin came into the bathroom and lay on the floor with me. At some point he thought maybe music would help, so he got his guitar and he lay there with me, strumming it. I kept crying and sobbing until it was all over. It took hours, and I don’t remember how it ended, but I do, twenty years later, remember the pain of it, and the fear.
I should have seen the breakup coming, but I didn’t.
That’s one thing Justin and Kevin ruined about me. I used to trust people. But after the breakup with Justin and then my divorce, I never really did trust people again.
I became incredibly angry. I think a lot of other women understand this. A friend of mine once said: “If someone took my baby away from me, I would have done a lot more than get a haircut. I would have burned the city to the ground.”
I’m a five-foot-four-inch pop singer who calls everyone “sir” and “ma’am.” They treated me like I was a criminal or predator.
There's a whole lot more than that, but this review will be longer than a Stephen King novel if I keep running my mouth off on quotes and my feelings and opinions.
Britney has been betrayed multiple times by multiple people. She gave her heart to her first boyfriend, Justin Timberlake, and he pretty much coerced her into an abortion when she didn't want to get one. And then after having two children with her husband, Kevin, he suddenly lost interest and began behaving in a toxic manner towards her, going as far as dragging two innocent boys into the situation and trying to take their mother away from them by demanding full custody. He didn't want Britney to see the kids at all. Then, Britney's father, an alcoholic who scared her throughout most of her childhood and didn't show her any fatherly love, put her under a conservatorship, and mentally and emotionally abused her for years, restricting all of her freedoms and not letting her see her son.
During all those years, Britney was going around the world, doing tours and performing for her beloved fans.
None of that money was in her wallet. Her father owned and managed everything, and he had goons working for him that made sure Brtiney's entire life, from her cell phone activity to her diet, lifestyle, location, and hobbies, were controlled.
Britney was treated like a schizophrenic patient. As if she was dangerous and incapable of controlling her thoughts and actions. As if she was a threat to society outside. She couldn't see her children, couldn't date anyone, wasn't even allowed to eat fast food, and was forced to work herself to death, performing for her fans when she wasn't allowed to live the life she worked so hard for throughout her childhood. All the while, her family was using her money to party and have fun. They enjoyed their status as Britney Spears's family.
Her family was presented as the most loving people on the planet, and so was Kevin, the father of her children. No one knew Britney's father was an alcoholic who used to constantly argue with her mother and was a bad father figure to his children. (Or to Brtiney and Bryan, her older brother.) Her mother wrote a memoir and went on TV, promoting the book and making money off of the story while her daughter was suffering. Her sister, Jamie Lynn, was also basking in fame, making herself look like a cool teen star while abusing her sister behind the scenes. Justin Timberlake was that one boy that all the girls drooled over. He got away with cheating on Britney multiple times and making her abort their baby because he didn't want to take responsibility as the father. Kevin was seen as a good dude and a great dad to his kids while he was using them as pawns in his divorce with Brtiney and didn't want her to be a mother to them. Lynne Spears, Brtiney's mother, went and wrote a book. Everyone who abused Brtiney was loved and looked at as idols. And Britney had to bear all the criticism for every act she did that didn't please the public.
This book highlights the abuse Britney faced throughout her entire as a woman. Many young girls seem to think that fame comes with unlimited love and a life of luxury. Think again. Being in Hollywood and being in the spotlight doesn't necessarily add up to living the elusive American Dream.
Brtiney's story told me that behind the scenes, we don't know what's going on. So many celebrities appear to be living the perfect life because they're such good performers and they know how to act in public. They know how to wow the paparazzi and show the cameras their good side. But we don't truly know what happens in the dark. But eventually, the ugly truth that's been covered by darkness will come to light, regardless of how long it takes.
In conclusion, I want to recommend this book to all young women and girls. Please know that this book does go deep into the bad side of being a woman in the entertainment industry. This book is an easy and quick read, is very heart-wrenching and emotional, tells a story in full truth, is raw, and shows us who is behind the Britney Spears we see performing on stages all around the world. It tells us the story of a woman who has been traumatized for most of her life but has fought her way through it because she's a survivor. A warrior.
Thank you for reading this review! 😊
February 22, 2024
My Thoughts on Kristen R. Lee's Required Reading for the Disenfranchised Freshman
Eye-opening book. This book exposes us to many uncomfortable topics. It lets us know that the black community is disadvantaged and is shunned when speaking out on these disadvantages. Black people in this novel are presented in fantastic ways.
After reading Lee's Sun Keep Rising, I just knew I had to read this book. This book offers me a wonderful perspective of a black girl trying to fit in and find her way into a white-majority campus. The book highlights topics that most white people feel uncomfortable talking about and are easily offended by. Many white characters in this book are ignorant and don't understand the dangerous effects of racism. Black characters are treated with disrespect and are dismissed. Whatever happens to them is covered up. Many things I've noticed that have happened to black people in real life happen in this book.
Lucas represents the privileged, white, wealthy, people. Meggie, although not as privileged as Lucas, is still privileged. She doesn't have to deal with racial discrimination of any kind. Tasha, one of my favorite characters, is stylish, appears to be rich, well-spoken, and incredibly smart— but she has faced so much discrimination on campus and hid it— because blacks are underrepresented and underappreciated on campus.
Wooddale represents blatant institutional racism. One of the privileged white students, Elaina, does drugs because of her boyfriend, Lucas, the same boy who is very popular around campus for his fraternity parties, which are so... ugh. Elaina does drugs and nothing is done about it until the end of the book. They don't do anything when Savannah reports Lucas for defacing the statue of George Clive or spray-painting a racial slur on her door, even though there is a lot of evidence that points out to him. Lucas and other white boys on campus openly say the n-word, which is a slur that can only be reclaimed by black people. When black boys fight back, they're punished and one is even at risk of losing his scholarship. Savannah is falsely accused of vandalizing Lucas's car and the campus is quick to open an investigation on her, but whenever white children are caught doing anything, or whenever racism against blacks is the topic, they do very little.
