Princess by Jean Sasson


 

This is a fascinating account of the life behind the veil in Saudi Arabia, based on the author’s friendship with a princess in the royal family. One community reviewers comments: "Because the book focuses on women’s issues, and women are indeed treated with great disrespect in Saudi society, there are many troubling scenes involving gang rape, rape by husbands, female genital mutilation, and even the drowning of a rebellious teenage girl. I would not recommend this book for teenagers. This book would be a terrible introduction to marital sex. I was disturbed by many of the images. Betty Mahmoody’s book, Not Without my Daughter, gives much the same information as this book, in a form more appropriate for teenagers. In addition, Betty Mahmoody did act in a heroic way courageously escaping Iran in order to give her daughter a better life; whereas Sultana decides to return to her husband after escaping with her children when her husband announced his decision to take a second wife. She would have been able to leave the country and had plenty of money to establish a new life for herself and her children. However, she decided to return at the end of the book. She thereby makes herself a very poor model for a heroine."
 


Betty Mahmoody’s book, Not Without my Daughter,

gives much the same information as this book, in a form more appropriate for teenagers.


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