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Behind Palace Walls: In the service of a Saudi princess
Cay Garcia was given only a few hours to pack up her belongings and leave Riyadh for good.
She had dared to confront her employer, a young Saudi princess, about the treatment of her staff. In this book, she shares the intrigues of Riyadh's expat community and exposes the nasty underbelly of the extravagant lives of Saudi Arabian royalty.
This candid and vivid account of her time in the service of the princess is part travelogue, part romance and part exposé.
She had dared to confront her employer, a young Saudi princess, about the treatment of her staff. In this book, she shares the intrigues of Riyadh's expat community and exposes the nasty underbelly of the extravagant lives of Saudi Arabian royalty.
This candid and vivid account of her time in the service of the princess is part travelogue, part romance and part exposé.
- GenresNonfictionBiography
242 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 3, 2014
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282 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 36 reviews
August 15, 2014
Islamophobic, racist, bigot spends entire book looking for ways to relive Apartheid.
Cay Garcia, a 52-year old woman from South Africa, resigns from her simple job at a Jewellery store on Canal walk to take a crash-course in butling and yoga in order to get a job in Arabia. After accepting the job to work for a Saudi Princess, Cay smugly informs of her 'research’ which shows Saudi as a backward, women-oppressing, people-beheading, and barbaric destination. Is this a work of NON-FICTION? Clearly not:
1)
2)
3)
4)
Again - Riyadh is the least strict city. Also, the writer goes on to further fill us in on (what she thinks) makes up these 'religious laws that subjugate women in particular'. She fails to inform the reader on that these religious laws apply as strictly to men as to women.
5)
How can we trust a ‘story’ of this writer’s personal experience when she gets easily researchable facts wrong?
After this I stop counting how many lies about local religion and customs the writer spews forth.
Despite this, I wait patiently for the horrors she promises that the Princess will mete out. However, it seems the only Diva here is the writer! She complains about everything: the weather, the clothes, the Islam, and her roommate (who is accused of a great many things and none are proven).
While waiting for something that doesn’t sound like crabby-old-lady – a most curious line appears:
I’m sorry what? After living the better part of her life in Apartheid, the writer travels half-way across the world to re-live her favourite ‘no Blacks allowed’ moments in another country? Furthermore, she dismisses this blatant racism as ‘a strange thing to throw out there’. Worse still, it is only with these racist friends that she truly feels happy and at home with. Just for attending a function that excludes an entire race strips this writer of any right to talk – never mind criticize – the machinations of another country.
After the writer spends the entire book mocking and breaking every law we finally arrive at the Princess’s misbehaviour. Which... is pretty much like any other rich spoilt brat really. The Princess throws a fit when she gets served expired yoghurt; she gets moody when the writer walks into her room without permission. (The writer dismisses this as an ‘over-reaction’.) She behaves like any other over-the-limit bossy Employer.
Perhaps the writer was disgusted that a person of colour would dare to behave above her? Or perhaps having to head a small team of cleaners and cooks was too much to handle for someone who worked at a high-end jewellery store until she was 52? In fact, the writer is so mentally unstable that she writes this:
The beatings that the writer has never witnessed in her entire stay may have been happening right behind those doors! Yet she does nothing about it?
After that, the writer insinuates (and she spends a lot of time insinuating things) that the Princess acts on her threats but she brings nothing to prove it!
The writer exhausted me with her pettiness, bigotry, and racism. When she finally cracks under the pressure of her workload and leaves for back home I’m actually sad that she will be coming back to MY country, where I thought we had gotten rid of white supremacists.
Basically, this was the most pathetic attempt by the writer to gain some relevancy in the world with her cranky, narrow-minded take on the world around her. She should have saved her racist ramblings for her friends at her ‘No Arabs Allowed’ dinner parties.
Cay Garcia, a 52-year old woman from South Africa, resigns from her simple job at a Jewellery store on Canal walk to take a crash-course in butling and yoga in order to get a job in Arabia. After accepting the job to work for a Saudi Princess, Cay smugly informs of her 'research’ which shows Saudi as a backward, women-oppressing, people-beheading, and barbaric destination. Is this a work of NON-FICTION? Clearly not:
1)
'Riyadh is shrouded in mystery as no tourists are allowed in this holy city'. We are only on page 14 of the book and the ignorant writer refers to the least mysterious city of Saudi as 'holy'?? There is no holy site, place, or even event remotely related to Riyadh.
