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Willow Trees Don't Weep
Najwa's father left when she was four years old. Now, upon her mother's death, she cannot live alone in the Islamic society of Jordan. She must find her father.
Her search takes her through new dangers as she becomes swept up with a mysterious organization which sends her into the mountains of Afghanistan.
For her father, this same journey was made as a wrenching sacrifice for the sake of his beliefs. Yet his experience in the desert transformed his life forever.
Now it transforms Najwa's, as she is compelled to follow in his footsteps: from a heartbreaking secret in Afghanistan all the way to a revelation in Britain.
Her search takes her through new dangers as she becomes swept up with a mysterious organization which sends her into the mountains of Afghanistan.
For her father, this same journey was made as a wrenching sacrifice for the sake of his beliefs. Yet his experience in the desert transformed his life forever.
Now it transforms Najwa's, as she is compelled to follow in his footsteps: from a heartbreaking secret in Afghanistan all the way to a revelation in Britain.
288 pages, Paperback
First published March 6, 2014
11 people are currently reading
332 people want to read
About the author
Fadia Faqir
14 books109 followersFadia Faqir (b. 1956) is a British Arab writer based in Durham, UK. Her work was translated into fifteen languages and published in eighteen countries. She is a Writing Fellow at St Aidan's College, Durham University, where she teaches creative writing.
Faqir’s work is written entirely in English and is the subject of much ongoing academic research and discussion, particularly for its ‘translation’ of aspects of Arab culture. It is recognised for its stylistic invention and its incorporation of issues to do with Third World women’s lives, migration, and cultural in-betweeness
Faqir’s work is written entirely in English and is the subject of much ongoing academic research and discussion, particularly for its ‘translation’ of aspects of Arab culture. It is recognised for its stylistic invention and its incorporation of issues to do with Third World women’s lives, migration, and cultural in-betweeness
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 40 reviews
April 13, 2014
I have the same problem with this book that I have with most fiction coming out of the Arab world, especially books written in English. They tend to be consumed with politics, but end up being neither political essays nor art. The characters in this novels are unconvincing, and this proves to be a serious problem for a work which tries to make its main points and to underline its political message through its characters. Yes the Middle East is full of people who, like Najwa, are neither fully religious nor fully secular, yet embodied in Najwa, such people seem totally unconvincing and their points of view totally unrealistic.
May 7, 2014
The first thing I can say about this book is that it was written carelessly. The writing is very cliched in parts and factual information is wrong in others. For example, the author at one point alludes to the use of an iPhone in a scene that was set in 2005 (the iPhone was invented in 2007 by the way). The characters seem too instrumentalised for increased dramatisation. Without spoiling this for anyone, a lot of the action simply doesn't ring true to me. As Stephen King says (at least I think it was him), "the first rule of writing is to always tell the truth". Of course a novelist rarely does tell the truth but all the same: the story must ring true to the reader! In other words, it must be credible. This book simply isn't.
It seems like this was published perhaps a draft or two too early. The author should've done more work on it. That is the harsh truth.
As for the plot, it is perhaps the strength of this work. The plot is interesting, although, as I said, not credible in many parts. The plot is what gave this book two stars rather than one for me.
It seems like this was published perhaps a draft or two too early. The author should've done more work on it. That is the harsh truth.
As for the plot, it is perhaps the strength of this work. The plot is interesting, although, as I said, not credible in many parts. The plot is what gave this book two stars rather than one for me.
April 5, 2015
"Willow Trees Don't Weep" for Jordanian author Fadia Faqir is a quality work in par of international best selling books. It could easily pass as another book for Khaled Al Husseini whose one of my favorite authors of all time. Once you start reading the book you'd feel instantly the similarities between Al Husseini's fiction and this book, in terms of language, craft, and the issue of Afghanistan's war and its aftermath on the world. Don't get me wrong, this is not a recycle of Al Husseni's work, but a much needed account that highlights the effect of the last decade of the cold war unto the middle east and our lives today.
Al Faqir tells the story of 3 nations affected by the toll of terrorism (Jordan, Afghanistan and England) in a humanly touching story that weaves a tormented relationship between a father and a daughter.
With an obvious huge amount of research, Al Faqir succeeds in giving us a glimpse of the war horrors and places affected. She highlights the visible cultural differences that makes us all special while emphasizing the core nature of a human being. A loving father who abandons his daughter and life, is also a nurse at the time of war who saved much time, and at the same time a terrorist who masterminds the murder of other humans. A story that shows how complicated we are as human being and how fragile are our lives under the dominating powers of global politics and religion manipulation.
