Customer Reviews

The Nightingale

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I thought this book was very well written. The voice of the main character, Leila, who was a 23 year-old Iraqi woman, was so real to the thoughts and feelings of an independent woman wanting to mark her own path in life, but hampered by cultural roadblocks. The information given in this book about the war in Iraq was very informative and I find myself understanding more references to the war now that I have read this book. I also enjoyed the love story between Leila and her man and appreciated the fact that the author kept this romance very clean and innocent...such a refreshing break from today's literature. My book club group of ladies aging from late twenties to early thirties found this book to be a great read and would definitely recommend it to others.

In Mosul the al-Ghani family patriarch Tamir was a highly respected judge under the Hussein regime. A pragmatic moderate, he encouraged his children to be all they can be and urged his two daughters Fatima and Leila to obtain an education and encouraged them to dream. Leila wants to be a doctor and not forced into an unwanted marriage. When Saddam was deposed, he remained well respected and his family treated nicely though the income dropped radically.

However, when the photos of torture of Iraqis by American soldiers at Abu Ghraib prison are revealed, Tami becomes outraged by the affront to his people. As hostilities in Mosul make the city extremely dangerous for everyone, he demands that his daughters adhere to strict Muslim laws, is thankful to Allah that Fatima has a fiancé sensible Khaled and informs Leila he will arrange a marriage for her. Leila obtains work as a translator at the American military base's hospital, but hides from her parents what she is doing even helping torture victims. Leila begins a relationship with Special Forces officer James Cartwright, but as Mosul explodes in violence she must choose between her father's demands and what she believes is the right thing to do.

The well written forbidden romance between the American soldier and the twenty-three years old Iraqi female takes a back seat to the incredible look at Mosul when the firefight ignited and united the city against the occupiers. The story line is deep as the audience obtains a poignant often depressing look at what the war has cost the locals. Readers will appreciate THE NIGHTINGALE as Morgana Gallaway provides an in depth tale of clashing cultures when war devastates Mosul and threatens every resident as none will come out of the conflict without some loss.

Harriet Klausner

What an excellent book! I typically read "chick-lit" so this seemed like a bit of a departure for me when I picked it up at the library. The development of characters, the plot line, and the style of story-telling keep you turning pages until late into the night. For a debut novel, this was spectacular. Not only did it give me something to think about as far as the war goes, it also kept me engrossed with it's love story. Extremely well researched and written. I highly recommend it to anyone, especially book clubs as it would lead to some great discussion. :)

I found this book to be a very refreshing love story. Even though it's fiction, I was afraid it would be too politically heavy for my taste, but fortunately it was not. There was just the right amount of politics, culture, and love-story to make it a really interesting book to read. The ending wasn't overly predictable, either. I enjoy reading about the Middle East and especially about personal journeys of Middle Easterners and Muslims (either fictional or non-fictional), and this book fit the bill for me. Good writing style made the story flow, and made the characters feel "real".

Noorah

The story of Leila searching for her identity in war torn Iraq is compelling and well written. While she wants to become a doctor, the Iraqi War has disrupted her plans and transformed her family. Her father, a Baathist judge, becomes conservative and seeks to marry her off to a cousin.

Within narrow constraints Leila seeks to find her own path through working at an Iraqi hospital. The authors portrayal of the role of women in traditional Iraqi society matches other biographies from Arabic cultures.

An excellent read and provides insight into the role of women in traditional Muslim societies.

Wow. I loved this book. It occurs during the present day Iraqi war. Readers are introduced to Leila, a young woman living in Mosul who has high hopes and dreams for herself. She strives to become educated and pursue a career as a doctor. However, her parents are trying desperately to marry her off to her repulsive cousin. Her father is a terrorist and after getting a job on an American military base as a medical assistant and a translator, Leila is torn between two worlds. Her father encourages her to spy on the Americans and the Americans want her to turn in her father. Either decision she makes betrays someone, either her father who is randomly killing and full of hate or her new American friends and co workers who do not understand her country or religion, not to mention the handsome American Major she is falling in love with. The last couple of chapters are very fast paced and full of action as Leila's father commits a horrifying crime, making her an accomplice to terrorism. Will the choice she makes in the end be the right one? I sense a sequel here also.