2)
'Infidels (non-believers) are not allowed in unless they have a sponsor in the form of an employer'.False: NO-ONE, regardless of their religion, is allowed in unless they have a sponsor.
3)
'Saudi Arabia is still under Sharia law, and Riyadh, the most conservative of all the Saudi cities, doesn't much favour self-expression.'The writer manages to be religiously intolerant and casually stupid about the level of conservatism in Saudi cities - all in one sentence!
4)
'The Mutawa patrol streets and malls, and administer punishment to anyone accused of breaking the strict religious laws that subjugate women in particular - and nowhere as zealously as in Riyadh.'
Again - Riyadh is the least strict city. Also, the writer goes on to further fill us in on (what she thinks) makes up these 'religious laws that subjugate women in particular'. She fails to inform the reader on that these religious laws apply as strictly to men as to women.
5)
By his own admission, Saudi Star Executioner beheads over 2,500 people per year.’‘ False: only 76 people were executed in 2011, 27 people were executed in 2010. Interestingly, the writer sources this fabricated story from an anti-Muslim site that flat out lies about Islam, the Sharia, and Muslims. The Executioner makes no such ‘admission’.
How can we trust a ‘story’ of this writer’s personal experience when she gets easily researchable facts wrong?
After this I stop counting how many lies about local religion and customs the writer spews forth.
Despite this, I wait patiently for the horrors she promises that the Princess will mete out. However, it seems the only Diva here is the writer! She complains about everything: the weather, the clothes, the Islam, and her roommate (who is accused of a great many things and none are proven).
While waiting for something that doesn’t sound like crabby-old-lady – a most curious line appears:
‘Besides being my birthday, it is also the day we join the Hash Club for Christmas carols in the desert. The e-mail stated that no Arabs are allowed’.
I’m sorry what? After living the better part of her life in Apartheid, the writer travels half-way across the world to re-live her favourite ‘no Blacks allowed’ moments in another country? Furthermore, she dismisses this blatant racism as ‘a strange thing to throw out there’. Worse still, it is only with these racist friends that she truly feels happy and at home with. Just for attending a function that excludes an entire race strips this writer of any right to talk – never mind criticize – the machinations of another country.
After the writer spends the entire book mocking and breaking every law we finally arrive at the Princess’s misbehaviour. Which... is pretty much like any other rich spoilt brat really. The Princess throws a fit when she gets served expired yoghurt; she gets moody when the writer walks into her room without permission. (The writer dismisses this as an ‘over-reaction’.) She behaves like any other over-the-limit bossy Employer.
Perhaps the writer was disgusted that a person of colour would dare to behave above her? Or perhaps having to head a small team of cleaners and cooks was too much to handle for someone who worked at a high-end jewellery store until she was 52? In fact, the writer is so mentally unstable that she writes this:
‘I leave, but stay just outside the double wooden doors. God help me, tonight I will not let her mete out another beating. The screaming continues for 10 minutes with sporadic apologies from Lily.’
The beatings that the writer has never witnessed in her entire stay may have been happening right behind those doors! Yet she does nothing about it?
After that, the writer insinuates (and she spends a lot of time insinuating things) that the Princess acts on her threats but she brings nothing to prove it!
The writer exhausted me with her pettiness, bigotry, and racism. When she finally cracks under the pressure of her workload and leaves for back home I’m actually sad that she will be coming back to MY country, where I thought we had gotten rid of white supremacists.
Basically, this was the most pathetic attempt by the writer to gain some relevancy in the world with her cranky, narrow-minded take on the world around her. She should have saved her racist ramblings for her friends at her ‘No Arabs Allowed’ dinner parties.
June 15, 2014
Islamophobic, racist, bigot spends entire book looking for ways to relive Apartheid.
Cay Garcia, a 52-year old woman from South Africa, resigns from her simple job at a Jewellery store on Canal walk to take a crash-course in butling and yoga in order to get a job in Arabia. After accepting the job to work for a Saudi Princess, Cay smugly informs of her 'research’ which shows Saudi as a backward, women-oppressing, people-beheading, and barbaric destination. Is this a work of NON-FICTION? Clearly not:
1)
2)
3)
4)
Again - Riyadh is the least strict city. Also, the writer goes on to further fill us in on (what she thinks) makes up these 'religious laws that subjugate women in particular'. She fails to inform the reader on that these religious laws apply as strictly to men as to women.
5)
How can we trust a ‘story’ of this writer’s personal experience when she gets easily researchable facts wrong?
