I recently finished reading Nawal El Saadawi’s Zeina, published by Saqi. Zeina tells the story of literary critic Bodour El Damhiri, who is in a loveless marriage to writer Zakariah El Khartiti who married her for her family’s high status and wealth. Bodour harbours a secret - before she got married she was in love with a revolutionary and had his child out of wedlock. She abandons her baby girl who is then brought up by housekeeper Zeinat, and is named Zeina bint Zeinat. Zeina grows up to be a well-loved musician and entertainer. Bodour tries to reclaim her narrative by writing a novel based on her life. As Egypt’s streets are hit once more by revolution Bodour realises there are forces out to get Zeina - will she be able to warn her in time?

In Zeina El Saadawi highlights the darker realities in Egyptian society - rape and pedophillia being among them. She also demonstrates the hypocrisy of men who on the face of it are in “respectable” positions in society, but behind closed doors mistreat their wives, cheat and believe they have the right to have sex with any girl or woman they want. They have an obsession with sex, yet in their everyday lives are self-righteous and quick to announce this or that as unIslamic or blasphemous. It’s clear to see why this book is banned in Egypt.

We know that El Saadawi was critical of the patriarchal nature of major world faiths, and in Zeina her female protagonists question the way in which Islam, Christianity, and Judaism are practised in Egypt, with patriarchal interpretations and misogynistic practises meaning that women are considered by society as deficient in intellect.

El Saadawi repeats such misogynistic views throughout the novel, and it’s important to note that these are the perceptions of certain characters/members of society and not El Saadawi’s herself. It is El Saadawi’s bravery in writing about the hypocrisy and double standards of men in Egyptian society which makes me admire her so much - I know too well that when you “expose” the way men behave behind closed doors in Arab societies you get called a liar, “siding with the West” or “ruining” the country’s reputation.