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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Wonderful Read,
By Angee (Ozone Park, New York United States) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Minaret: A Novel (Paperback)
I was captivated by this novel from beginning to end. As a Muslim and a woman I really related to the character Najwa. Her gradual tansformation from a spoiled, somewhat shallow teen, to a pensive, observant Muslim is a pleasure to observe. This story is fictional, but the message is definitely real and it's something that could affect anyone. Najwa loses everything and hits rock bottom, but through faith in God, she's able to gain strength and not lose hope. This novel was wholly entertaining and superbly written. The characters were well developed, especially the despicable Anwar, one of Najwa's chief antagonists. I would recommend Minaret to anyone, especially Muslim women. I look forward to Aboulela's future novels.
8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A story to savor,
This review is from: Minaret: A Novel (Paperback)
This is a novel to both devour and savor. As a white American woman, I was allowed to briefly pass through a doorway into a culture I know little about. Aboulela's tale is one of exile and rebirth. Her character, Najwa is a woman who loves family and has nearly lost them all. As the story progresses, the Westerner in me sometimes saw her as being foolishly self sacrificing, yet I couldn't deny the beauty and redemption the character finds as she joins the women at the mosque. Ultimately, Najwa sacrifices two loves -- one for her own good and one for the greater good of another.I was particularly struck by the passage wherein Najwa has adopted more traditional attire and walks by the construction site where she had been whistled at earlier when she was dressed in Western clothes. Ironically, the men now pay no attention to her and she experiences a sense of liberation. A wonderful and thoughtful read.
11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
One Woman's Story,
By Serki Trees (Crazytown!) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Minaret: A Novel (Paperback)
This book isn't about "fundamentalist" Islam, or women in Islam, or why people convert, or why a woman would wear a scarf on her head. This is not a book about "the Muslims." It is not about theology or Islamic law. Beyond that, no single author or book -- or worse, fictional character -- can speak for all Muslims at all times. This book doesn't even speak for all converts or returnees, all Muslim women, or all Sudanese Muslim women. It isn't fair to the author, Leila Aboulela, to the character, or to Muslims in general for non-Muslim readers to expect that this book will answer their questions about Islam and Muslims.
This is a book about one woman -- Najwa -- dealing with loss: the loss of her family, her home, her status, her country, and her sense of self. The only time "Islam" comes into play here is that it is with her faith that Najwa finds some answers for herself. The book doesn't bash you over the head with Islam. Any Christian, Jew, Buddhist, etc. who has found their own sense of peace through their faith will relate to Najwa.
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