Jordanians, be proud, and go look this book up.. it is a must read..
Al Faqir tells the story of 3 nations affected by the toll of terrorism (Jordan, Afghanistan and England) in a humanly touching story that weaves a tormented relationship between a father and a daughter.
With an obvious huge amount of research, Al Faqir succeeds in giving us a glimpse of the war horrors and places affected. She highlights the visible cultural differences that makes us all special while emphasizing the core nature of a human being. A loving father who abandons his daughter and life, is also a nurse at the time of war who saved much time, and at the same time a terrorist who masterminds the murder of other humans. A story that shows how complicated we are as human being and how fragile are our lives under the dominating powers of global politics and religion manipulation.
Jordanians, be proud, and go look this book up.. it is a must read..
April 3, 2020
This wasn't a very good read. I found it impossible to relate to any of the characters and the plot itself didn't make much sense either. You have a young, unmarried woman who goes looking for her long lost father because she can't live on her own. Tongues will wag. But it's okay for said unmarried woman to travel around on her own, without a chaperone? Tongues won't wag if she disappears for months? And why would the father suddenly drop everything and live happily ever after with his daughter, after 25 years of no contact?
The ending didn't satisfy me either. So all around not a great read for me.
The ending didn't satisfy me either. So all around not a great read for me.
March 18, 2016
Najwa, 27 tahun, baru saja kehilangan ibundanya yang meninggal karena kanker. Setelah ibunya meninggal dunia, Najwa tinggal berdua dengan nenek. Neneknya menegaskan Najwa untuk mencari ayahnya. Di mata masyarakat tidak adanya laki-laki di rumah sama dengan tidak mempunyai pelindung dan penjaga kehormatan. Keluarga tersebut tidak mempunyai status. Keluarga mereka tertutup dengan lingkungan sekitar. Najwa sudah terbiasa tanpa ayah tetapi nenek bersikeras menyuruhnya mencari sang ayah. Wanita yang hidup sendiri tidak dipandang baik.
Ayah Najwa, Omar Rahman, meninggalkan rumah ketika Najwa berusia tiga tahun. Selain tidak ada laki-laki di atas rumah, keluarga mereka dicap sekuler di tengah-tengah lingkungan yang religious. Omar meninggalkan keluarga kecilnya tanpa pesan, pamit, dan pelukan perpisahan. Ibunya menanggalkan jilbab, memotong rambut dan memisahkan barang-barang peninggalan ayahnya berupa pakaian, sajadah dan buku-buku agama. Ia marah dan sakit hari karena agama penyebab suaminya pergi. Najwa dibesarkan tanpa ayah dan tanpa ajaran agama. Tidak ada simbol agama dan ibadah di dalam rumah. Neneknya yang berasal dari Palestina masih beribadah secara diam-diam.
Ketika Najwa lahir, orang tuanya masih sama-sama menyelesaikan pendidikan. Omar Rahman mempelajari ilmu keperawatan sementara Raneen, ibu Najwa, sedang menyelesaikan pendidikan keguruan. Kesibukan pendidikan masing-masing ditambah kehadiran seorang anak seringkali menimbulkan ketegangan dalam rumah tangga mereka. Omar tidak betah menghadapi istrinya yang dianggap terlalu dominan di rumah. Omar memiliki seorang sahabat bernama Hani. Keterlibatan Omar dengan kelompok jihad berawal dari Hani. Omar sendiri tidak terlalu agamis. Keduanya bergabung dengan pasukan jihad saat Rusia menginvasi Afghanistan pada 1979. Omar menjadi tenaga medis dari sisi mujahidin sementara Hani bertempur di garis depan.
Sosok Ayah sudah mengabur di ingatan Najwa. Najwa mengumpulkan informasi dari imam mesjid setempat, catatan harian dan surat-surat ayahnya. Najwa juga bertemu dengan keluarga Hani yang menjadi martir di Afghanistan. Najwa memasuki Afghanistan melalui Peshawar, Pakistan. Sepotong demi sepotong petunjuk ia telusuri hingga mempertemukannya dengan istri kedua ayahnya yaitu perempuan Afghanistan bernama Gulnar. Kisah heroik ayahnya menjadi tenaga medis dari pihak mujahidin banyak didengar oleh Najwa dari orang-orang yang ditemuinya. Omar Rahman telah menyelamatkan banyak nyawa dengan peralatan dan obat-obatan medis seadanya. Najwa mendapati Omar Rahman sudah bergabung dengan kelompok jihad global di Inggris. Apa yang terjadi dengan ayahnya ? Berhasilkah Najwa menemukan ayahnya ?
