This book… Where do I even start? I bought this book the year it came out and it has been on my reading list since then. So why didn’t I pick it up and read earlier, you ask? I honestly don’t know! But boy am I glad I finally did!
If you know anything about me, you’ll know that some of my favourite books to read are based on women’s lives in different cultures. I love getting to know these women through their beliefs and how their upbringing shaped them. A Woman is No Man is one such book; and when I tell you it will break your heart and make you furious at the very same time, I’m not kidding.
You get to peek into the lives of these women and in many ways even get to understand why they act the way the do. Etaf Rum is an amazing writer and doesn’t shy away from showing us the harsh realities of the lives of these women. As much as this book shows you how much the women have to endure and pull through, it also gives you a sneak peek in to the kind of expectations that the men have to live upto. I’m in no way saying this justifies their behaviour in the way they treat their wives and daughters, but I do sympathise with the pressure put on them to look after their families.
Although the writing and language in this book was pretty smooth to sail through, the story itself was heartbreaking and at times hard to read. Having said that, I found myself eager to know what happened to all these characters and had a hard time putting it down. Etaf Rum as definitely made her spot in my favourite writers list and I look forward to reading more of her work.
My rating: 5⭐️