During a peaceful protest against racism in Wooddale, Savannah and other fellow protestors are maced. Tear gas is thrown at them. The police use violence to disperse a peaceful protest where black students are demanding fair treatment at that horrible, sloppy, nasty university.
I liked how in the end, Savannah decides to expose Lucas and his family using evidence, and how Tasha changes her mind and shows her story. I love how black students end up teaming together against racism, debunking the popular stereotype that blacks can't get along at all.
I only took one star off for the fact that racism is all that's focused on in this book. I understand that racism is a serious topic and can't be watered down at all. But the racism sometimes felt like it was unrealistic because of how in every chapter, we never got to get away from it for a minute. All Savannah thought about was Lucas. Lucas seemed to be more of the main character than Savannah. I didn't like how the author gave him unnecessary extra attention. Savannah thought more about Lucas than she did herself. Another issue related to racism was the ending. Just like that, Lucas and Elaina got what was coming for them. But there isn't a move to change Wooddale for the better. Despite all of Savannah's efforts, all of the evidence, the radio interview, and the protest, we don't see any changes at Wooddale. At all. I'm so proud of Savannah for leaving Wooddale for Booker T. Washington University, a place where she will be respected as a young black girl and won't be surrounded by snobby white students who are ignorant and fuel anti-black racism.
The ending was very good. Savannah came to terms with being herself, decided that she was;t going to let the white supremacy win, exposed Lucas and other racists at her university, (or trash-versity as I call it) and makes the decision to leave Wooddale. But I wish the ending had more to it. For instance, I wanted to see more of Savannah's mother's reaction to her daughter's decisions. I wanted to see Savannah's mother open her eyes and be more accepting of her daughter's perspective. I wanted to see Savannah, Tasha, and Benji talk to each other about this decision and decide what this all meant for their friendship.
Still a great story, though! 4.5 stars out of 5!
After reading Lee's Sun Keep Rising, I just knew I had to read this book. This book offers me a wonderful perspective of a black girl trying to fit in and find her way into a white-majority campus. The book highlights topics that most white people feel uncomfortable talking about and are easily offended by. Many white characters in this book are ignorant and don't understand the dangerous effects of racism. Black characters are treated with disrespect and are dismissed. Whatever happens to them is covered up. Many things I've noticed that have happened to black people in real life happen in this book.
Lucas represents the privileged, white, wealthy, people. Meggie, although not as privileged as Lucas, is still privileged. She doesn't have to deal with racial discrimination of any kind. Tasha, one of my favorite characters, is stylish, appears to be rich, well-spoken, and incredibly smart— but she has faced so much discrimination on campus and hid it— because blacks are underrepresented and underappreciated on campus.
Wooddale represents blatant institutional racism. One of the privileged white students, Elaina, does drugs because of her boyfriend, Lucas, the same boy who is very popular around campus for his fraternity parties, which are so... ugh. Elaina does drugs and nothing is done about it until the end of the book. They don't do anything when Savannah reports Lucas for defacing the statue of George Clive or spray-painting a racial slur on her door, even though there is a lot of evidence that points out to him. Lucas and other white boys on campus openly say the n-word, which is a slur that can only be reclaimed by black people. When black boys fight back, they're punished and one is even at risk of losing his scholarship. Savannah is falsely accused of vandalizing Lucas's car and the campus is quick to open an investigation on her, but whenever white children are caught doing anything, or whenever racism against blacks is the topic, they do very little.
During a peaceful protest against racism in Wooddale, Savannah and other fellow protestors are maced. Tear gas is thrown at them. The police use violence to disperse a peaceful protest where black students are demanding fair treatment at that horrible, sloppy, nasty university.
I liked how in the end, Savannah decides to expose Lucas and his family using evidence, and how Tasha changes her mind and shows her story. I love how black students end up teaming together against racism, debunking the popular stereotype that blacks can't get along at all.
I only took one star off for the fact that racism is all that's focused on in this book. I understand that racism is a serious topic and can't be watered down at all. But the racism sometimes felt like it was unrealistic because of how in every chapter, we never got to get away from it for a minute. All Savannah thought about was Lucas. Lucas seemed to be more of the main character than Savannah. I didn't like how the author gave him unnecessary extra attention. Savannah thought more about Lucas than she did herself. Another issue related to racism was the ending. Just like that, Lucas and Elaina got what was coming for them. But there isn't a move to change Wooddale for the better. Despite all of Savannah's efforts, all of the evidence, the radio interview, and the protest, we don't see any changes at Wooddale. At all. I'm so proud of Savannah for leaving Wooddale for Booker T. Washington University, a place where she will be respected as a young black girl and won't be surrounded by snobby white students who are ignorant and fuel anti-black racism.
The ending was very good. Savannah came to terms with being herself, decided that she was;t going to let the white supremacy win, exposed Lucas and other racists at her university, (or trash-versity as I call it) and makes the decision to leave Wooddale. But I wish the ending had more to it. For instance, I wanted to see more of Savannah's mother's reaction to her daughter's decisions. I wanted to see Savannah's mother open her eyes and be more accepting of her daughter's perspective. I wanted to see Savannah, Tasha, and Benji talk to each other about this decision and decide what this all meant for their friendship.
Still a great story, though! 4.5 stars out of 5!
My Thoughts on Katharine McGee's Rivals
WARNING: SPOILERS
This was much better than Majesty. I love how there was actual character development. The ending, of course, was a cliffhanger and full of suspense, just like Majesty. However, it wasn't as frustrating, although Daphne ended up winning Jefferson over, as always. In this book, Daphne seems to change and show that she's not entirely evil, but she immediately betrays Nina once again. I took a star off because I'm tired of Nina being used as a punching bag. Nina seldom gets a happy resolution, ever, out of any of the characters, when she and Beatrice are the nicest characters. I don't like how the author keeps giving them the most unsatisfying endings. In addition to that, Daphne never gets the karma she deserves. Ethan and Himari were absent from this book, and I feel their absence took something away from the story. They are essential characters in Daphne's POV, and I felt like having them gone in this story also contributes to the reason I took a star off. Daphne's manipulation never ceases. However, I enjoyed this drama-filled journey with Katharine McGee in the American Royals Series! The fourth book, Reign, which concludes the series, should have a gratifying ending. I hope Daphne eventually reaps what she sows. And I want Nina to have some justice. I hope Beatrice's car crash isn't a threat to her rulership, (which it might be). This story leaves us wondering whether Beatrice will be able to remain queen, what will happen to Samantha and Marshall after they abdicate their positions, and what's in store for Daphne now that she's lied to keep her relationship. Overall, the story was amazing!
