Daughters of Arabia

Author/Guide: Jean Sassoon

Why a Booktrail?

20/21 C – The first book in the series Princess lifted the veil on the role of women in the Saudi Royal family. Now, this sequel does the same for the daughters of the princess

ISBN: 978-0553816938
Genre: Biography/memoirs

Comment

What you need to know before your trail

Place any teenager from any faith or culture around the world into a restrictive environment and chances are they will rebel. These two royal daughters Maha and Amani have it more difficult than most and being two very different personalities. As the two girls grow into their unique roles and lifestyles, their world may be one of riches but even a gilded cage is still a cage.

This is Saudia Arabia seen through royal eyes. And a determined princess desperate to make the life for her daughter’s a legacy they’ll want to maintain, a life they’ll enjoy and where they’ll be free

Locations

Reset

Travel Guide

Saudi Arabia may not be the most forthcoming of countries regarding the rights of women but to see it through the eyes of a princess and her two girls is a new way entirely.
The Princess knows all to well of the restrictions placed on her and her daughters and fights as hard as she can to overcome them.

There are many incidents of the ever present “mutawain” (religious police) who strike fear in to people. The freedom of speech is not at all free and there seem to be many instances of ‘treatments’ to keep the public in check. Since the author Jean Sasson lived in the kingdom for many years, she gives a unique insight into what we otherwise would not know. With visits too to Cairo, this is a journey to another Muslim land with different rules and an insight into both.

Not surprisingly the characters in the book are based on real people who had to remain anonymous.

The royal eyes which see and observe so much in this locked up kingdom are those which desire change and the change is all the more important for the daughters, the women of tomorrow.