My book club (mixed age) loved this book. (We think it could make a GREAT movie!) Lots to talk about. The other reviews handle it well. We created our own discussion questions which I'll include here.
Questions for "The Nightingale" by Morgan Gallaway
1. Comment on the plight of ambitious women in non-westernized societies. Ambitious men? Do the same barriers exist?
2. What caused Tamir (Leila's Dad) to go over the edge?
3. Why does her mom live in denial of her husband's activities?
4. How believable is the notion that private corporations which may profit from a war are involved in "stirring the pot" to encourage more violence?
5. The name of the book is "The Nightingale." On Pg 153 it says that it was her dad's nickname for her as a child. Discuss.
6. Prayer by Muslim Women: On Pg 2 Leila comments on this. Are most Muslim women more observant than Leila?
7. On Pg. 33 it says that due to war injuries & war trauma "For a generation, Mosul would be a city of beggars." Are there any generational effects of this war on the American people? On our servicepeople?
8. Were James' actions honorable or traitorous? Is it treasonous to expose the dishonorable actions of one's own countrymen? Or does America benefit from an honest examination of its mistakes?
9. Why is it so easy for Leila to lie? She lies easily to Hala's father about the head scarf. She lies easily to her parents on many occasions.
10. Did the insurgents hiding in the well remind you of Saddam Hussein's hiding place? His "spider hole?"
11. Was Tamir truly trying to marry off Leila to Abdul out of concern knowing of his own dangerous plans? If not, what are his motives?
12. Wearing the Hijab: Liberating or not?
13. James delays action against Tamir al-Ghani because of his friendship with Leila. How would immediate action against Tamir have changed some outcomes in the book? Would Fatima be married? Would she be alive? Would Leila have left Iraq?
14. What's up with the music from "The Wizard of Oz" being played during torture sessions?
15. At what point, if any, did the story become unbelievable to you?
16. Pg 289 - Leila's explanation for martyrdom. Discuss.
17. Pg 304 - "Finally Leila felt like she was a real Iraqi." Discuss.
18. Do Leila & James marry eventually?

Flawed characters abound in violence-torn Iraq as Leila Al-Ghani, heroine of Morgana Galloway's stunning, fast-paced, deeply textured debut novel The Nightingale, rebels against tradition and religion and her family's plans for her future. Against the backdrop of Mosul after the fall of Saddam Hussein, Leila, daughter of a former judge, dreams of becoming a doctor.

With a degree from Cairo University, Leila is well-qualified to start medical school, except for one major obstacle. Since the fall of the Hussein regime, her parents have adopted traditional ways. They decide to arrange a marriage to a doctor, believing that becoming the wife of a medical man is just as good as becoming a doctor herself. In light of their obstinate faith in traditional women's roles, the political situation, where the conflict between the mujahadeen, the Iraqi police, and the American forces have made it difficult for Iraqi citizens to leave the country, seems a minor inconvenience.

To pursue her medical training and preserve herself emotionally, Leila agrees to compromise after compromise. She lies, prevaricates, manipulates, and betrays others in her search for a way out of her traditional family. The fact that each betrayal is forced on her by the circumstances of Iraqi society after Hussein makes her ever more poignant and vulnerable.

At the heart of the novel is Leila's growing romance with the handsome but also-flawed American soldier, James Cartwright. A Special Forces officer, he has learned to deal with some of the atrocities he has witnessed by becoming emotionally withdrawn. As his relationship with Leila grows, it brings about a rebirth of conscience. With Leila, he begins to research the roots of a series of contradictory orders he has received. In a plot twist worthy of a thriller rather than a romance, Leila and James make some startling discoveries about the nature of the violence both in Mosul and into the wider arena of global politics.

