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A Woman of Five Seasons (Emerging Voices
The poor, the dispossessed, the opportunist—all flock to the newly oil-rich state of Barqais in search of wealth. A Woman of Five Seasons vividly explores the relations that develop in such countries between local high officials and incoming heartland Arabs. Alongside this a second, highly relevant theme is developed: the poignant coming of age of the Arab woman as she seeks, in the face of traditionally exploitative Arab male attitudes, to win a degree of independence and fulfillment.
- GenresFictionLiterature
170 pages, Paperback
First published November 1, 2001
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
May 1, 2012
Two stories in one, this absorbing short novel tells of the marriage of an intelligent and thoughtful woman to an ambitious man who makes a fortune for them both in a fictional oil-rich nation on the Gulf. His story is of an obsessive rise to power and of taking six- and seven-figure commissions on deals he works out between high-level government officials.
Hers is an equally complex story of yielding at first to the traditional role of an Arab wife and then slowly asserting her independence. While her husband takes an attractive European mistress, she takes up residence in London and finds a partner to go into real estate. Reading, in some ways, like a high-class version of "Dallas," the book is a well-conceived and well-plotted page-turner. It's also a feminist argument against the corrosive effects of traditional gender roles on marital relationships.
Hers is an equally complex story of yielding at first to the traditional role of an Arab wife and then slowly asserting her independence. While her husband takes an attractive European mistress, she takes up residence in London and finds a partner to go into real estate. Reading, in some ways, like a high-class version of "Dallas," the book is a well-conceived and well-plotted page-turner. It's also a feminist argument against the corrosive effects of traditional gender roles on marital relationships.
April 15, 2024
I thought this was a brilliant exploration of modern womanhood in the Middle East. Although it is set in a fictitious country, readers can picture where it is. The author is a Palestinian-Jordani woman, and I'm assigning the novel to Jordan in my around-the-world reading journey.
It is a challenging read. The topic and situations are pretty dark, and the writing style requires a lot of focus as points of view change without always making it obvious to the reader. I found this frustrating, but I also think it is consistent with the literary styles of this region. I read it in one afternoon. I am glad I had a print copy as I did have to reread passages to sort out who was talking to or about whom.
The transition through five chapters and five "seasons" of the protagonist worked well. I loved seeing Nadia's growth.
It is a challenging read. The topic and situations are pretty dark, and the writing style requires a lot of focus as points of view change without always making it obvious to the reader. I found this frustrating, but I also think it is consistent with the literary styles of this region. I read it in one afternoon. I am glad I had a print copy as I did have to reread passages to sort out who was talking to or about whom.
The transition through five chapters and five "seasons" of the protagonist worked well. I loved seeing Nadia's growth.
general-fiction
January 16, 2020FIC
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews