When Rajaa Alsanea’s debut novel was released in Lebanon in late 2005, it created a sensation in the Middle East by portraying the private lives of young Saudi women in colloquial Arabic and relatively explicit detail. Now, English-language readers can see what the fuss was about.
Alsanea dives into the world of a group of women typically shrouded from public view. The four friends - Gamrah, Sadeem, Michelle, and Lamees - all belong to Saudi Arabia’s upper class. Each wages a mini-rebellion (some large and some small) in an attempt to gain control of their lives, refusing to allow legal restrictions and societal norms to dictate their futures.
The protagonists’ little revolutions reveal how Saudi laws criminalize simple acts most women take for granted. Daring actions include: wearing red under their abayas to school on Valentine’s Day (a banned holiday); dressing up as men to drive a car to the mall; sneaking sips of alcohol from their parents’ illicit stash; and strolling with boyfriends by pretending to be escorted by their male relative (the only legal way a single woman can appear with a man in public).
Each woman charts her own path through the challenges of Saudi society. The range of personalities and family dynamics Alsanea portrays should shatter monolithic stereotypes about Saudis. Girls of Riyadh shows a modest feminist movement blossoming behind the scenes. While no character organizes a demonstration, all pursue some sort of reform in their personal lives.