The most fatally flawed characters in the book are Leila's parents, Tamir and Umm Naji. A note should be made about the inherent sexism of the society, where Leila's mother is never addressed by her real name but only as Umm, that is, Mother, of Naji, Leila's brother, the male heir to the family, and never, for instance, as Umm Leila or Umm Fatima as Leila's older sister is called. Umm Naji stifles Leila at every turn. In the end, her intent in arranging Leila's marriage to a cousin who lives far from the violence of Mosul is admirable - she wants her daughter to be physically safe. The fact that her daughter would suffer an emotional and spiritual death from losing her dreams is completely disregarded by Umm Naji. Her lack of any reasonable response to her daughter's dreams and her complete subjugation to her husband's authority give her a chilling reality in the context of traditional and highly restrictive family roles.

The tension and suspense never abate as the story surges onward to a stunning and unexpected conclusion. In the wrenching finale, Tamir's growing lunacy is depicted when he decides to murder Leila for her alleged dishonor in refusing to marry according to his wishes. The honor-killing is thwarted by Leila's quick wits and by the courageous act of an American soldier. Even though Leila survives her father's attempt to murder her, she still must escape from Iraq and come to terms with her feelings for James. It's a white-knuckle ride all the way to the very end.

Margaret Speaker Yuan
Editor, Women in Islam, Greenhaven Press
Regional Adviser, Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators

Reading this book left a very bad taste in my mouth. The characters are nothing but shallow racist caricatures and are completely unlikeable. The author forgoes delving into the social/political complexities behind the Iraq War so that its portrayal can be dumbed down into becoming a simple case of good vs. evil. The worst part is the underlying message behind this book, which is that a woman should give up everything for the sake of a man (who she doesn't even marry in the end). All in all the only thing worth recommending about this book is that you not waste your time reading it!

I've been sitting here thinking of a nice way to start this off, but I can't, so frankly, I'll just say that this book pissed me off. I was a little worried when I read that the author was not Iraqi herself nor had she ever been to Iraq but I decided to shake it off and keep reading, because I have in fact read a few books written by white authors but with main characters from another culture and those books were written well.

All of my doubts were completely justified as I kept reading. Gallaway basically sets up every single stereotype possible. At first I was prepared to like Leila Al-Ghani, the main character, but as I kept reading and the character denounced her religion, took off her hijab, wore western clothes, and slowly fell in love with an American soldier, I started getting more and more annoyed. You can't superimpose your culture onto someone else's. I feel like the author was trying to show how Muslim women are so oppressed and her protagonist would bravely break free of all of those barriers. What bothers me is that first of all, oppression is a word that can mean a million different things. For example many people think that American women are oppressed because of how they are sexualized in the media and advertising. Wearing a hijab, burqa, or niqab doesn't oppress anyone unless they are being forced to wear it, and when they're not being forced it's none of anyone's business what they choose to wear. Second, a woman can be independent and `liberated' by working within the culture. Just because someone likes to cook and clean and wants to be a housewife and a mother doesn't make her any less of a `FEMINIST' than someone who wants to go out and work and never get married. It's ridiculous to put one choice down so that you can bring the other choice up.

I kept reading the book anyway because I wanted to know if it would get any worse. Of course it did. There is only one Iraqi character in the whole book who is portrayed in a positive light, and she dies towards the end of the novel. The main character's father turns out to be a terrorist, and her parents try to force her to marry her cousin. Of course the book does not address the fact that in many non-American cultures, cousin doesn't have the same meaning as it does here. Oh, and the main character falls in love with an American soldier of course.

This may sound harsh, but this book really rubbed me the wrong way. The writing wasn't terrible and I'm sure the intention wasn't terrible, but I feel as though a lot more research about women and Islam would have improved the book and made it much less cliched.