Well, this book is not very pro-Islam. Or rather, it's not in favor of some parts of Islam. Of course, the religion is called something else, and there is a "second prophet", but I sort of saw it as a thinly veiled criticism of certain aspects of Islam.
This book was very difficult for me to read. I'm a feminist, so a lot of the actions in this book just enraged me. I wanted to go in there and start eliminating some people. (Obviously, I am not a pacifist!) So, the book evoked A LOT of strong emotion in me. Especially since I know that most of the things in this book actually happen to women in many parts of the world - including the western world. Not all the parts were easy to read, although the author did a good job of not getting too graphic. Which was almost worse - it left a lot up to your imagination. Mine is very vivid!
All in all, I found this book fantastically brilliant. I loved the writing, the plot, the characters. I could relate to the main character, her desires, her motives, etc. I thought this book was also powerful in the amount of emotions it evoked - from tenderness to rage to fear to sadness. It ran the whole gamut. And, despite the focus on women, I thought the author also did a good job of portraying the fact that not all men are evil (obviously). Some feminist books really go overboard in the "all men are evil" theme. But, not this one. I thought it was very realistic in portraying human struggles, and what it means to be trapped by a belief system.
This book was very difficult for me to read. I'm a feminist, so a lot of the actions in this book just enraged me. I wanted to go in there and start eliminating some people. (Obviously, I am not a pacifist!) So, the book evoked A LOT of strong emotion in me. Especially since I know that most of the things in this book actually happen to women in many parts of the world - including the western world. Not all the parts were easy to read, although the author did a good job of not getting too graphic. Which was almost worse - it left a lot up to your imagination. Mine is very vivid!
All in all, I found this book fantastically brilliant. I loved the writing, the plot, the characters. I could relate to the main character, her desires, her motives, etc. I thought this book was also powerful in the amount of emotions it evoked - from tenderness to rage to fear to sadness. It ran the whole gamut. And, despite the focus on women, I thought the author also did a good job of portraying the fact that not all men are evil (obviously). Some feminist books really go overboard in the "all men are evil" theme. But, not this one. I thought it was very realistic in portraying human struggles, and what it means to be trapped by a belief system.
Fantastic world and fantastic story.
Excellent reading.
I can't really say the book was enjoyable, as it was painful to read about what these women went through. However, it was well written and definitely a book I would recommend to someone who wants a little bit of an eye opener. To the last page, I couldn't put it down. Not a light read but one I would read again.
Zahra Ibsada is a talented medicant on the planet Irustan, and sees much of the joy in the lives of the women she heals, and much of their pain. She sees a wife brutally beaten, a prostitute suffering at the hands of her employers . . . and her best friend, Kalen, a mother who is struggling to save her daughter from a cruel betrothal to a sadist who's already buried two other young wives.
Kalen begs Zahra for help, and although it goes against her medicant vows, Zahra reluctantly agrees. But this silent act of terrorism will have far reaching consequences--for herself, and for all the women of her planet.
Kalen begs Zahra for help, and although it goes against her medicant vows, Zahra reluctantly agrees. But this silent act of terrorism will have far reaching consequences--for herself, and for all the women of her planet.
On the planet of Irustan, one woman is fighting back. Zahra Ibsada is a talented medicant, and sees much of the joy in the lives of women she heals - and much of the pain. She sees a wife brutally beaten, a prostitute suffering at the hands of her employers and her best friend, Kalen - a mother who is struggling to save her daughter from a cruel betrothal. Kalen begs Zahra for help, and although it goes against her medicant vows, Zahra reluctantly agrees. But this silent act of terrorism will have far-reaching consequences - for herself, and for all the women of her planet.
Zahra Ibsada is a talented medicants, and sees much of the joy in the lives of the women she heals - and much of the pain. She sees a wife brutally beaten, a prostitute suffering at the hands of her employers, and her best friend, Kalen - a mother who is struggling to save her daughter from a cruel betrothal. Kalen begs Zahra for help, and although it goes against her medicant vows, Zahra reluctantly agrees. But this silent act of terrorism will have far-reaching consequences - for herself, and for all the women of her planet.