Ceritanya cukup menarik minat dengan setting konflik negara timur tengah. Ada benturan nilai-nilai budaya dan agama yang dianut masyarakat dengan keluarga Najwa sendiri. Namun ada beberapa hal yang mengecewakan ekspektasi membaca saya. Najwa sendiri melakukan perjalanan pencarian ayah bukan dari hati sendiri, lebih karena menjalankan perintah neneknya. Karakter Najwa pun tidak terlalu terlihat dalam cerita ini lebih menonjolkan ibu yang sakit hati dan neneknya yang selalu menasehatinya. Kisah pencarian ayah yang menghilang selama 24 tahun seharusnya menjadi perjalanan mengharukan tetapi hal tersebut tidak terjadi. Kondisi Afghanistan hanya digambarkan sekilas pandang. Padahal menurut saya bisa dieksplorasi lebih dalam dari sisi kemanusiaan.
Ayah Najwa, Omar Rahman, meninggalkan rumah ketika Najwa berusia tiga tahun. Selain tidak ada laki-laki di atas rumah, keluarga mereka dicap sekuler di tengah-tengah lingkungan yang religious. Omar meninggalkan keluarga kecilnya tanpa pesan, pamit, dan pelukan perpisahan. Ibunya menanggalkan jilbab, memotong rambut dan memisahkan barang-barang peninggalan ayahnya berupa pakaian, sajadah dan buku-buku agama. Ia marah dan sakit hari karena agama penyebab suaminya pergi. Najwa dibesarkan tanpa ayah dan tanpa ajaran agama. Tidak ada simbol agama dan ibadah di dalam rumah. Neneknya yang berasal dari Palestina masih beribadah secara diam-diam.
Ketika Najwa lahir, orang tuanya masih sama-sama menyelesaikan pendidikan. Omar Rahman mempelajari ilmu keperawatan sementara Raneen, ibu Najwa, sedang menyelesaikan pendidikan keguruan. Kesibukan pendidikan masing-masing ditambah kehadiran seorang anak seringkali menimbulkan ketegangan dalam rumah tangga mereka. Omar tidak betah menghadapi istrinya yang dianggap terlalu dominan di rumah. Omar memiliki seorang sahabat bernama Hani. Keterlibatan Omar dengan kelompok jihad berawal dari Hani. Omar sendiri tidak terlalu agamis. Keduanya bergabung dengan pasukan jihad saat Rusia menginvasi Afghanistan pada 1979. Omar menjadi tenaga medis dari sisi mujahidin sementara Hani bertempur di garis depan.
Sosok Ayah sudah mengabur di ingatan Najwa. Najwa mengumpulkan informasi dari imam mesjid setempat, catatan harian dan surat-surat ayahnya. Najwa juga bertemu dengan keluarga Hani yang menjadi martir di Afghanistan. Najwa memasuki Afghanistan melalui Peshawar, Pakistan. Sepotong demi sepotong petunjuk ia telusuri hingga mempertemukannya dengan istri kedua ayahnya yaitu perempuan Afghanistan bernama Gulnar. Kisah heroik ayahnya menjadi tenaga medis dari pihak mujahidin banyak didengar oleh Najwa dari orang-orang yang ditemuinya. Omar Rahman telah menyelamatkan banyak nyawa dengan peralatan dan obat-obatan medis seadanya. Najwa mendapati Omar Rahman sudah bergabung dengan kelompok jihad global di Inggris. Apa yang terjadi dengan ayahnya ? Berhasilkah Najwa menemukan ayahnya ?
Ceritanya cukup menarik minat dengan setting konflik negara timur tengah. Ada benturan nilai-nilai budaya dan agama yang dianut masyarakat dengan keluarga Najwa sendiri. Namun ada beberapa hal yang mengecewakan ekspektasi membaca saya. Najwa sendiri melakukan perjalanan pencarian ayah bukan dari hati sendiri, lebih karena menjalankan perintah neneknya. Karakter Najwa pun tidak terlalu terlihat dalam cerita ini lebih menonjolkan ibu yang sakit hati dan neneknya yang selalu menasehatinya. Kisah pencarian ayah yang menghilang selama 24 tahun seharusnya menjadi perjalanan mengharukan tetapi hal tersebut tidak terjadi. Kondisi Afghanistan hanya digambarkan sekilas pandang. Padahal menurut saya bisa dieksplorasi lebih dalam dari sisi kemanusiaan.