After this I stop counting how many lies about local religion and customs the writer spews forth.
Despite this, I wait patiently for the horrors she promises that the Princess will mete out. However, it seems the only Diva here is the writer! She complains about everything: the weather, the clothes, the Islam, and her roommate (who is accused of a great many things and none are proven).
While waiting for something that doesn’t sound like crabby-old-lady – a most curious line appears:
I’m sorry what? After living the better part of her life in Apartheid, the writer travels half-way across the world to re-live her favourite ‘no Blacks allowed’ moments in another country? Furthermore, she dismisses this blatant racism as ‘a strange thing to throw out there’. Worse still, it is only with these racist friends that she truly feels happy and at home with. Just for attending a function that excludes an entire race strips this writer of any right to talk – never mind criticize – the machinations of another country.
After the writer spends the entire book mocking and breaking every law we finally arrive at the Princess’s misbehaviour. Which... is pretty much like any other rich spoilt brat really. The Princess throws a fit when she gets served expired yoghurt; she gets moody when the writer walks into her room without permission. (The writer dismisses this as an ‘over-reaction’.) She behaves like any other over-the-limit bossy Employer.
Perhaps the writer was disgusted that a person of colour would dare to behave above her? Or perhaps having to head a small team of cleaners and cooks was too much to handle for someone who worked at a high-end jewellery store until she was 52? In fact, the writer is so mentally unstable that she writes this:
The beatings that the writer has never witnessed in her entire stay may have been happening right behind those doors! Yet she does nothing about it?
After that, the writer insinuates (and she spends a lot of time insinuating things) that the Princess acts on her threats but she brings nothing to prove it!
The writer exhausted me with her pettiness, bigotry, and racism. When she finally cracks under the pressure of her workload and leaves for back home I’m actually sad that she will be coming back to MY country, where I thought we had gotten rid of white supremacists.
Basically, this was the most pathetic attempt by the writer to gain some relevancy in the world with her cranky, narrow-minded take on the world around her. She should have saved her racist ramblings for her friends at her ‘No Arabs Allowed’ dinner parties.
Cay Garcia, a 52-year old woman from South Africa, resigns from her simple job at a Jewellery store on Canal walk to take a crash-course in butling and yoga in order to get a job in Arabia. After accepting the job to work for a Saudi Princess, Cay smugly informs of her 'research’ which shows Saudi as a backward, women-oppressing, people-beheading, and barbaric destination. Is this a work of NON-FICTION? Clearly not:
1)
'Riyadh is shrouded in mystery as no tourists are allowed in this holy city'. We are only on page 14 of the book and the ignorant writer refers to the least mysterious city of Saudi as 'holy'?? There is no holy site, place, or even event remotely related to Riyadh.
2)
'Infidels (non-believers) are not allowed in unless they have a sponsor in the form of an employer'.False: NO-ONE, regardless of their religion, is allowed in unless they have a sponsor.
3)
'Saudi Arabia is still under Sharia law, and Riyadh, the most conservative of all the Saudi cities, doesn't much favour self-expression.'The writer manages to be religiously intolerant and casually stupid about the level of conservatism in Saudi cities - all in one sentence!
4)
'The Mutawa patrol streets and malls, and administer punishment to anyone accused of breaking the strict religious laws that subjugate women in particular - and nowhere as zealously as in Riyadh.'
Again - Riyadh is the least strict city. Also, the writer goes on to further fill us in on (what she thinks) makes up these 'religious laws that subjugate women in particular'. She fails to inform the reader on that these religious laws apply as strictly to men as to women.
5)
By his own admission, Saudi Star Executioner beheads over 2,500 people per year.’‘ False: only 76 people were executed in 2011, 27 people were executed in 2010. Interestingly, the writer sources this fabricated story from an anti-Muslim site that flat out lies about Islam, the Sharia, and Muslims. The Executioner makes no such ‘admission’.
How can we trust a ‘story’ of this writer’s personal experience when she gets easily researchable facts wrong?
After this I stop counting how many lies about local religion and customs the writer spews forth.
Despite this, I wait patiently for the horrors she promises that the Princess will mete out. However, it seems the only Diva here is the writer! She complains about everything: the weather, the clothes, the Islam, and her roommate (who is accused of a great many things and none are proven).
While waiting for something that doesn’t sound like crabby-old-lady – a most curious line appears:
‘Besides being my birthday, it is also the day we join the Hash Club for Christmas carols in the desert. The e-mail stated that no Arabs are allowed’.
