18 of 19 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Muslim American life, in a nutshell. With a "Progressive Islam" ending, though., February 4, 2010
This review is from: The Girl in the Tangerine Scarf: A Novel (Paperback)
I am an American Muslim who went through many of the same experiences as the book's protagonist, although I am not the child of immigrants. I found the first half of the book to be a sensitive and generally accurate depiction of American Muslim life, very parallel to my own experiences in the '90s. My enjoyment dropped off a cliff however once Khadra's divorce (all of which was perfectly reasonable) was finalized and the character of the book changed dramatically. The book becomes preachy, clearly aimed at convincing the reader of the "rightness" of Khadra's denial of "conservative religion".
While in Syria, Khadra's angst suddenly becomes apparent even though the book doesn't give any specific reason why she should be angst-y in the first place. Nobody forced her to marry that particular Kuwaiti dude. In fact, there were warning signs that he wasn't a good match for her but she just shrugged her shoulders and figured he was "just as good as anybody else who would ask". Wow. Nobody forced her to take "medical technology" as her major in school. She went to public school and had non-Muslim friends and co-workers throughout her young life and I find it hard to believe that she never had any serious exposure to other belief systems, career paths in life, personality types, etc. Yes, I know many Muslim immigrant families who are poor, science/technology-focused and literature/arts-deaf, there is a lack of appreciation for "beauty" (leaving the definition of that aside), and I know full well the type of Muslims who say you should marry "anyone with a good religion and good character" but none of this really comes to the surface in the beginning of the book. Khadra does seem to come to some appreciation of WHY that is the case at the end of the book-- poverty, oppression in the political situations in Muslim countries, etc., but this is not fully explored.
It seems that Khadra is whipped into a state of angst after meeting a nameless poet on Qasiyoun mountain who spews typical meaningless and/or cliched poet drivel. She becomes a perpetually dissatisfied twentysomething, and suddenly becomes convinced that all paths lead to God and that her goal should be to never offend anyone else by insisting on any moral standards. (Why did she have to back down when Seemi insisted that if she believes sex outside of marriage is wrong, then she must believe that she is an "immoral person" and if that is the case then she must abandon her view?)
Don't get me wrong, I am a big fan of Kahf's writings and her writing style and I appreciate her sensitive eye and the way she has put many sensitive and intelligent observations about American Muslim life to paper, but I stop being a fan at the point where she seems to imply, as many others do, that being "conservatively religious" and having firm standards about what constitutes appropriate outward behavior in life are somehow completely incompatible with "cherishing youself", appreciating beauty, being able to appreciate and live with other religous traditions, etc. I have many friends who took the same path as Khadra and I find they have the same bias.
One of the unique things I personally see about our experience as Muslim in America is that our religion does in fact allow us (as I believe Kahf is trying to say, ultimately) to be full participants in life while still observing our belifs both outwardly and inwardly. I think the fact that Muslims, even those who outwardly observe public prayer, hijab, formal gender interaction rules, etc., while still being visible participants in full American lives is unique. Unlike most Orthodox Jews, Mennonites, Amish, etc., we do not isolate ourselves in ghettos and subcultures.
As a "conservatively" religious person myself (And we could debate the meaning of "conservative" but I consider hijab to be a religious requirement for example so most people would label me "conservative") I reject and am offended by the implication that this insistence on my outward observances and standards (despite my full participation in public and private life) makes me a "fundamentalist", an intolerant person, or a person who has denied important parts of who I am to fit into a certain "program" or that others must need to do the same. For example I don't see why Hanifa couldn't have raced in the Indy 500 while wearing hijab or, heck, niqab even (I know some pretty tenacious niqab-wearers who would do it!) Why also was it only the "Fallen" Muslims who seem to accomplish the "Big Things"?
Finally, as a side note I do get tired of Kahf's obsession with bathroom humor and sexual references. The bathroom humor drags down the quality of the book some. I would have understood one or two incidents of it related to Muslim bathroom habits as remembered by a child, but the repetitive use of it was really too much.
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
Was this review helpful to you? Yes
No
12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
An illuminating book - addressing some of the central issues of our times, August 13, 2007
This review is from: The Girl in the Tangerine Scarf: A Novel (Paperback)
A book that yields rich insights on several dimensions. The dominant one is what it is like to grow up as a minority within the American culture - and not just any old minority, but as a Muslim, which parts of American society are actively trying to demonize. It was the "flip-side" of my own experience, living as a non-Muslim in the very heartland of Islam, Saudi Arabia, for a quarter century. While I was never forced to deal with issues of assimilation, Ms. Kahf's character, Khadra, must wrestle with the parts of her heritage that are essential, and those that can be jettisoned. How many religious injunctions are merely codified fetishes, illustrated by the refusal to eat any meat from the deli because of the meat-cutter?
There are numerous important sub-themes. The timeless subject of male-female relations, with that "Islamic twist" is shown in a realistic light, covering a spectrum of possibilities. Through her characters, Blu and Bitsy, who were Khadra's roommates at various periods, Ms. Kafh is able to illustrate nuances in beliefs that are all too often generalized. Blu is Jewish, and there is much agreement between these "daughters of Abraham," except on that haram subject of Israel and Palestine. Bitsy is Iranian, and leaves notes around the apartment blaming "the Arabs" for all of Iran's problems.
Khadra's trip to Saudi Arabia, to complete the Haj, was more uneven. There is no question that cocaine exists in the Kingdom, but I found the particular scene in which it was depicted playing heavily towards that stereotypical view of rich, decadent Saudis. More realistic, and more insightful are her dealings with the mutawaa (the religious police), and in particular how various Saudi males refuse to confront their arrogance and inappropriate behavior.
Ms. Kafh is clearly erudite, in a most important trans-cultural way. Her epigraphs ground her novel in the wider world of ideas, and these selections range from Rumi and Al-Arabi to James Baldwin and Leonard Cohen.
A strong book, which addresses some of the central issues of our times.... And is strongly recommended.
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
Was this review helpful to you? Yes
No
13 of 15 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Widening my world view, March 23, 2007
This review is from: The Girl in the Tangerine Scarf: A Novel (Paperback)
While I didn't love the writing style in this book or find it compelling reading, I do recommend it highly for the expanded world view it provides. I loved seeing mainstream American life through a young Muslim woman's eyes. I found it interesting to learn the many varying views amoung Muslims about how to live life - no reason be be surprised by that but I was. Sometimes it is too easy to accept the flat picture of people and events portrayed by the media. That is why I often find for me novels are the best way to open my mind to new ideas and ways of thinking and being.
Khadra is a character I will remember because of her search for common ground with friends of different backgrounds and religion, her struggle to find what her beliefs were and how she could separate from yet still connect with her family and its construct, and her effort to find ethical work. I would like to get to know the girl in the tangerine scarf and blue jeans.
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
Was this review helpful to you? Yes
No
![[Start the discussion]](http://g-ecx.images-amazon.com/images/G/01/x-locale/communities/discussion_boards/start-new-discussion-sec._V192250339_.gif){kind=small}