September 12, 2016
See my review on http://www.snowbeachpublications.com
Inspirational and Motivating.
Great story. An endearing protagonist, a strong willed young woman with iron determination. The author's description of the plight and helplessness of women is heartbreaking. The fact that protection by a man is mandatory for any woman's safety is such a frightening and awful concept for those of us who are lucky not to live in such societies. This book paints an interesting picture of life in Amman and of travels and war in Afghanistan as seen both by a man and warrior and by a fatherless then orphaned young woman with a great fighting spirit and a will to live her life despite the odds against her. The female characters are beautifully painted, the loving and supportive grandmother, the mother who loses her identity and her mind when her husband vanishes and the daughter who tries to survive and understand the world around her and her father's motives for leaving the female-only family in such a desperate situation. It made me once more aware of how great are the achievements of previous generations of women who have fought for equality of women in society. I couldn't put the book down. The Island Girl
Inspirational and Motivating.
Great story. An endearing protagonist, a strong willed young woman with iron determination. The author's description of the plight and helplessness of women is heartbreaking. The fact that protection by a man is mandatory for any woman's safety is such a frightening and awful concept for those of us who are lucky not to live in such societies. This book paints an interesting picture of life in Amman and of travels and war in Afghanistan as seen both by a man and warrior and by a fatherless then orphaned young woman with a great fighting spirit and a will to live her life despite the odds against her. The female characters are beautifully painted, the loving and supportive grandmother, the mother who loses her identity and her mind when her husband vanishes and the daughter who tries to survive and understand the world around her and her father's motives for leaving the female-only family in such a desperate situation. It made me once more aware of how great are the achievements of previous generations of women who have fought for equality of women in society. I couldn't put the book down. The Island Girl
August 3, 2022
Willow Trees Don’t Weep is about Najwa, who was about to look for her own father who abandoned her family right after the death of her mother.
The chapters in this book go with Najwa’s journey in finding her own father followed by a part of her father’s diary.
At first, I totally like that the author showed the struggle being a muslim women in a conservative country with the additional of the ‘rules’ in Islam that Muslims need to follow which I think will make non-muslims can read this book with some understandings about the religion. For example like ‘Muslim men cannot wear gold’. However these elements that I like about the book only exists in the early parts of the book.
Plot wise, it was fine. It’s about Najwa’s journey after all so I didn’t expect for something too extraordinary. The plot is definitely interesting, but it made me lose interest as I reached the middle part of the book. Let’s not forget that some parts seems unrealistic, but since this is a fiction, I just look passed it.
The writing style was fun, but I prefer if the author go more in-depth with the feelings of the characters especially Najwa’s father’s feelings rather than focusing on the politics (i skimmed most of the politic parts lol).
The chapters in this book go with Najwa’s journey in finding her own father followed by a part of her father’s diary.
At first, I totally like that the author showed the struggle being a muslim women in a conservative country with the additional of the ‘rules’ in Islam that Muslims need to follow which I think will make non-muslims can read this book with some understandings about the religion. For example like ‘Muslim men cannot wear gold’. However these elements that I like about the book only exists in the early parts of the book.
Plot wise, it was fine. It’s about Najwa’s journey after all so I didn’t expect for something too extraordinary. The plot is definitely interesting, but it made me lose interest as I reached the middle part of the book. Let’s not forget that some parts seems unrealistic, but since this is a fiction, I just look passed it.
The writing style was fun, but I prefer if the author go more in-depth with the feelings of the characters especially Najwa’s father’s feelings rather than focusing on the politics (i skimmed most of the politic parts lol).
March 5, 2017
Although some of the reviews for this book are a bit critical, I found it a great read and the characters both interesting and powerful. A Jordanian woman, Najwa, caught in the conservative Jordan, sets out to find her father who abandoned the family when she was three. The story moves to Pakistan, Afghanistan and London as she searches for him and she gets swept up in some dangerous politics. It certainly shows the difficulty of being a single woman, without a male figure in a society like this.