I’m sorry what? After living the better part of her life in Apartheid, the writer travels half-way across the world to re-live her favourite ‘no Blacks allowed’ moments in another country? Furthermore, she dismisses this blatant racism as ‘a strange thing to throw out there’. Worse still, it is only with these racist friends that she truly feels happy and at home with. Just for attending a function that excludes an entire race strips this writer of any right to talk – never mind criticize – the machinations of another country.
After the writer spends the entire book mocking and breaking every law we finally arrive at the Princess’s misbehaviour. Which... is pretty much like any other rich spoilt brat really. The Princess throws a fit when she gets served expired yoghurt; she gets moody when the writer walks into her room without permission. (The writer dismisses this as an ‘over-reaction’.) She behaves like any other over-the-limit bossy Employer.
Perhaps the writer was disgusted that a person of colour would dare to behave above her? Or perhaps having to head a small team of cleaners and cooks was too much to handle for someone who worked at a high-end jewellery store until she was 52? In fact, the writer is so mentally unstable that she writes this:
‘I leave, but stay just outside the double wooden doors. God help me, tonight I will not let her mete out another beating. The screaming continues for 10 minutes with sporadic apologies from Lily.’
The beatings that the writer has never witnessed in her entire stay may have been happening right behind those doors! Yet she does nothing about it?
After that, the writer insinuates (and she spends a lot of time insinuating things) that the Princess acts on her threats but she brings nothing to prove it!
The writer exhausted me with her pettiness, bigotry, and racism. When she finally cracks under the pressure of her workload and leaves for back home I’m actually sad that she will be coming back to MY country, where I thought we had gotten rid of white supremacists.
Basically, this was the most pathetic attempt by the writer to gain some relevancy in the world with her cranky, narrow-minded take on the world around her. She should have saved her racist ramblings for her friends at her ‘No Arabs Allowed’ dinner parties.
July 29, 2018
I picked this book up for a song at a booksale, eager to get an expatriate's slant on everyday life in Saudi Arabia - natives of a given location don't tend to notice or comment on the details that seem to them like part of everyday life. Indeed, there were some helpful details, like the reason for the drab yellow colour of the buildings (because in such a sandy climate, any other colour will quickly look dirty) and the intricacies of going shopping when businesses close for 30 minutes every prayer time. However, overall this book was short, poorly written and badly edited.
October 9, 2015
Salman Rushdie wrote the Satanic Verses and at least had the courage of conviction to stand by what he wrote and published it with his true name. "Cay Garcia" is a pseudonym -need one say more.
So "Cay Garcia", I have read your book and I have to say it is opportunistic, misguided and naive at its very core.
A woman who is 54 years and working at Canal Walk as a shop assistant clearly hasn't made strides in her professional life. She comes across a 10-week crash course in becoming a butler, hoping that it will change/better her life. No doubt this butler course cost her an arm and leg (never mind the penalties one faces in Saudi Arabia) and would never have been recouped in her botched attempt at being a butler. One has to wonder if the author bothered to find the definition of the word Butler - it is a domestic worker!
Garcia graduates and is offered a job in Saudi Arabia. Again, you wonder the limited mind set of this individual. Saudi Arabia is the most conservative religious country in the world and also a different religion and culture to her own - one she has no idea of and doesn't respect. You have to wonder whether the financial gain was enough to put yourself through that? I don't respect people who try to make a quick buck. This is not my idea of fun or adventure.
So Cay Garcia does skimming research of Saudi and then wallows throughout the book about what life is like in this country, where lets face it, woman have limited privileges and are oppressed from a Western point of view.
Ms Garcia seems to forget why she is there - she is a domestic worker and that is what the Princess sees her as. It doesn't matter if she is South African - she sees Garcia as her Filipino and Malawian maids - there to serve her and very expendable.
I don't condone the Princesses behaviour - she is a product of what she experiences but to return to South Africa having being fired and then writing an expose book on your experiences is shallow and opportunistic on her part.
Petty fights with a housemate, drinking and sex with a married man - come on!!! You cannot think that anyone will take you seriously! If anything you have humiliated yourself and I'm not surprised you couldn't add your name to this mockery Ms Garcia.
So "Cay Garcia", I have read your book and I have to say it is opportunistic, misguided and naive at its very core.
