All that Glitters is not Gold: In the Land of Invisible Women

[Clara]

A culture in a foreign land is what draws readers into Dr. Qanta A. Ahmed’s memoir, In the Land of Invisible Women. An expired American visa and the need to find a new job puts Qanta in Saudi Arabia, and she tells readers what it is like to be a woman, a doctor, and a Muslim who, when compared to Saudis, is not very religious. Qanta stayed in Saudi Arabia in the late 1990s. She notes the religious and social restrictions placed on women, and how the women react to such restrictions. In a world in which it is easier than ever to stereotype Muslims, this book is a wonderful tool to provide first-hand insight into a quite beautiful religion and a kindhearted people. However, to gain this knowledge, one must drag himself or herself through writing that is overly descriptive and not as focused as it could have been, distracting from the focus of the book.
Qanta writes about women who inspire her to become a better Muslim and who teach her more about Islam. She also learns about how diverse Saudi Arabians (and Muslims) are: some women supported the religious restrictions placed on them (such as veiling) and others fought against them. I was intrigued to learn about problems that Saudi Arabia faces that I normally would not know about, such as women studying overseas before being engaged and the strict Mutaween (religious police). Other things, such as how attractive each and every person was, I did not need large descriptions of, but got them anyway.

Qanta could have done a worse job of explaining Muslim terms. That being said, I found myself disappointed that she did not have a word bank in her book. One would have been helpful for not only Muslim/Islamic terms, but for the numerous designer brands known only to wealthy, middle-aged women. Frankly, Qanta’s methods of description were overkill. For example, when Qanta’s group of friends is discovered to be sitting desegregated in a restaurant, a Muttawa, or religious police officer, discovers them:
“His lean, sharp carriage emanated a mean, rigid spirit. … Swelling with a ripe, turgid rage he prepared to ejaculate his fury upon us. He moistened his full, purple lips with a fat pink tongue. His sour mouth was fringed with coarse facial hair. Around him we retreated into impotence, actually shrinking. He radiated evil” (Ahmed 229-30).
To many, this book is a gateway of learning more about the culture in Saudi Arabia and the Islamic faith. It is also inspiring that a Muslim woman went to a foreign land and remained confident when challenged by sexism. However, this insight could be obtained from a different book, one that is not painful to read because of how it drags on about things that do not matter. If I could write more about this book, I could. I would not recommend it, only because one should not have to pull himself or herself through a book he or she does not enjoy reading.