September 4, 2024
I envied Najwa’s crazy mother because she got to leave the novel on page 1, and didn’t have to suffer through it like me…
February 2, 2015
A very meh book.
I didn't like a lot of things. Some parts seemed too far-fetched, some even unrealistic, I dare say. I don't know. I just didn't feel drawn to the story when I was reading. At some point, I felt that the events were forced, like it could never possibly happen in real life, and it took me some time to accept it. Other parts were repetitive, perhaps because the story revolves around the same plot till it is solved towards the end of the book. Needless to say that the story had a lot of logical fallacies (and sociological fallacies)
The two stars are because I actually managed to finish the story and because I found a few "letters" slightly interesting.
I didn't like a lot of things. Some parts seemed too far-fetched, some even unrealistic, I dare say. I don't know. I just didn't feel drawn to the story when I was reading. At some point, I felt that the events were forced, like it could never possibly happen in real life, and it took me some time to accept it. Other parts were repetitive, perhaps because the story revolves around the same plot till it is solved towards the end of the book. Needless to say that the story had a lot of logical fallacies (and sociological fallacies)
The two stars are because I actually managed to finish the story and because I found a few "letters" slightly interesting.
August 7, 2016
I've never said this before about a book, but this one is literally bad in every way imaginable. It is basically a political pamphlet against the UK for invading Afghanistan, dressed up as a novel. The style is maddeningly repetitive and simple, the story is unbelievable and lacks all background, and the characters are as painfully unrounded as they come. The only good thing about this book is that it so simply written that you finish it in no time - only to leave you wishing that you never wasted your time on it at all.
December 28, 2014
Willow Trees Don't Weep by Fadia Faqir is an interesting novel. I like how she successfully applies glocalization in her novel. She presents the Jordanian traditions and culture in a wide international scope through portraying the dilemma of Najwa and her parents. Fadia Faqir is also skillful in presenting two narratives, Najwa's and Omar's accounts, that are synchronized in the end of the novel.
March 5, 2015
The author takes on a very alluring subject for me, it goes as a combination of politics, religion and social issues in the middle east. Though poorly executed, the book came out to be very disappointing and depressing; highly inconsistent, some scenes were exaggerated and the images and writing were somehow forced. I did not like the book at all, at some point I was wondering whether I really wanted to learn how it was going to end..
May 29, 2017
This book for me was definitely on the lower end of 3 stars. A huge issue I had with it was that it seemed to perpetuate certain prejudices against Muslims that I just really didn't appreciate. I mean, it was a good enough book and when I had the time to sit down and read it, it went by quick enough but it didn't really appeal to the side of me who is so very aware of the bias in the society we live in.
April 2, 2024
After her mother's death, Najwa leaves her home in Jordan and sets out to search for the father who abandoned them both when she was just three years old. Crossing continents and cultures, she follows in his footsteps along a dangerous path, trying to find herself in the process.
A poignant novel, touching 0n a variety of complicated issues.
A poignant novel, touching 0n a variety of complicated issues.
June 10, 2020
I felt like at a lot of points the language of the narrative was forced, as for the story, to be fair, it’s interesting but it is clear that there is a political/social message to be delivered that focus is lost on many details. Some parts are either rushed or unexplained, especially the last hundred pages
April 10, 2014
Got this from a friend who won it on on first reads.well written book about a young women trying to find her father who left her when she was young after her mothers death this book reminded me after reading the almond tree.great read.
May 18, 2014
too much political stuff and too little feelings and depth
May 21, 2020
A good story feel like there was still a lot of loose ends at the end.
June 13, 2022
This is the first novel I've read from Jordanian author Fadia Faqir. The story follows the leading character, Najwa, born and raised in Jordan with her mother and grandmother. When her mother died of cancer, Najwa takes on a long journey searching for her father, who left home when she was only 3 years old.
There are several layers of reading this great story. There is :
- the daughter/missing father relationship and its implications on the life of the daughter and entire family due to the absence of the father in a man's world, which is Jordan;
- the long journey in various countries searching for the missing father and discovering the differences in langage and behavior from one country to the next;
- the change within the leading character throughout her journey as she now makes all the decisions on her own without relying on her family even if caught in dilemma between the secular education of the mother and the religious expectations of her father and fellow muslims.
The novel is a well written story with many sub-stories to complete the development of the characters and make the story real. However, it will be difficult for readers to connect with the leading character and/or her journey except for the 3rd point I mentioned above.