A woman who is 54 years and working at Canal Walk as a shop assistant clearly hasn't made strides in her professional life. She comes across a 10-week crash course in becoming a butler, hoping that it will change/better her life. No doubt this butler course cost her an arm and leg (never mind the penalties one faces in Saudi Arabia) and would never have been recouped in her botched attempt at being a butler. One has to wonder if the author bothered to find the definition of the word Butler - it is a domestic worker!
Garcia graduates and is offered a job in Saudi Arabia. Again, you wonder the limited mind set of this individual. Saudi Arabia is the most conservative religious country in the world and also a different religion and culture to her own - one she has no idea of and doesn't respect. You have to wonder whether the financial gain was enough to put yourself through that? I don't respect people who try to make a quick buck. This is not my idea of fun or adventure.
So Cay Garcia does skimming research of Saudi and then wallows throughout the book about what life is like in this country, where lets face it, woman have limited privileges and are oppressed from a Western point of view.
Ms Garcia seems to forget why she is there - she is a domestic worker and that is what the Princess sees her as. It doesn't matter if she is South African - she sees Garcia as her Filipino and Malawian maids - there to serve her and very expendable.
I don't condone the Princesses behaviour - she is a product of what she experiences but to return to South Africa having being fired and then writing an expose book on your experiences is shallow and opportunistic on her part.
Petty fights with a housemate, drinking and sex with a married man - come on!!! You cannot think that anyone will take you seriously! If anything you have humiliated yourself and I'm not surprised you couldn't add your name to this mockery Ms Garcia.
June 4, 2015
7,5 de 10*
Na diversidade que o mundo actual é, existem culturas que ainda nos dias de hoje chocam com a nossa, a europeia, principalmente no que diz respeito à forma como as mulheres são tratadas.
Prisioneira é mais um relato verídico, ocorrido na Arábia Saudita, onde as mulheres continuam a ser tratadas como seres inferiores e onde a realeza tem todos os direitos e, como refere no livro, não está acima da lei, é a própria lei!
O que distingue este livro de tantos outros relativos a relatos verídicos é que este é-nos contado por uma expatriada que vive a experiência de ir trabalhar para a Arábia Saudita, ou seja, é alguém de fora que tenta adaptar-se a este país.
Comentário completo em:
http://abibliotecadajoao.blogspot.pt/...
Na diversidade que o mundo actual é, existem culturas que ainda nos dias de hoje chocam com a nossa, a europeia, principalmente no que diz respeito à forma como as mulheres são tratadas.
Prisioneira é mais um relato verídico, ocorrido na Arábia Saudita, onde as mulheres continuam a ser tratadas como seres inferiores e onde a realeza tem todos os direitos e, como refere no livro, não está acima da lei, é a própria lei!
O que distingue este livro de tantos outros relativos a relatos verídicos é que este é-nos contado por uma expatriada que vive a experiência de ir trabalhar para a Arábia Saudita, ou seja, é alguém de fora que tenta adaptar-se a este país.
Comentário completo em:
http://abibliotecadajoao.blogspot.pt/...
March 30, 2015
I generally love books that give me an insiders view into different cultures and lifestyles. This one was ok- a bit disjointed and seemed to leave out important details while adding insignificant details. I'm not sad I read it but wouldn't really recommend it.
March 12, 2018
wooo shem I don't think I would want to go and live in the middle east let alone work for a royal family
August 2, 2015
(...)
Cay, sendo das mais velhas dali apesar de ser a recém chegada, acaba por ser a que consegue acalmar mais a princesa, sabendo como a mimar para que esta não lhe mostre o seu mau humor. Mas é quando começa a ripostar devido aos maus tratos a todos os que moravam na casa que a princesa começa a olhar de lado para Cay e a fazer-lhe a vida num inferno ainda pior.
Este é um testemunho de uma mulher que, sob pseudónimo, decidiu relatar ao mundo. É um livro muito real escrito de forma simples e sem entrar em grandes exageros e foi por isso que gostei. Conta o que aconteceu sem romancear em demasia. É um leitura rápida que não nos deixa indiferentes e que recomendo.
Opinião completa em http://blocodedevaneios.blogspot.pt/2...
Cay, sendo das mais velhas dali apesar de ser a recém chegada, acaba por ser a que consegue acalmar mais a princesa, sabendo como a mimar para que esta não lhe mostre o seu mau humor. Mas é quando começa a ripostar devido aos maus tratos a todos os que moravam na casa que a princesa começa a olhar de lado para Cay e a fazer-lhe a vida num inferno ainda pior.