This was much better than Majesty. I love how there was actual character development. The ending, of course, was a cliffhanger and full of suspense, just like Majesty. However, it wasn't as frustrating, although Daphne ended up winning Jefferson over, as always. In this book, Daphne seems to change and show that she's not entirely evil, but she immediately betrays Nina once again. I took a star off because I'm tired of Nina being used as a punching bag. Nina seldom gets a happy resolution, ever, out of any of the characters, when she and Beatrice are the nicest characters. I don't like how the author keeps giving them the most unsatisfying endings. In addition to that, Daphne never gets the karma she deserves. Ethan and Himari were absent from this book, and I feel their absence took something away from the story. They are essential characters in Daphne's POV, and I felt like having them gone in this story also contributes to the reason I took a star off. Daphne's manipulation never ceases. However, I enjoyed this drama-filled journey with Katharine McGee in the American Royals Series! The fourth book, Reign, which concludes the series, should have a gratifying ending. I hope Daphne eventually reaps what she sows. And I want Nina to have some justice. I hope Beatrice's car crash isn't a threat to her rulership, (which it might be). This story leaves us wondering whether Beatrice will be able to remain queen, what will happen to Samantha and Marshall after they abdicate their positions, and what's in store for Daphne now that she's lied to keep her relationship. Overall, the story was amazing!
February 18, 2024
My Thoughts on Katharine McGee's Majesty
So, in 2020, I read American Royals, the first book in this series. It was so good, and it ended with characters still caught up in predicaments that had not yet been resolved. I didn't like this book as much as the first (I read this in 2020 as well 😅), because it just threw issues on top of those unresolved issues. I just didn't like how the villain, Daphne, kept getting away with everything she did. Nina, who is a commoner and one of the main characters, is constantly falling victim to Daphne's plans. And Ethan falls in love with Nina while using her and "distracting" her from Prince Jeff, while he's simultaneously in love with Daphne? And Ethan is Jeff's best friend, but they're both torn between Nina and Daphne. Do you see the web that's entangling the minds of readers?
I didn't like that Daphne kept getting away with everything. She gets her friend Himari back (who was in a coma in the first book due to being drugged by Daphne and Ethan so she couldn't expose them for cheating on Jeff while he and Daphne were dating), and because she's selfish and afraid Himari will expose her, she goes as far as threatening Beatrice, the future queen of America, to force her to send Himari back to Japan.
And you know what I found more infuriating? Daphne does every cruel thing she can in this book to get Jeff back, and suddenly, she changes her mind and tries to go after Ethan. Like girl, you were after the throne and you've harmed your own best friend and Nina for this, you played Ethan and used him, and all of a sudden, you want to throw away what you and your mother dreamed of and go back to Ethan? What about the crown? What about Jeff?
I just didn't like how Daphne got away with everything once again, and Beatrice never even mentioned the threat. And Daphne's mother is a witch. Burn in hell, miserable old lady.
I'm rating this at 2.5 stars because of the way the plot has been so messed up, however, I'm gonna be generous and rate this three stars instead of 2 because I can't do half-star ratings on this platform.
Up next: Review on Rivals, the third book in the series.
I didn't like that Daphne kept getting away with everything. She gets her friend Himari back (who was in a coma in the first book due to being drugged by Daphne and Ethan so she couldn't expose them for cheating on Jeff while he and Daphne were dating), and because she's selfish and afraid Himari will expose her, she goes as far as threatening Beatrice, the future queen of America, to force her to send Himari back to Japan.
And you know what I found more infuriating? Daphne does every cruel thing she can in this book to get Jeff back, and suddenly, she changes her mind and tries to go after Ethan. Like girl, you were after the throne and you've harmed your own best friend and Nina for this, you played Ethan and used him, and all of a sudden, you want to throw away what you and your mother dreamed of and go back to Ethan? What about the crown? What about Jeff?
I just didn't like how Daphne got away with everything once again, and Beatrice never even mentioned the threat. And Daphne's mother is a witch. Burn in hell, miserable old lady.
I'm rating this at 2.5 stars because of the way the plot has been so messed up, however, I'm gonna be generous and rate this three stars instead of 2 because I can't do half-star ratings on this platform.
Up next: Review on Rivals, the third book in the series.
My Thoughts on Katharine McGee's American Royals
It's hard for me to find a book that I have to force myself to finish because the characters are annoying and plain stupid. I did find the characters in this book annoying at times, but not annoying enough to make me stop reading and throw the book across the room because of the outright absurdity of their decisions. I loved this book when I read it back in 2020. It was fantastic was what lured me into the American Royals series. To be honest, I was very intrigued by the idea of reading a historical/modern/contemporary young-adult fiction novel that explores what America would have been like if it were a monarchy instead of a presidential republic. I liked the characters (except for Daphne, that evil villain) and the story became even more interesting when Beatrice and Connor began having an affair while Teddy and Smantha were infatuated with each other, but Beatrice and Teddy were destined to be together for the sake of the throne. The storyline kept me hooked the entire time and I finished the book fast. Sometimes, I open the book just to read over my favorite parts. I felt sad when the king died, even though I didn't see much of his character. I wish I could see more scenes of the queen, though. It would've been nice to hear her perspective on Beatrice being in love with her Revere Gaurd, Connor.