There are several layers of reading this great story. There is :
- the daughter/missing father relationship and its implications on the life of the daughter and entire family due to the absence of the father in a man's world, which is Jordan;
- the long journey in various countries searching for the missing father and discovering the differences in langage and behavior from one country to the next;
- the change within the leading character throughout her journey as she now makes all the decisions on her own without relying on her family even if caught in dilemma between the secular education of the mother and the religious expectations of her father and fellow muslims.
The novel is a well written story with many sub-stories to complete the development of the characters and make the story real. However, it will be difficult for readers to connect with the leading character and/or her journey except for the 3rd point I mentioned above.
April 18, 2018
I liked the premise: after her mother's death, a girl goes in search of her father who abandoned her family when she was a child. I was reminded of the film Incendies, which has a somewhat similar plot. But it's a tenuous link.
The book's ending felt a bit flat. I was expecting a plot twist right till the last 30 pages, but I suppose all that running around (from Amman to Peshawar and Afghanistan, and then the UK) may have exhausted the author. It's not a bad book though; just don't expect something earth-shattering.
The book's ending felt a bit flat. I was expecting a plot twist right till the last 30 pages, but I suppose all that running around (from Amman to Peshawar and Afghanistan, and then the UK) may have exhausted the author. It's not a bad book though; just don't expect something earth-shattering.
February 10, 2024
I was hoping for more from this book as I love books set in this part of the world that follow characters through their journey of life. Sadly, this one was a bit jumpy, I never quite connected with the characters and the ending felt very rushed and there was no sense of closure.
I probably wouldn't recommend it, there are better books written about this part of the world at the time the book was set.
I probably wouldn't recommend it, there are better books written about this part of the world at the time the book was set.
October 9, 2024
I loved this book, read it in two days. I actually started it as research for something I’m writing myself but once I started reading Fadir’s book I couldn’t stop. I loved both her writing and the plot. It was original, well researched and a lovely read, moreover it told me a lot about a world I know little about. Fascinating
May 15, 2018
country #29 from my list - Jordan
August 3, 2019
I enjoyed reading Najwa's story of unraveling her past while dealing with hard circumstances.
January 20, 2022
A good story but the writing was lacking.
May 26, 2020
Started reading this a few days ago, so far I feel it’s easy and light to read. It’s quick to get into and isn’t stuck in huge descriptive paragraphs. I didn’t like how flippant Najmas mother is initially, especially regarding her religion Islam. You can clearly see the author has written this from a point of view of the wider, open more accepting culture and aspects of Islam. It’s obvious how Jordan at this time in the 80s was an advancing hot pot of a country and it was going far. It suggests early on politics and touches on the Taliban. Faqir probably wrote this in early to quicken the narrative, letting us see early on why her dad had disappeared and why Najmas mother is so bitter.
Anyway... let’s go read more! Be back when I’ve finished!
Update: finished!
Well she finds her father, sleeps with a man, ‘grows up’ but I felt it was rather a anticlimactic.
I surprised to see my city of Leeds mentioned and Scotland, if you’re really interested in that kind of thing then look into it. Ie, taliban and extremely groups in the early 2000s.
There was no romanticism and I felt the last part was rushed into completion. Maybe I’m getting a bit critical in my old age! I have a feeling the author is setting this up for a sequel. If one never comes or doesn’t exist I’m not really that bothered BUT if there is one I wouldn’t mind reading it!
Not a bad narrative, easily read and good bedtime wind down.
Anyway... let’s go read more! Be back when I’ve finished!
Update: finished!
Well she finds her father, sleeps with a man, ‘grows up’ but I felt it was rather a anticlimactic.
I surprised to see my city of Leeds mentioned and Scotland, if you’re really interested in that kind of thing then look into it. Ie, taliban and extremely groups in the early 2000s.
There was no romanticism and I felt the last part was rushed into completion. Maybe I’m getting a bit critical in my old age! I have a feeling the author is setting this up for a sequel. If one never comes or doesn’t exist I’m not really that bothered BUT if there is one I wouldn’t mind reading it!
Not a bad narrative, easily read and good bedtime wind down.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 10, 2021
Willow Trees Don’t Weep is overall a fun read. It is well written to the point where you can visualise the places described and even take in the scents depicted in its scenes. Thus, the author Fadia Faqir shows genuine artistic talents when it comes to her writing style, and this is what kept me intrigued.