Este é um testemunho de uma mulher que, sob pseudónimo, decidiu relatar ao mundo. É um livro muito real escrito de forma simples e sem entrar em grandes exageros e foi por isso que gostei. Conta o que aconteceu sem romancear em demasia. É um leitura rápida que não nos deixa indiferentes e que recomendo.
Opinião completa em http://blocodedevaneios.blogspot.pt/2...
Read
October 21, 2015Este é um relato bastante interessante da experiência da autora na Arábia Saudita. Farta da sua vida, resolveu tirar um conceituado curso de mordomo e acabou por ser contratada por uma princesa deste país. Para além de boas estórias (esta supostamente é verdadeira, apesar de os nomes serem fictícios), gosto de livros que nos fazem viajar completamente para um outro mundo. E foi isso que senti desde as primeiras páginas deste livro...
July 13, 2021
I thought this book was ‘meh’! A diary of her time there – no depth, just an account. What is beyond me is how someone signs up for this sort of experience without doing proper research beforehand. I’ve read much better accounts of people’s experiences in Saudi.
July 9, 2019
Behind Palace Walls is the story of a South African woman butler who leaves for Saudi Arabia, where she has been assigned a one-year contract to serve in the palace of a young Saudi princess half her age.
The first impression the cover -attractive and bright as it is- gives, is that of a rather sensational, cheap book, given the fact that women tend to wear predominantly black hijabs in Saudia Arabia, and certainly monochrome. On opening the book, the spacing of the lines is surprisingly generous, almost that of a children's book. I must admit, however, that it is very easy on the eye, and it makes me wish more books were printed this way.
The back of the book states that it is 'part travelogue, part romance, part expose'. I would say that the book reads more like a journal, in which the author tells all about her stay in Saudi: her impressions, her work, her day-to-day life of living in an expat compound and her budding but forbidden romance. Above all, it tells of her struggle in dealing with the spoilt, difficult, troubled and at times cruel princess who is a tyrant to those who serve her.
Almost inevitably, 'Mrs C', as she is called by the princess, does not succeed in staying out her contract to the full, partly due to building conflict with her employer, but also due to the modern-day palace intrigues among the staff.
Garcia writes in great detail, and for anyone interested in (Saudi) Arab culture, this will give you a generous glimpse of what life is like, as the title suggests, behind the palace walls of one of thousands of Saudi Princesses. It is fairly well written, in short, clearly defined chapters. Reads easily enough, but as exposé is not overly shocking, considering that it is a known fact that expat workers are not treated brilliantly by their Saudi employers. If I could, I'd give it 3,5 stars.
The first impression the cover -attractive and bright as it is- gives, is that of a rather sensational, cheap book, given the fact that women tend to wear predominantly black hijabs in Saudia Arabia, and certainly monochrome. On opening the book, the spacing of the lines is surprisingly generous, almost that of a children's book. I must admit, however, that it is very easy on the eye, and it makes me wish more books were printed this way.
The back of the book states that it is 'part travelogue, part romance, part expose'. I would say that the book reads more like a journal, in which the author tells all about her stay in Saudi: her impressions, her work, her day-to-day life of living in an expat compound and her budding but forbidden romance. Above all, it tells of her struggle in dealing with the spoilt, difficult, troubled and at times cruel princess who is a tyrant to those who serve her.
Almost inevitably, 'Mrs C', as she is called by the princess, does not succeed in staying out her contract to the full, partly due to building conflict with her employer, but also due to the modern-day palace intrigues among the staff.
Garcia writes in great detail, and for anyone interested in (Saudi) Arab culture, this will give you a generous glimpse of what life is like, as the title suggests, behind the palace walls of one of thousands of Saudi Princesses. It is fairly well written, in short, clearly defined chapters. Reads easily enough, but as exposé is not overly shocking, considering that it is a known fact that expat workers are not treated brilliantly by their Saudi employers. If I could, I'd give it 3,5 stars.
January 4, 2019
Jest to jedna z lepszych książek tego typu. Czyta się ją naprawdę bardzo szybko- jesteśmy w stanie skończyć ją w kilka godzin.
Autorka naprawdę świetnie poradziła sobie z napisaniem takiej książki. Choć czasem przeszkadzał mi tutaj brak chronologii- każdy rozdział to trochę inna historia. Nie ma tutaj jednego ciągu.