The way the first book ended caused me to go and read the second one, Majesty. Thank you so much for writing this book, Katharine! I'mma go and review Majesty, which I didn't enjoy as much as this one but still enjoyed!😎
The way the first book ended caused me to go and read the second one, Majesty. Thank you so much for writing this book, Katharine! I'mma go and review Majesty, which I didn't enjoy as much as this one but still enjoyed!😎
My Thoughts on Kristen R. Lee's Sun Keep Rising
WARNING. SPOILERS AHEAD.
Fantastic Story. This is the first book I've read from Kristen R. Lee, and I'm currently reading Required Reading for the Disenfranchised Freshman because of how much I loved this one. So, there's a reason I took two stars off.
This story does an excellent job of explaining what gentrification looks like. It does an excellent job of taking a look into generational curses, the awful effects of poverty, and how so many blacks, both men and women, are pushed into the street hustling for protection and keeping a roof over their heads. It gives a good insight into why so many low-income black communities are plagued with crime: Because it's what helps people who are struggling to get by deal with their problems.
It was so short. A quick and enjoyable read. My kind of novel.
However, there were some things I didn't like. Which is why I took off two stars.
#1: Unlikeable Main Character
B'onca Johnson is struggling, sure, as a teen mother who got pregnant by that awful garbage of a baby daddy/boyfriend called Scooter ( I think his real name is Christian). However, she seems to have such an attitude and appears to be a stereotypical angry black girl. Her mouth is foul, (I'm not saying this because of cursing but because she is rude in general), and she seems to think she is justified in whatever she does. She isn't a good role model for her daughter, Mia, and is annoying. I love how she is very protective and caring of Mia. It's adorable to see a teen mother who genuinely loves and cares for her baby and will go through a living hell at the age of seventeen to change her daughter's life. (I'm currently reading Required Reading for the Disenfranchised Freshman, and wow, B'onca is an embodiment of the angry black woman stereotype.
Even in this book, her behavior makes her unlikable, which makes it very hard to relate to her as the one telling the story. She complains about the pay at the salon being too low when she's working for Ms. Dubois and seems to hate being told what to do, but she's always absent and is engaging in criminal activity for money, instead of politely asking for a raise. B'onca expects respect but offers none. A hypocrite. I didn't expect a perfect character, but if you ask me, I like Savannah better because she's easier to relate to.
It was hard for me to read the book at times because of B'onca, and it shouldn't be that way. I don't feel comfortable forcing myself to read a book because the main character is too annoying and I can't even relate to their perspective.
#2: Unclear Resolutions/ Unsatisfying Endings
In the novel, as we're nearing the end, the book suddenly takes a very fast pace. The author seems to be in a hurry to wrap things up and finish the story before reaching the two-hundred-page mark, and the story just ends without a clear resolution as to what B'onca will do to change her life and ensure Mia will live a good one. B'onca ends up being caught for shoplifting and spends a night locked up, is released on bail, and is driven to a party by her older sister, Shana, and that party is where the story ends. What? We don't know who killed B'onca's baby daddy, Scooter (I didn't care anyway because him dying made the book easier to read 🤭), and we have no idea what happens to B'onca's mom (another awful character I'm glad is gone). We don't even know if B'onca will succeed in summer school and go on to college or cosmetology school or what will happen to Mia, considering the fact that Soocter's parents, (the Canes), want to take custody of her because of B'onca's financial situation.
I just found the ending unsatisfying because there are so many questions and so few answers.
(I apologize for this long rant.)
Other than B'onca's gross attitude and the lack of resolution at the end, this story is awesome. I'd recommend it to many young black students. It'll give them an insight into the issues in their community and the possible solutions. Books like these are raw. Although they have some strong language and maybe some graphic scenes, they offer a good look into what is needed in society.
Change.
You and I are the ones who have the power to change society for the better. For young pregnant teen girls abandoned by their baby daddies and their own families. For young children who don't have fathers that care about them. For people who are being dragged into street business because they can't find jobs that feed their families and pay rent. For people who are watching their neighborhoods change and transform—and not in good ways. And for people who are losing everything. We have the power to change all of this if we stand together and take a raw, pure, and unfiltered look into the issues addressed in this book.
Do you want to change your community?
Fantastic Story. This is the first book I've read from Kristen R. Lee, and I'm currently reading Required Reading for the Disenfranchised Freshman because of how much I loved this one. So, there's a reason I took two stars off.
This story does an excellent job of explaining what gentrification looks like. It does an excellent job of taking a look into generational curses, the awful effects of poverty, and how so many blacks, both men and women, are pushed into the street hustling for protection and keeping a roof over their heads. It gives a good insight into why so many low-income black communities are plagued with crime: Because it's what helps people who are struggling to get by deal with their problems.
It was so short. A quick and enjoyable read. My kind of novel.
However, there were some things I didn't like. Which is why I took off two stars.
#1: Unlikeable Main Character
B'onca Johnson is struggling, sure, as a teen mother who got pregnant by that awful garbage of a baby daddy/boyfriend called Scooter ( I think his real name is Christian). However, she seems to have such an attitude and appears to be a stereotypical angry black girl. Her mouth is foul, (I'm not saying this because of cursing but because she is rude in general), and she seems to think she is justified in whatever she does. She isn't a good role model for her daughter, Mia, and is annoying. I love how she is very protective and caring of Mia. It's adorable to see a teen mother who genuinely loves and cares for her baby and will go through a living hell at the age of seventeen to change her daughter's life. (I'm currently reading Required Reading for the Disenfranchised Freshman, and wow, B'onca is an embodiment of the angry black woman stereotype.
Even in this book, her behavior makes her unlikable, which makes it very hard to relate to her as the one telling the story. She complains about the pay at the salon being too low when she's working for Ms. Dubois and seems to hate being told what to do, but she's always absent and is engaging in criminal activity for money, instead of politely asking for a raise. B'onca expects respect but offers none. A hypocrite. I didn't expect a perfect character, but if you ask me, I like Savannah better because she's easier to relate to.
