To do this, the author chose to adopt the first person point of view and tell the story through Sultana's voice as it was told to her. The perspective of this book is unique because it is not the author's story but one told to her.
This situation gives the reader the impression that the author is the person who lived the events in the book and suffered all the oppression Browse all BookRags Study Guides. All rights reserved. So here goes my rant. This book is said to be about Sultana Not real name who is a Saudi Princess and even though she belongs to the royal family she is bound by strict rules that define that women are only used for sexual relief and to bear the children for their husbands.
And how they are enslaved by their fathers, husbands and brothers. First of Read on the blog!! First of all, what kind of a person who belongs to a family of famous people would want such intimidate details of her life story which is different than others, obviously! Secondly, how is it possible that when such details were put in a book for everyone to read, how did her family not find it out? The facts in the book are obvious enough for anyone to understand that it's fake.
Fact 1: She said that she wasn't allowed to go into the mosque. Being a Saudi Princess she should have known that Mosques have a separate section for women. Fact 2: It's said that women were forced to marry after puberty.
I agree that women were and in some places still are being made to marry men right after maturation. But it was to avoid going around and having sex before marriage as doing that is unlawful in Islam. But but but I have heard that it's mentioned in the Quran the holy book of Muslims that it is the woman who gets to decide when and whom she wants to marry.
Remember that it's always the humans who twist rules to fit their requirement. Fact 3: Woman are given the highest respect in Islam. Women are told to cover themselves so as not to attract the attention of unwanted men but men are not even allowed to look at them with bad intentions as thinking of a bad deed is equal to doing one.
And to support this fact, a quote from the Quran itself translated of course : He who is best to his wife is the best man among you. However, I agree that polygamy is allowed in Islam but I don't think that anybody in the modern generation follows that as everyone knows that it's difficult enough to handle the expenses and lectures of one woman Fact 4: Also a father who educates a minimum of three daughters has gained a palace in Heaven.
Fact 5: There is a story kind of thing that I have heard. It's about this man who asks the prophet "Who is the one worthy of more respect after Allah The god worshiped by Muslims?
The man asks one again "Who after that? Once again the man asks "And who after that? For the last time the man asks "Who after that? This does not mean that Fathers are not respected enough, they are but it's just that Mothers are held higher.
There are many facts that I can go on about like the one about piercing the vagina or something which is absolutely stupid and I think that the author has just made it up but I just wanted to tell you guys that anyone who believes in this book and let's themselves be manipulated by it, Islam is not a bad religion.
It has given it's followers many rules to follow but it's for their own advantage. Like listening to music and watching movies is not allowed in Islam, it's not forbidden but it's said so as to avoid any thing that takes one away from worshiping their God. I think it's the same for Protestants I heard that like Muslims they too are supposed to cover their heads, not drink, not have sex before marriage, not worship images or idols of God, not listen to music or watch movies and not wear gold.
I accept that women are oppressed but anyone would be fool to believe that Islam is a religion that promotes it. Women of every religion are oppressed by men of different religions.
Just because one man from one particular religion does so does not mean that every man of that religion does it. The same goes for Terrorism. So this is what I had to say about this book.
Since I hate this one so much I don't think I will be reading the other two that follow this one. And I won't be rating this one since I have nothing to give it, but I won't be stopping you from reading it either. You can read it for yourself and understand that it's the biggest hoax ever. Lots of hatred for the author but love and pasta for you guys, Raven View all 24 comments.
Nov 28, Anastasia Kinderman rated it did not like it Recommends it for: no one. Shelves: islamic-studies. I am an American who has an interest in both Muslims and Arab countries. I got this book for Christmas. It is a very gripping story, a real page-turner. However, while reading through it I couldn't help noticing that the way the book was written just seemed It read like a novel: the way the chapters were structured, the horrifying crimes committed by the males in the story I'm Note: Comments by Jean Sasson and Friederike Monika Adsani or their fake accounts will automatically be deleted.
It read like a novel: the way the chapters were structured, the horrifying crimes committed by the males in the story I'm not saying horrible things aren't done, I just find it hard to believe that EVERY male in Saudi Arabia is basically a heartless idiot like they are portrayed in this book , and the protagonist's unavoidably American Feminist view of the things happening in her country.