Książka mogłaby być trochę dłuższa, a historia bardziej szczegółowa, ale naprawdę warto po nią sięgnąć.
Autorka naprawdę świetnie poradziła sobie z napisaniem takiej książki. Choć czasem przeszkadzał mi tutaj brak chronologii- każdy rozdział to trochę inna historia. Nie ma tutaj jednego ciągu.
Książka mogłaby być trochę dłuższa, a historia bardziej szczegółowa, ale naprawdę warto po nią sięgnąć.
July 16, 2023
Kniha má hezkou obálku. A to je předposlední věc, kterou můžu vyzdvihnout. Poslední věcí je ta, že se v knize dozvíte nějaké informace o tom, jak funguje život v Saúdské Arábii. Autorka knihy sloužila psychicky nemocné princezně a bylo to pro ní těžké období. Podle mě vůbec nevěděla, do čeho jde. Četla se rychle jen díky krátkým kapitolám, i tak se díky nezáživnosti četla těžce. Nedoporučuji
February 6, 2025
Unbelievable that this book was actually published! The narrative is at times incoherent, with numerous grammatical mistakes and typos. I do not think any one proof read this book. It should have been a short story seeing as the double spacing between lines and short chapters could not take up more than 80 pages in a normal paperback.
Very disappointing read.
Very disappointing read.
June 21, 2017
Interesting insight.
August 28, 2017
Leitura rápida. Quem estiver interessado da cultura rígida na Arabia Saudita, devem ler.
December 30, 2018
The book gave some insight into life in Saudi Arabia but the book lacked depth and seemed a bit discriminatory.
March 19, 2024
“Show. Don’t tell.” -Writing advice I wish this author had heard before writing this book.
I wanted to enjoy the author/main character and to sympathize with her, but it was so difficult. She whined and complained about how hard her job was, but rarely showed anything that was a big deal to me. She talked about how the royal family beat servants, but it was not shown until more than halfway through the book. What I did see was that this princess, who the author clearly hates, showed genuine concern for the author’s health, gave the author gifts of designer bags and scarves, was the only person to wish the author happy birthday, and was often shown being sweet and child-like. Yet in the same breath, we are told what a horrible person she is.
It’s like the author didn’t expect a spoiled princess to behave as such. The author was hired help, and she constantly acted like she was above others, and above Saudi Arabia in general. I was very disturbed by her ignorance of the country she moved to and her condescending attitude. The author also is heavily critical of the princess’s mental illnesses. There was a lot of judgement when she mentioned depression medications and psychiatrists.
The story itself was interesting, but the author would have been better off hiring a more talented author to tell this story.
I wanted to enjoy the author/main character and to sympathize with her, but it was so difficult. She whined and complained about how hard her job was, but rarely showed anything that was a big deal to me. She talked about how the royal family beat servants, but it was not shown until more than halfway through the book. What I did see was that this princess, who the author clearly hates, showed genuine concern for the author’s health, gave the author gifts of designer bags and scarves, was the only person to wish the author happy birthday, and was often shown being sweet and child-like. Yet in the same breath, we are told what a horrible person she is.
It’s like the author didn’t expect a spoiled princess to behave as such. The author was hired help, and she constantly acted like she was above others, and above Saudi Arabia in general. I was very disturbed by her ignorance of the country she moved to and her condescending attitude. The author also is heavily critical of the princess’s mental illnesses. There was a lot of judgement when she mentioned depression medications and psychiatrists.
The story itself was interesting, but the author would have been better off hiring a more talented author to tell this story.
June 21, 2014
Even though the title and cover image are likely to draw in readers that are interested in hearing first hand accounts of how non-Muslim female workers are treated in royal households of some of the most radical Islamic cities of the Middle East like Riyadh; it is lightly written and doesn't delve much into character, emotional or intellectual depths that would provide an insight never written on before. Was "Cay Garcia" trying to protect herself, remain safe, by not pouring out everything that really happened to her in Saudi Arabia? If she was then why write a book under a pseudo name? Would I recommend this book to someone interested in the reality of life in some of the Middle East cities for women? No, they would find it very shallow! The choice by the author to just scrap at the surface of all that happened is in my personal opinion, unfair especially to those that only get exposed to other cultures, religions & cities through books. I think after she decided to write the book, she should have just gone all the way in! Tell the whole story without leaving that which will shock or give your readers laughter pain! A very light read, probably to be treated as a work of fiction!