It was hard for me to read the book at times because of B'onca, and it shouldn't be that way. I don't feel comfortable forcing myself to read a book because the main character is too annoying and I can't even relate to their perspective.
#2: Unclear Resolutions/ Unsatisfying Endings
In the novel, as we're nearing the end, the book suddenly takes a very fast pace. The author seems to be in a hurry to wrap things up and finish the story before reaching the two-hundred-page mark, and the story just ends without a clear resolution as to what B'onca will do to change her life and ensure Mia will live a good one. B'onca ends up being caught for shoplifting and spends a night locked up, is released on bail, and is driven to a party by her older sister, Shana, and that party is where the story ends. What? We don't know who killed B'onca's baby daddy, Scooter (I didn't care anyway because him dying made the book easier to read 🤭), and we have no idea what happens to B'onca's mom (another awful character I'm glad is gone). We don't even know if B'onca will succeed in summer school and go on to college or cosmetology school or what will happen to Mia, considering the fact that Soocter's parents, (the Canes), want to take custody of her because of B'onca's financial situation.
I just found the ending unsatisfying because there are so many questions and so few answers.
(I apologize for this long rant.)
Other than B'onca's gross attitude and the lack of resolution at the end, this story is awesome. I'd recommend it to many young black students. It'll give them an insight into the issues in their community and the possible solutions. Books like these are raw. Although they have some strong language and maybe some graphic scenes, they offer a good look into what is needed in society.
Change.
You and I are the ones who have the power to change society for the better. For young pregnant teen girls abandoned by their baby daddies and their own families. For young children who don't have fathers that care about them. For people who are being dragged into street business because they can't find jobs that feed their families and pay rent. For people who are watching their neighborhoods change and transform—and not in good ways. And for people who are losing everything. We have the power to change all of this if we stand together and take a raw, pure, and unfiltered look into the issues addressed in this book.
Do you want to change your community?
My Thoughts on LaLa Thomas's 16 & Pregnant
WARNING: REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS. **3.5 stars**
I picked up this book because I love YA novels, and I find it very hard to find any YA novels with black females as the main characters. I loved the book, loved the writing style, and I appreciated the way the author addressed issues that black pregnant women face in the healthcare system.
So, why'd I rate this as a three-star novel? I mean, if I loved the book, found it entertaining, and even reread some chapters because of how interesting some of the way the experiences were portrayed— why'd I just give it three stars?
I feel like the author is trying to normalize teenage sex, which isn't safe and can lead to contracting STDs and getting pregnant, of course, even with the use of condoms. (I won't jump to conclusions because this might not be her intentions.)
One of the main characters, Erykah, is very supportive of her loser boyfriend, Miguel, and dates him despite him already having a two-year-old at eighteen, meaning he impregnated a girl at the age of sixteen, and despite him selling weed and sagging his pants, which are all red flags about his character. She gets upset every time her mother and Kelly (or Kelaya), her best friend, the other main character, complain about Miguel or tell the truth about how horrible and irresponsible he is.
In the end, after giving birth to her daughter, Erykah still has sex with Miguel again, which is so stupid. Having sex with him was what got her pregnant and made her suffer throughout the entire book, and two months after giving birth to Sierra, Erykah, who realizes and even says to herself that Miguel is good-for-nothing, goes back and sleeps with him? Once again, a normalization of teenage sex.
Kelly, who's government name is Kelaya, is Erykah's best friend and the second main character of the book. Both she and Erykah are straight A students who pay attention in all of their classes, even their sex Ed class, which comes off as surprising because coincidentally, at some point in the book, Kelly gets pregnant by her boyfriend Ray, because she was having sex with him and got on confident to use protection.
Kelly then has an abortion without telling Ray, but with the support of her parents. And Ray never finds out, not even at the end of the book, several months after it happens, because she's not "ready" to discuss it with him. I find it annoying that these girls can have sex with their boyfriends but somehow can't understand that there are cons to having underaged and unprotected sex.
What's weird to me is that everyone in this book seems to enjoy causal, premarital, and underaged sex. And why are these girls so obsessed with their boyfriends? It's very unlikely that someone you're attracted to in high school with become a lifelong partner. The way these girls talk about their boyfriends, you'd think they were married for fifty years or so. They act like no other boy in the world can surpass how special they are.
I liked Ray because he's a responsible and caring boyfriend and loves Kelly a lot. Miguel, I hate, because he's stupid and looks like someone who'll fail in life. Such a loser. I love the way the author made the characters express their feelings openly.
Some parts of the book were unrealistic and annoying, but I appreciate the awareness spread on black women's reproductive health. I'm so glad I read this for Black History Month this year, and I look forward to reading more books from LaLa!
I picked up this book because I love YA novels, and I find it very hard to find any YA novels with black females as the main characters. I loved the book, loved the writing style, and I appreciated the way the author addressed issues that black pregnant women face in the healthcare system.
So, why'd I rate this as a three-star novel? I mean, if I loved the book, found it entertaining, and even reread some chapters because of how interesting some of the way the experiences were portrayed— why'd I just give it three stars?
I feel like the author is trying to normalize teenage sex, which isn't safe and can lead to contracting STDs and getting pregnant, of course, even with the use of condoms. (I won't jump to conclusions because this might not be her intentions.)
One of the main characters, Erykah, is very supportive of her loser boyfriend, Miguel, and dates him despite him already having a two-year-old at eighteen, meaning he impregnated a girl at the age of sixteen, and despite him selling weed and sagging his pants, which are all red flags about his character. She gets upset every time her mother and Kelly (or Kelaya), her best friend, the other main character, complain about Miguel or tell the truth about how horrible and irresponsible he is.
In the end, after giving birth to her daughter, Erykah still has sex with Miguel again, which is so stupid. Having sex with him was what got her pregnant and made her suffer throughout the entire book, and two months after giving birth to Sierra, Erykah, who realizes and even says to herself that Miguel is good-for-nothing, goes back and sleeps with him? Once again, a normalization of teenage sex.