I did some research and discovered that apparently the author was sued for plagiarism although, in the interests of being fair, she did win and this book has been accused of basically being a novel claiming to be the truth. I would have to say I agree with that assessment. It read like a novel. The covers of this book and other books by the same author all have that "fiction sensational novel" type of cover.
The titles sound like novel titles. The blurbs written for this and the other books in the trilogy read like blurbs for fictional novels. If you compare it to other books written on the hardships women in the Arab world have faced you can immediately tell a difference in both the writing they do not read like entertaining sensational novels, they read like true stories of hardship and just the covers and blurbs for them other books don't have "fiction book" covers and the blurbs don't read like the blurbs for novels I had no knowledge of the controversy surrounding this book before I read it but after I was done I had enough doubts about its authenticity to research its back story.
That should tell you something. It's painfully obvious in reading through this book that it is fiction. If you are curious and wish to read this novel for yourself I recommend just getting it from your library so you in no way financially support someone who advertises fiction under the guise of truth.
I have checked out her other books and it seems the author is simply attempting to profit from our curiosity about other cultures and peoples and basically slandering them in her writing.
Even worse, she fills our heads with untrue stereotypes that people from these countries have to confront when they are in our country. View all 10 comments. Dec 30, Linda rated it it was ok. After reading this book and comments from other readers, i really feel like i need to say something regarding Islam and Muslims because I am a Muslim.
To all people who read the book, don't be mislead by what you read. That is not the true picture of Islam. What is portrayed in the story is more of culture-based, not religion Islam particularly. The way the men in the story treated their women is not what is taught in Islam.
I know because I am a Muslim, living in a Muslim community. In Islam, After reading this book and comments from other readers, i really feel like i need to say something regarding Islam and Muslims because I am a Muslim.
In Islam, women are respected. In Saudi Arabia, women are treated that way because that's their culture, not because they are following the teaching of Islam. It is true that we, Muslim women, need to cover certain parts of our body. I do it and is not forced to do it. I am not denied the right to educate myself, or to work. I am an educated person, working in professional field, earning 4 figures monthly, and i am married and me and my husband shares the same responsibility in marriage.
So, the point is, please don't generalise Muslims and Islam after reading this book. View all 7 comments. This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Princess is the story of a Saudi Arabian princess called Sultana for the purposes of the story. It shows a picture of the life of a woman in the male dominated Saudi society.
Her brother is treated like a god from birth while she and her sisters are subjected to whatever cruelty he desires. As Sultana gets older, she encounters more and more horror at the treatment of women. Things chance when she is betrothed to Kareem. Or do they? First of all, this was a homework assignment from my girlfrie Princess is the story of a Saudi Arabian princess called Sultana for the purposes of the story.
First of all, this was a homework assignment from my girlfriend at the time. She and my sister in law had both read it and it raised their ire. I said I'd give it a shot, mostly because I knew it would force my brother to have to read it as well. To put it bluntly, the Saudi women go through some horrible shit. Girls being drowned in a swimming pool for disgracing the family, girls getting stoned to death, raped by their much older husbands, polygamy, etc.
It's not the easy reading I'm accustomed to and has raised my awareness of the plight of women in Middle Eastern countries. It's a good read but not a light read and definitely not for the faint of heart. View all 15 comments. I'm not entirely sure how to review this book. Books that hide the true identity of the person being written about leave themselves open to claims of being a 'fake'.
In fact, a plagiarism suit was filed against Jean Sasson, but was subsequently dismissed by the court. Anyway, if the events in this book are true, the lives of many of the people in the book are horrendous. It makes me sad to think of these atrocities, and all the other atrocities worldwide.
It seems humans will never learn to treat I'm not entirely sure how to review this book. It seems humans will never learn to treat each other with respect, and kindness. View 2 comments. Nov 17, Bren fall in love with the sea. But the writing is strong and rather magnificent. I found the book To be outstanding. And if you have not read it, do not be deceived by the absolutely gorgeous cover. The story of princess Sultana is harrowing. But it really gave me a window into what women are treated like in some countries.
It is a tough book to read. And it really shows the differences in cultures. One reads this book with growing horror and dread. It is very frightening. What also does come through is Sultana's strength and determination. As difficult as the subject is it is an important book and one that I can say with percent certainty I am glad I read. I think this would make an excellent book club selection. Though her story is hard to read, I so applaud her for telling it as I will never forget this book.