March 22, 2016
I swear there were two Christmases. But apparently not. The author spent four months in Saudi Arabia. This is not a book written by a writer, and it shows. (Also, there were a few errors in the typeset - commas next to full stops.) If I compare this to Trafficked, I found that much more believable. This just rang...oddly: in three quarters of the book you get a woman getting to grips wth life in Saudi Arabia. In the last quarter, she's depressed, her relationship has suddenly moved by leaps and bounds, and all the ill treatment (or most of it) happens in this section. I read somewhere that the author submitted the work to a publisher, that the publisher didn't approach her. I think the publisher should have done some more editing of the book.
June 11, 2016
Behind Palace Walls is not a very good name for this book, as it does not really give you a great deal of insight into life in the Palace. Mostly it is about Mrs C bitching about things that is never really explained or mentioned in the book and her life in the compound, which reads like a very boring diary. And to be honest, the work or the princess really did not sound that bad when you read this book. Nothing really happens, there are no descriptions or scenes of how Mrs C was treated so horribly she had to leave. Sure, the Princess sounded like an immature spoilt rich girl and the work hours seems a bit crappy, but nothing in this book makes me feel any sympathy towards Mrs C; it just sounds like she wanted to go to Saudi and be obstinate and contrary because she was bored.
March 26, 2015
The book that should have been finished in a day or two took me alomost a week. The Autohr for my liking has not been able to document all the details accurately. I found and felt that the author should have done some research before applying for a job at the Saudi Royal household.
The Saudis in general look down upon fellow Muslims and have some affection for the Westerns I have experienced over the years. Still arrogence and prejudice takes over the Saudi Royals. For me there was nothing surprising as I am well aware of the grandiose splurge Saudi Royals indulge in.
Overall this book was a disappointment and seemed a shortcut to cash in on Saudi Royal lifestyle.
The Saudis in general look down upon fellow Muslims and have some affection for the Westerns I have experienced over the years. Still arrogence and prejudice takes over the Saudi Royals. For me there was nothing surprising as I am well aware of the grandiose splurge Saudi Royals indulge in.
Overall this book was a disappointment and seemed a shortcut to cash in on Saudi Royal lifestyle.
January 30, 2015
I liked the book, however, it gets confusing in the most important moment - when Mrs C decides to see Doctor Friendly for the second time. Before that she seemed to have had relatively good relations with the Princess, and then, out of nowhere, she's depressed and wants to leave immediately. The book could have explained in further details what had led to this kind of ending. Nonetheless, I'm glad to see another story about Saudi Arabia shared and thanks to the author for that.
June 1, 2014
Because I had spent four years in the Middle East the story brought back many memories. I lived in the UAE and Qatar both quite different from Saudi. But as the T-shirts from Thailand read, 'Same, Same but different'. There are many similarities too. I personally think it's a good enough story but could have been written much better.
July 3, 2015
I've read better and far more interesting stories of ex-pats in Saudi, but this was a mildly-entertaining and quick, beachy sort of read. An American Chick in Saudi Arabia by Jean Sasson or Paramedic to the Prince by Patrick Tom Notestine are far more interesting and entertaining books on the same subject.
January 9, 2016
I think my pace of reading is starting to show in the ratings I give ...
I found this shallow and almost unbelievable at points. Some chapters seemed to change direction half way through with no warning. An easy couple hours read that certainly won't leave you feeling fulfilled.
And poor Mr Grey is probably still waiting....
I found this shallow and almost unbelievable at points. Some chapters seemed to change direction half way through with no warning. An easy couple hours read that certainly won't leave you feeling fulfilled.
And poor Mr Grey is probably still waiting....
July 2, 2024
Thought it was a fiction book, later discovered that it is not, what a let down, its so sad and horrific that some countries are still this narrow and closed minded.
the description of the book does not match the writing, once again it is a let down
tells us instead of showing, and fast paced alot of time skips
Easy read just what i needed
the description of the book does not match the writing, once again it is a let down
tells us instead of showing, and fast paced alot of time skips
Easy read just what i needed
May 15, 2015
This book took me to Saudi Arabia and back.This woman from cape town went to serve a mean princess who showed her that beyond all the money in the world.There is great saddeness.It really not easy working in a foreign country.I really felt her loneliness and stress .
June 15, 2014
I really enjoyed this book and found it extremely interesting. An easy read - read it within a day.
August 6, 2014
This book was very disappointing . It is very abrupt and does not go into details which were very necessary . The plot is non-existent and the author seems quiet confused.
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