So for years I’ve
searched the lands of the Arabian Peninsula and beyond for a book like Girls of Riyadh. Luckily, on a recent trip to the
Middle East, I found Desperate in Dubai
fabulously flaunting itself on a centre shelf in Kinokuniya
bookstore. It was lust at first sight! And my fleetingly superficial feelings
turned out to be spot on and even better!
The Rundown
Country: The United Arab Emirates, 2011
Author: Ameera Al Hakawati
Genre: Novel, Fiction
Languages: English & Arabic
Publisher: Random House India
Pages: 551
Love it or Hate it? Love it!
Synopsis in A Sentence: What do a rich
Emirati-British heiress, a Maghrebi-British housewife, a successful Lebanese
bombshell, and a British-Indian school teacher have in common?—They all have
dirty little secrets and they can’t wait to unravel eachothers’ stories; which
of these desperados will outdo the others in this fabulous city called Dubai?
Think: Desperate housewives for the unmarried
The Good: It’s a packed
story reflecting the modern challenges of girls in one of the world’s most
luxurious cities! It’s layered and honest and diverse and complex and light and
true-to-life! Frequent visitors to and residents of Dubai alike may learn a
thing or two about a city they perhaps have not completely known all about.
It also does not shy away from touching heavy subjects like cultural clashes, stereotypes, women’s rights and national prejudice, while managing to discuss them fairly. Books that touch on these subjects typically do so from a singular cultural lens, but with this we are exposed to a multi-dimensional exploration of the life and culture of real people. The plot is based on real women’s stories and this is a refreshing outlook into lives of men and women so many of us know too little of.
The prose is quite direct and conversational, making for a light read,
but of course the subject matter delves into deeper issues without dowsing its
reader with the typical trite stories of restrictions in the Middle East from a
foreigner's perspective. What I especially appreciated about the book was that
it explored the experiences of diverse people; Africans, Asians, Middle-Easterners
and Westerners. Very few Western books explore stories of different people with
diverse perspectives (and in fact I cannot think of a recent one right now that
does so). Our lives and experiences are shaped by our racial, gender, religious
and socio-economic features and this book somehow almost comprehensively covers
many of these bits and more, so this is indeed a rare gem!
The Bad: Because the story is
so layered and interwoven, it may be hard to keep up with all the different
characters and their stories and the details that go with them. If you’re not
ready to take this down in one go, get ready for a bit of back-tracking and
mind-juggling because the details are important for the juicy conclusion
unravels!
Also, guys, don’t be intimidated by how girly the
story line seems. Haven’t you always wondered what girls in the Middle East
have going on? Well this is your guide!
The Verdict: Deliciously ambrosial, yet a complex and comprehensive
pleasure! A fun, enlightening, honest read!
4.5 stars!
Memorable
Quotes:
1.
“’I never ask for a lady’s number,’ he explains,
‘and a real lady will never give it anyway. So here you go, Princess, the ball’s
in your court.’ With that, he shakes her and Leila’s hands gently, bids them
farewell and disappears, leaving both girls in complete awe but also surprised.
It’s not normal for a decent Arab guy to just leave two girls alone without
offering to drive them home, or at the very least, seeing them to a taxi…”
2.
“I spot him standing outside the cinema, by the
big wooden ship in the China Court of the mall and wave at him. Although I
prefer Mall of the Emirates to Ibn Battuta as the atmosphere is friendlier and
warmer, there is no doubt that the latter is stunning to look at, especially
for first timers…”
3.
“Lady Luxe lazily opens her eyes and stretched
out on her bed, enjoying the sensation of the soft, 100 percent pure Egyptian
cotton sheets against her skin. For a moment, she forgets who she is, who she is
expected to be, as she relishes the warmth of the glorious morning on her arms.
The fear she felt when falling asleep has faded away entirely and she is already
wondering what devlish acts she should commit after sunset…”
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