Kelly, who's government name is Kelaya, is Erykah's best friend and the second main character of the book. Both she and Erykah are straight A students who pay attention in all of their classes, even their sex Ed class, which comes off as surprising because coincidentally, at some point in the book, Kelly gets pregnant by her boyfriend Ray, because she was having sex with him and got on confident to use protection.
Kelly then has an abortion without telling Ray, but with the support of her parents. And Ray never finds out, not even at the end of the book, several months after it happens, because she's not "ready" to discuss it with him. I find it annoying that these girls can have sex with their boyfriends but somehow can't understand that there are cons to having underaged and unprotected sex.
What's weird to me is that everyone in this book seems to enjoy causal, premarital, and underaged sex. And why are these girls so obsessed with their boyfriends? It's very unlikely that someone you're attracted to in high school with become a lifelong partner. The way these girls talk about their boyfriends, you'd think they were married for fifty years or so. They act like no other boy in the world can surpass how special they are.
I liked Ray because he's a responsible and caring boyfriend and loves Kelly a lot. Miguel, I hate, because he's stupid and looks like someone who'll fail in life. Such a loser. I love the way the author made the characters express their feelings openly.
Some parts of the book were unrealistic and annoying, but I appreciate the awareness spread on black women's reproductive health. I'm so glad I read this for Black History Month this year, and I look forward to reading more books from LaLa!
December 8, 2023
My Thoughts on Rahaf Mohammed's Rebel
I don't think I've ever dived into a book and said "damn" after reading the first page. You know it's about to get emotional when you already feel for the writer and are forming opinions about people based on the first few pages.
For those of you who don't know me, (that was unnecessary as no one knows who I am yet) I was born and raised in Saudi Arabia for over fourteen years of my life. As an African-American living with a father who worked in the avionics field and worked on air bases, I was very privileged to live on compounds with heavy Western influence that permitted women to drive, walk around without abayas, go to pool parties, and even attend bars. But I was always well aware that once we passed the gate and left the compound, Western influence was cut off from that very moment and we were bound to the law of the Saudis.
As times changed, Western influence became more prevalent in other parts of Saudi Arabia, but not in real areas with smaller populations and more conservative people. I can remember there being an uproar when the Crown Prince and the King gave women the right to drive. In the small town I was living in, women weren't even allowed to drive without confrontation from the police and the shaming they would receive from their families until 2018, and even then, some people were angry. Imagine living in a country where people are offended that you, as a woman, are allowed to go to and fro without the permission and watch of a man.
I began reading this memoir, expecting it to simply be about the harsh rules that were implemented and how unfair it was that females were constantly separated from males for fear of any sexual activities, and how women were sexualized by being forced to cover themselves because their bodies were like irresistible candies. However, the memoir went deep into what life is actually like for most Saudi women.
It's worse than just being told you can't drive. It's worse than being told that a man has to watch over you and your decisions. Rahaf was constantly reminded that girls were to be blamed for anything that happened to them and that it was their fault they were being sexualized.
Refusing sex? Get beaten into doing it.
Want to drive? Go and put on a veil and ask a man in the house to do it for you, because you driving is rebellious and inappropriate.
Want to cut your hair? That's a felony.
Want to know what it's like to kiss a boy? You should've faced female genital mutilation. (FGM)
You got raped? If you covered yourself and went out with a male family member, it wouldn't have happened.
Wearing a bikini? You're a whore.
There's an endless list of things that irritated me in this book. Rahaf even revealed the experiences of other women who were killed brutally or disappeared forever because they were trying to escape the wealthy prisons created for them by their families. Even mothers are subjected to their sons.
On the internet, many women talk about how Saudi Arabia isn't as misogynistic as it is portrayed to be in the media. Rahaf's revelations will make anyone who agrees with that statement reconsider their views. Most of the women who make these claims are inexperienced and have never been introduced to the Saudi way of living.
As far as I know my dad never put his arm around my mom or used terms of endearment like honey or sweetheart or other words I heard in the movies. Their relationship was something I couldn’t figure out. My father didn’t control my mom—she followed the rules for women more because of society’s expectations than my father’s—but they fought a lot with each other and, to my child’s eye, didn’t set much of an example of marital love.
Affectionate gestures are discouraged from being displayed publicly in Saudi Arabia, even between husband and wife. In front of children, it is highly discouraged. Regardless of this, Rahaf believed and still believes that there is certainly something wrong with a marriage that doesn't have any love involved. I agree with this. In most Saudi marriages, everything is kept behind closed doors and left for the bedroom, but Rahaf's parents fought in front of her. It's interesting to know that Rahaf's father was lenient about what rights her mother had, but it's sad to see that her mother completely denied herself any right to freely express herself because of society.
My brother Majed was the toughest; he had very strong opinions about girls—their appearance and behaviour usually enraged him, and he was never shy about expressing his angry comments. He thought all women were basically bad and that their evilness only needed to be found out. He’d instruct me to take a ribbon out of my hair. When we watched TV he would say things like, “That girl on the television is bad; she’s probably cheating on her husband. I bet she smokes and drinks.” If an actor was wearing a short dress, he’d be shaking his fist at the TV screen and yelling, “Where is her family?”
This passage right here is a great example of how many older and conservative Saudi men react to the idea of Saudi women having any kind of freedom or expression. In their eyes, women doing anything they please is inappropriate unless the males in her family approve of it. In the book, Rahaf's brother isn't the only one who expresses these archaic beliefs.
My mother held my head tightly with her two hands and forced me to look downward and said, “This is how you should look—with your eyes cast down at the ground if a man passes by you in public places.”
This passage right here was an example of the pure and unhidden misogynist beliefs taught to women and girls in Saudi Arabia. They are to be hidden and kept away from men because they are sex objects that will destroy the purity of men, so they must not look at them.
Then she let go of my fingers and moved her face very close to mine and said, in a voice thick with alarm, “You have something that only your husband should take and you will know what that thing is when you grow up.” I was utterly perplexed. What was “that thing” I wasn’t allowed to know? I wondered if she’d had the same conversation with my older sisters when they were my age, and if Joud, who was only three years old, would be subjected to a lecture like this when she turned ten. I also wondered what my mother had said to my brothers about honour, or if these messages were only for girls.