In the pages of this novel, I felt that I had travelled from Jordan, to Afghanistan, and from there to England . I had lived the life of Najwa who was a young lady in her 20s in search of her father . Yet, I had also lived the life of her father who had lived in Afghanistan as part of a religious regime. The book depicts a search for a man who had abandoned his family and within this search it touches very beautifully on the themes of forgivness, acceptance, while also showing the means used to drive men towards actions under false motives. All these ideas add value and depth to this story.
However, I also felt that the writer fell into the same trap that many authors writing about the Middle East fall into. At times , I felt she was over ecplaining to the point where she digressed from the plot to give us lessons on Arab culture . I also felt like some characters needed more depth to them like Najwa’s grandmother and her mother .
Furthermore, some cultural depictions are not really accurate . For example, Amman is not really a place where girls are looked down on for living alone at least not after the year 2000.
But with that said , these little comments don’t reduce the value of this book, nor the fun read it offers . I do still recommend it, but I also recommend that you take its plot woth a grain of salt
Read more of my reviews on dshalabisfaces.wordpress.com
In the pages of this novel, I felt that I had travelled from Jordan, to Afghanistan, and from there to England . I had lived the life of Najwa who was a young lady in her 20s in search of her father . Yet, I had also lived the life of her father who had lived in Afghanistan as part of a religious regime. The book depicts a search for a man who had abandoned his family and within this search it touches very beautifully on the themes of forgivness, acceptance, while also showing the means used to drive men towards actions under false motives. All these ideas add value and depth to this story.
However, I also felt that the writer fell into the same trap that many authors writing about the Middle East fall into. At times , I felt she was over ecplaining to the point where she digressed from the plot to give us lessons on Arab culture . I also felt like some characters needed more depth to them like Najwa’s grandmother and her mother .
Furthermore, some cultural depictions are not really accurate . For example, Amman is not really a place where girls are looked down on for living alone at least not after the year 2000.
But with that said , these little comments don’t reduce the value of this book, nor the fun read it offers . I do still recommend it, but I also recommend that you take its plot woth a grain of salt
Read more of my reviews on dshalabisfaces.wordpress.com
October 16, 2014
On the one hand, very absorbing and readable but not consistent in terms of the writing. Sometimes the writing was quite good, but at other times I found the writing faulty. For example, in some paragraphs, the point of view seems to suddenly shift leaving you wondering whose point of view a certain sentence is expressing.
I also thought there were some serious flaws with the plot and character development. It's very hard to figure out what exactly motivated her father; particularly his move from being secular to being a devout Muslim - this is a major point in the book that is not really explained.
Some parts of the plot were built for the dramatic effect at the expense of credibility.
There is also the underlying political point of view. If a person read this book without some background knowledge, he/she would get a very warped view of events. One would think that Britain just decided one day to go into Afghanistan to slaughter Innocent Muslims in Mosques, schools and hospitals. 9/11 is not even mentioned.
I also thought there were some serious flaws with the plot and character development. It's very hard to figure out what exactly motivated her father; particularly his move from being secular to being a devout Muslim - this is a major point in the book that is not really explained.
Some parts of the plot were built for the dramatic effect at the expense of credibility.
There is also the underlying political point of view. If a person read this book without some background knowledge, he/she would get a very warped view of events. One would think that Britain just decided one day to go into Afghanistan to slaughter Innocent Muslims in Mosques, schools and hospitals. 9/11 is not even mentioned.
March 8, 2014
'Willow Trees Don't Weep' really surprised me; I didn't think I was going to enjoy it at all, but it offered so much more than I was expecting and turned out to be a great read. It wasn't just Najwa's story of finding her father, but also one of understanding both those around her and culture and religion that she was never a part of. I particularly enjoyed Najwa's father's diary entries, they really helped to gain a better insight into the backdrop of the novel. I really enjoyed the story and the fact that Najwa seemed to compromise herself so much without realising it until later. I especially enjoyed her relationship with her Grandmother and later with Elizabeth.
The only negative points were the occasional times when I really couldn't work out why Najwa would make a certain choice I think there should have been more behind this behavior and it would have been nice to know what that was. Apart from that it was a surprisingly good read which I couldn't pull myself away from.
For more on my thoughts, visit my blog
The only negative points were the occasional times when I really couldn't work out why Najwa would make a certain choice I think there should have been more behind this behavior and it would have been nice to know what that was. Apart from that it was a surprisingly good read which I couldn't pull myself away from.
For more on my thoughts, visit my blog
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