View all 4 comments. Oct 22, Debarati rated it really liked it Recommends it for: all. I seriously dont know if the book is fiction or non-fiction. But few months after reading the book I saw an interview of some Arabian princess on a news channel. The incidents she shared sounded so same to the book. It talks about the kind of life women lead in Saudi Arabia. It discloses some shocking facts like a young girl stoned to death and a girl child was married to a man of 50's.
The life of a princess in Arab is only about gold and dimonds but when it comes to self respect and love, she I seriously dont know if the book is fiction or non-fiction. The life of a princess in Arab is only about gold and dimonds but when it comes to self respect and love, she gets none. View all 3 comments. Oct 18, Renee rated it it was amazing Recommends it for: anyone interested in role of women in Islam. Shelves: bookclub , islam , biography.
Princess , by Jean Sasson is the life story of a Saudi princess as told to an American journalist. It details the dysfunction, hypocrisy and imposed inertia of the royal family in general, and depravity of some members in particular. On a personal note, if I thought the Saudis were a bunch of troglodyte degenerates before, th Princess , by Jean Sasson is the life story of a Saudi princess as told to an American journalist.
On a personal note, if I thought the Saudis were a bunch of troglodyte degenerates before, this book only reinforced that impression. I say she was just telling her own story as a royal woman living under those specific rules. What do you think has made native women come out and fight in public for the changes they want?
The government has ensured that all young people, male and female alike, have access to education. Once a person is educated, whether male or female, they tend to push to improve their world, and the entire world, for that matter. If the men did not want their women to move forward for change, they should not have allowed education. Education for women was starting to catch hold when I lived there, and I told my male acquaintances then that their vast education system was going to change the entire country.
But education brings good change, so it is a positive point. I always said that we should not do another book until we could see a huge shift, for women to be a part of the public life of that country. And, now that is happening. So a decision was made a year ago to do a 4th book so that we could update readers on how life in has changed for the benefit of women there.
The princess and her daughters selected the stories of ten native women they wished to share with the world. These are women who have reached heights in careers and in public life that could have never been imagined even 20 years ago. The book tells the stories of these native women, their achievements, and additionally, the direction the country is headed in.
It is all very promising. Princess Sultana truly believes that her country is finally coming to terms with the idea that women are capable of making decisions for themselves and to use their education to work in careers that elevate their country.
Although she sadly acknowledges that not every man would agree that women have intelligence and have the right to make their own decisions, she sees that the tide is finally turning, that one day women in her land will live more freely. Tell us something about her family without giving away any stories in the book. And, as the writer of her stories, surely you have a favourite story that is included in this 4th in the series that you might share with us.
Readers will quickly discover that some things just never change! The daughters of the princess are like oil and water. They cannot get along, so there is plenty of upheavals between those two! Yet her son has become all that she wanted him to be. Abdullah is a young man who respects women, who loves his wife he has only one wife and adores his daughter, just as he loves his son.
She has lost two of her sisters to death, unfortunately, but she is still close to her other sisters. Her brother, Ali, never misses a chance to disappoint the princess, or readers.
Just as in the other books, there are lovely family stories, and very dramatic family stories. I suppose all families are like that, but her family seems to be a bit more dramatic than most, for whatever the reason. As far as a favourite story, indeed I have a favourite.
In this case it is a heartwarming story that occurs when the princess sees her father after a long time. The story will surprise a lot of readers because it is something none of us, including the princess, ever expected to happen.
Patricia McCormick was successful in her purpose of explaining to an American teenage audience how and why the cycle of human slavery present in the brothels exist. Like said in the book, women are compared to goats meaning women suffer the lack of power.
When the main character goes to work relates to how women have to sell themselves to support their family of their money problems. Esperanza witnesses the abuse of her female neighbors by their husbands and wants to become sexually independent, not subjugated by any man. This quotes shows that in his weakest moment his wife was snatched away and that she was seduced over time. His attitude towards this adulterous crime that was committed towards him was that he felt betrayed. This book depicts how even the royal woman are beaten, executed and enslaved by their fathers, sons and husbands.
It paints a shady image of the Saudi society in our minds showing the different shadows of grays in a colorful pallet. Jean Sasson is an American writer whose work centers around women, mostly the Middle Eastern females. She was born in a small town in Alabama. An enthusiastic reader from an early age, she had read all the books in her school.
Show More. Read More. Scarlet Letter Figurative Sympathy Words 1 Pages The ability for a person to transcend from stereotypes and labels comes from the support from others.
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