Yes, these messages must've been mainly for girls, because in Saudi Arabia, people obsess over female virginity. Any woman who is believed to have had sex or a woman is raped but fails to prove it will be publicly executed for the honor of her family, so they won't have to be blamed for her actions or ashamed of her.
Towards the end of the book, we begin to see it focus on Rahaf planning to escape. (I won't go into detail.) She begins to discover the stories of many other Saudi women and other Arab women as well. She begins to learn about the veil of oppression and starts to study misogyny.
The part when Rahaf escapes is the most interesting part for me and is a great adventure. If you want to learn something about women in the Middle East, particularly in Saudi Arabia, this book is for you. It dives deep into sensitive topics and there are even some parts that give plenty of facts to back up the belief that Saudi Arabian women are greatly oppressed. Many of them are fighting for their rights. Two examples from the book as Loujain al-Hathloul and Manal al-Sharif, both of which are women who fought for the right to drive.
I just want to say that Rahaf is brilliant for writing this book and spreading awareness. She even opened my eyes to the blatant sexism that still exists in Saudi Arabia and all of the double standards that Muslim Saudi Arabian women face from their families and society. I hope that one day, Saudi Arabia can make a full reform and become a country with gender equality implemented into its system.
For those of you who don't know me, (that was unnecessary as no one knows who I am yet) I was born and raised in Saudi Arabia for over fourteen years of my life. As an African-American living with a father who worked in the avionics field and worked on air bases, I was very privileged to live on compounds with heavy Western influence that permitted women to drive, walk around without abayas, go to pool parties, and even attend bars. But I was always well aware that once we passed the gate and left the compound, Western influence was cut off from that very moment and we were bound to the law of the Saudis.
As times changed, Western influence became more prevalent in other parts of Saudi Arabia, but not in real areas with smaller populations and more conservative people. I can remember there being an uproar when the Crown Prince and the King gave women the right to drive. In the small town I was living in, women weren't even allowed to drive without confrontation from the police and the shaming they would receive from their families until 2018, and even then, some people were angry. Imagine living in a country where people are offended that you, as a woman, are allowed to go to and fro without the permission and watch of a man.
I began reading this memoir, expecting it to simply be about the harsh rules that were implemented and how unfair it was that females were constantly separated from males for fear of any sexual activities, and how women were sexualized by being forced to cover themselves because their bodies were like irresistible candies. However, the memoir went deep into what life is actually like for most Saudi women.
It's worse than just being told you can't drive. It's worse than being told that a man has to watch over you and your decisions. Rahaf was constantly reminded that girls were to be blamed for anything that happened to them and that it was their fault they were being sexualized.
Refusing sex? Get beaten into doing it.
Want to drive? Go and put on a veil and ask a man in the house to do it for you, because you driving is rebellious and inappropriate.
Want to cut your hair? That's a felony.
Want to know what it's like to kiss a boy? You should've faced female genital mutilation. (FGM)
You got raped? If you covered yourself and went out with a male family member, it wouldn't have happened.
Wearing a bikini? You're a whore.
There's an endless list of things that irritated me in this book. Rahaf even revealed the experiences of other women who were killed brutally or disappeared forever because they were trying to escape the wealthy prisons created for them by their families. Even mothers are subjected to their sons.
On the internet, many women talk about how Saudi Arabia isn't as misogynistic as it is portrayed to be in the media. Rahaf's revelations will make anyone who agrees with that statement reconsider their views. Most of the women who make these claims are inexperienced and have never been introduced to the Saudi way of living.
As far as I know my dad never put his arm around my mom or used terms of endearment like honey or sweetheart or other words I heard in the movies. Their relationship was something I couldn’t figure out. My father didn’t control my mom—she followed the rules for women more because of society’s expectations than my father’s—but they fought a lot with each other and, to my child’s eye, didn’t set much of an example of marital love.
Affectionate gestures are discouraged from being displayed publicly in Saudi Arabia, even between husband and wife. In front of children, it is highly discouraged. Regardless of this, Rahaf believed and still believes that there is certainly something wrong with a marriage that doesn't have any love involved. I agree with this. In most Saudi marriages, everything is kept behind closed doors and left for the bedroom, but Rahaf's parents fought in front of her. It's interesting to know that Rahaf's father was lenient about what rights her mother had, but it's sad to see that her mother completely denied herself any right to freely express herself because of society.
My brother Majed was the toughest; he had very strong opinions about girls—their appearance and behaviour usually enraged him, and he was never shy about expressing his angry comments. He thought all women were basically bad and that their evilness only needed to be found out. He’d instruct me to take a ribbon out of my hair. When we watched TV he would say things like, “That girl on the television is bad; she’s probably cheating on her husband. I bet she smokes and drinks.” If an actor was wearing a short dress, he’d be shaking his fist at the TV screen and yelling, “Where is her family?”
This passage right here is a great example of how many older and conservative Saudi men react to the idea of Saudi women having any kind of freedom or expression. In their eyes, women doing anything they please is inappropriate unless the males in her family approve of it. In the book, Rahaf's brother isn't the only one who expresses these archaic beliefs.
My mother held my head tightly with her two hands and forced me to look downward and said, “This is how you should look—with your eyes cast down at the ground if a man passes by you in public places.”
This passage right here was an example of the pure and unhidden misogynist beliefs taught to women and girls in Saudi Arabia. They are to be hidden and kept away from men because they are sex objects that will destroy the purity of men, so they must not look at them.
Then she let go of my fingers and moved her face very close to mine and said, in a voice thick with alarm, “You have something that only your husband should take and you will know what that thing is when you grow up.” I was utterly perplexed. What was “that thing” I wasn’t allowed to know? I wondered if she’d had the same conversation with my older sisters when they were my age, and if Joud, who was only three years old, would be subjected to a lecture like this when she turned ten. I also wondered what my mother had said to my brothers about honour, or if these messages were only for girls.
