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neapoulain's review against another edition
1.0
It's a mess. I'll write a complete review later, but this is A. MESS.
missnicolerose's review against another edition
2.0
#readtheworld Lebanon
I was hoping to like this better. While the author had some great points, I think this could have benefitted from further research and development.
I felt the author needed to commit to her arguments, especially with such an agressive, attention-getting title. However, I felt she was very hesitant to drive her point home. She would present an argument, but then backtrack to "well, not ALL Arab women."
The author's writing is beautiful, and I would be more inclined to read some of her poetry, as I think it would be more powerful.
I was hoping to like this better. While the author had some great points, I think this could have benefitted from further research and development.
I felt the author needed to commit to her arguments, especially with such an agressive, attention-getting title. However, I felt she was very hesitant to drive her point home. She would present an argument, but then backtrack to "well, not ALL Arab women."
The author's writing is beautiful, and I would be more inclined to read some of her poetry, as I think it would be more powerful.
horridcharms's review against another edition
2.0
I encountered this book in the Alef bookstore on Baker Street, London. I read the blurb and my expectations were raised, and as I paid for the book the cashier told me how great a writer Haddad is, so my expectations were raised even further. I was glad to have a book in my hands that not only seemed it would be a quick read, ideal for the long train journeys I often take, but would enlighten me in my western stupor. I'm not sure I was enlightened, though it did give me a quick reference point when I needed to correct friends and acquaintances making blanket statements on the "Arab world." I think that's all I really got from the novel, I'm afraid. It was somewhat entertaining to read - and, as I mention, a very brief read - but I found the structure bothersome, as Haddad uses far too much repetition, and sometimes it really was far too self-indulgent, even for a novel with the word "confessions" in the title. I was always expecting something more in-depth, but I was never given it. Had the book been any longer than it was, I wouldn't have bothered finishing it.
stephbeaudoin20's review against another edition
5.0
I Killed Scheherazade : Confessions of an Angry Arab Woman by Joumana Haddad
The poets know. This is not a book of poetry, but it is definitely written by a poet.
This whole book had me at the edge of my seat, waiting to find out what knowledge Joumana Haddad would drop on me next. I have highlights in every chapter. But my favorite was Post-Partum: I Killed Scheherazade. It is the ultimate ending chapter.
I am adding this to The Diverse Baseline Challenge December prompt of a book by a BIPOC author about Intersectional Feminism. It's not a standard choice, but it will open your eyes.
The poets know. This is not a book of poetry, but it is definitely written by a poet.
This whole book had me at the edge of my seat, waiting to find out what knowledge Joumana Haddad would drop on me next. I have highlights in every chapter. But my favorite was Post-Partum: I Killed Scheherazade. It is the ultimate ending chapter.
I am adding this to The Diverse Baseline Challenge December prompt of a book by a BIPOC author about Intersectional Feminism. It's not a standard choice, but it will open your eyes.
holgerhaase's review against another edition
5.0
One of my favourite discoveries in quite some time. It's been ages since I last highlighted so many memorable passages in a book (the Kindle edition I should hasten to add lest you think I deface the print media).
This series of essays started off as a riposte to clichés about "Arab Women" mainly in the West and in a series of autobiographical pieces Haddad discusses how she became the woman she is.
And the beauty of this book is that this is eventually indeed not about Arab Women or even about Women in general but about humanity and what it means to be free.
This series of essays started off as a riposte to clichés about "Arab Women" mainly in the West and in a series of autobiographical pieces Haddad discusses how she became the woman she is.
And the beauty of this book is that this is eventually indeed not about Arab Women or even about Women in general but about humanity and what it means to be free.
thebechdelbitch's review against another edition
slow-paced
1.0
This book in an incoherent rant at best, hateful and problematic at worst. I kept finding myself checking what year this book was written, so as to excuse the author for these horrifically outdated views on how other women live their lives - I’m sorry to say that I find 2010 far too recent to be spouting this first wave/terf-adjacent nonsense.
I started off being annoyed by the writing style. Haddad loves a good list, and frequently throughout this book she’ll list a bunch of things that have pissed her off, and avoids going into detail on literally any of them. They are often very obvious and surface level issues that she has with Beirut, with ways in which women feel like they have to change their behaviour, etc - but there is one in particular I need to point out, where she is upset that her ten year old son is listening to 50 Cent rather than Chopin and like…. show me a 10 year old who isn’t?
As the book continued, it slowly dawned on me that this writer is a victim of internalised misogyny and has not quite figured it out yet. She equates being a woman with femininity, and has a very slim idea of what that looks like, shaming women for having hairy armpits, “messy” clothes, getting plastic surgery, etc - and suggests that we should all aim to be beautiful, well dressed and elegant at the same time as being well read and intelligent.
There is also a whole passage where she describes a pregnant women commanding troupes as beautiful, and the ultimate example of womanhood. A wild read for sure (for the wrong reasons obvs).
I feel pretty sorry for her over all, and I wonder if she has revised any of her opinions but I’m questioning why this was allowed to be published as it is and what kind of person she is to have written it.