Customer Reviews

The Dancer from Khiva: One Muslim Woman's Quest for Freedom

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4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
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This is a different sort of book. It's not fiction, but it doesn't really read like a memoir either. It's the true story of Bibish, an Uzbeki woman who grows up in a tiny village. Bibish is sexually assaulted on more than one occasion, but never tells anyone because in her culture, she would be punished for the assaults. She endures numerous hardships but somehow maintains hope and a desire to escape her difficult life. She loves to dance but is punished for doing so by her family. She makes her escape, which leads to a whole new series of pitfalls.

Although many of the things that happen to her are horrific, there are other, more light hearted aspects of the novel too. When Bibish moves to Russia and sets up a stall in the marketplace, she hasn't quite got the hang of the Russian language and makes some fairly inappropriate, and hilarious, gaffes while trying to talk to customers. The tone of the book is very conversational, almost a cross between a journal and a long talk with a close friend. It's both sad and uplifting, and a clear and personal portrait of one woman's struggle to survive oppression and poverty with her spirit intact.

I really liked this book. I like that she wrote it as though she were just talking to you and telling her story face to face. I'm still not sure why it says "one muslim woman's quest for freedom" in the description though. Maybe the publisher thought it would make for a good sale?
At some points in this book I wanted to cry, and then at some points I was laughing so hard I did cry. She is a very spirited woman, but I just wish that she would stand up for herself a little more. She doesn't dwell on the bad things. She tells it like it is and then moves on. I'm left with the impression that she plans to write a sequal and thats why the ending was a bit abrupt.

I just finished this book last night and thought it was written by a child. Now that I realize it was translated the words make much more sense. It was written as if she was talking directly to you. She expressed joy and sorrow much like a good friend would reveal it to you. I, too, feel there will be a sequel.
I don't know if her family will read the book as it will bring them great pain and, perhaps shame.
This is not your typical Iran, Iraq, Saudi kind of Muslim bio. Most of the time I had no idea where she was from or going to. I do know she ended up in Russia.
It's a good book, however, not the first one I'd read about Muslim womens plight. For that I would suggest Jean Sassons Princess trilogy.