Yes, these messages must've been mainly for girls, because in Saudi Arabia, people obsess over female virginity. Any woman who is believed to have had sex or a woman is raped but fails to prove it will be publicly executed for the honor of her family, so they won't have to be blamed for her actions or ashamed of her.
Towards the end of the book, we begin to see it focus on Rahaf planning to escape. (I won't go into detail.) She begins to discover the stories of many other Saudi women and other Arab women as well. She begins to learn about the veil of oppression and starts to study misogyny.
The part when Rahaf escapes is the most interesting part for me and is a great adventure. If you want to learn something about women in the Middle East, particularly in Saudi Arabia, this book is for you. It dives deep into sensitive topics and there are even some parts that give plenty of facts to back up the belief that Saudi Arabian women are greatly oppressed. Many of them are fighting for their rights. Two examples from the book as Loujain al-Hathloul and Manal al-Sharif, both of which are women who fought for the right to drive.
I just want to say that Rahaf is brilliant for writing this book and spreading awareness. She even opened my eyes to the blatant sexism that still exists in Saudi Arabia and all of the double standards that Muslim Saudi Arabian women face from their families and society. I hope that one day, Saudi Arabia can make a full reform and become a country with gender equality implemented into its system.
My Thoughts on Jean Sasson's Growing Up bin Laden: Osama's Wife and Son Take Us Inside Their Secret World
I've always hated Osama bin Laden, but the main reason I picked up this book was because I wanted to know his family and their take on his evil deeds.
This book was an utterly satisfying explanation of how Osama became the demon no one would ever expect him to become. Osama was 17 and Najwa Ghanem, his first wife, was 14 when they married. He made her agree to discontinue her studies, which made me hate him more.
In the book, I was frustrated at Najwa's obedience and compliance with Osama's insanity. She never even once called him an animal, a monster, or a curse to humanity, as I have many times, before and after reading this book.
I hated Osama more than ever after reading this book. But guess what? I've learned how he became the man that everyone recognizes as a terrorist. He thought he was doing Muslims a favor by becoming anti-Western and destroying anyone who was a supporter of Israel.
He even ended up killing Muslims to accomplish his mission.
Osama's wife is a very sweet and docile woman. I love how she calmly shares her story with us. At first, I was captivated by her point of view and wanted her story more than anyone else's because as a female, I felt for her and the unknown oppression she was living under. Hiding her body and living in complete "purdah" must have been awful. She hardly connected with her family back at home, and she went from living a life of wealth to living in complete danger and poverty, in Afghanistan.
Later on, however, Omar's point of view became very interesting as he was the one who witnessed Osama's path to violence and how he became a monster before his family's very eyes. Omar's view showed me a lot of what I call "insider" information.
Osama began training his sons to become increasingly violent, whereas Omar had a heart for animals and wanted peace. He opposed his father and even went as far as questioning why his father was preaching violence in the name of Islam. He didn't feel a thirst for blood, like his caveman barbaric and long-bearded greasy dad.
Omar and Najwa are wonderful and kindhearted people who care for their families and don't hate anyone, not even the West. Omar had grown up to hate but surprisingly is more gentle and caring than most people I know in real life, that live right here in the United States.
For those of you who hate Osama, hate him as much as you please, but keep his family out of the picture. One of his wives ended up divorcing him and taking her children with her because she had an advanced education and couldn't stand the archaic views he had and the terrible conditions he put them in for the sake of "tests".
Osama bin Laden, you're a disgusting and evil terrorist who killed millions, thinking you were doing Muslims a favor. Instead, you harmed your own family and many innocent Muslims in the process. This book is exposing your evil and unrepentant black heart to the world, and I want everyone to read it so they can know the truth.
This book was an utterly satisfying explanation of how Osama became the demon no one would ever expect him to become. Osama was 17 and Najwa Ghanem, his first wife, was 14 when they married. He made her agree to discontinue her studies, which made me hate him more.
In the book, I was frustrated at Najwa's obedience and compliance with Osama's insanity. She never even once called him an animal, a monster, or a curse to humanity, as I have many times, before and after reading this book.
I hated Osama more than ever after reading this book. But guess what? I've learned how he became the man that everyone recognizes as a terrorist. He thought he was doing Muslims a favor by becoming anti-Western and destroying anyone who was a supporter of Israel.
He even ended up killing Muslims to accomplish his mission.
Osama's wife is a very sweet and docile woman. I love how she calmly shares her story with us. At first, I was captivated by her point of view and wanted her story more than anyone else's because as a female, I felt for her and the unknown oppression she was living under. Hiding her body and living in complete "purdah" must have been awful. She hardly connected with her family back at home, and she went from living a life of wealth to living in complete danger and poverty, in Afghanistan.
Later on, however, Omar's point of view became very interesting as he was the one who witnessed Osama's path to violence and how he became a monster before his family's very eyes. Omar's view showed me a lot of what I call "insider" information.
Osama began training his sons to become increasingly violent, whereas Omar had a heart for animals and wanted peace. He opposed his father and even went as far as questioning why his father was preaching violence in the name of Islam. He didn't feel a thirst for blood, like his caveman barbaric and long-bearded greasy dad.
Omar and Najwa are wonderful and kindhearted people who care for their families and don't hate anyone, not even the West. Omar had grown up to hate but surprisingly is more gentle and caring than most people I know in real life, that live right here in the United States.
For those of you who hate Osama, hate him as much as you please, but keep his family out of the picture. One of his wives ended up divorcing him and taking her children with her because she had an advanced education and couldn't stand the archaic views he had and the terrible conditions he put them in for the sake of "tests".
Osama bin Laden, you're a disgusting and evil terrorist who killed millions, thinking you were doing Muslims a favor. Instead, you harmed your own family and many innocent Muslims in the process. This book is exposing your evil and unrepentant black heart to the world, and I want everyone to read it so they can know the truth.
