Escaping the Twilight

by Sigrid Weidenweber

In this coming-of-age story, Amina, a Sudanese girl experiences a traumatic event at age nine. Intensifying her struggle for identity in the silent world of women, she cannot erase the pain and humiliation of that experience. With steely determination, she vows to do whatever is necessary to prevent her daughter from suffering the same demoralizing fate--even if it means going against the wishes of her husband and the rules of her family. Will she succeed in helping her daughter rise above her own personal tragedy and humiliation? The detailed descriptions of customs and lifestyle give a deep, fascinating insight into the Sudanese culture, as well as entry into the cloaked world of Muslim women in a story about survival, tradition and triumph.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction

226 pages, Kindle Edition

First published June 1, 2003

Reviews

[Kelley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very well done, well researched, well written. I enjoyed learning about another culture and grateful that I wasn't raised that way.

[Darlene · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kindle ASIN B0080XHDC2

I am not sure where I learned about this book, but it has been on my TBR shelf for a long time. Although it appears to be an autobiography, it is actually well-researched fiction.

Here, read the blurb from GoodReads:

In this coming-of-age story, Amina, a Sudanese girl experiences a traumatic event at age nine. Intensifying her struggle for identity in the silent world of women, she cannot erase the pain and humiliation of that experience. With steely determination, she vows to do whatever is necessary to prevent her daughter from suffering the same demoralizing fate--even if it means going against the wishes of her husband and the rules of her family. Will she succeed in helping her daughter rise above her own personal tragedy and humiliation? The detailed descriptions of customs and lifestyle give a deep, fascinating insight into the Sudanese culture, as well as entry into the cloaked world of Muslim women in a story about survival, tradition and triumph.

This was an intense story. I hope it is read a lot. I would have loved it in audio form, but text-to-speech on Kindle helped a lot.

[Scotti · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a powerful and compelling book. EVERYONE should read this. Though written in a Novel format, the subject matter is real. It is happening NOW in the world we live in. As horrifying as the holocaust and as hidden. Women may relate more, but men are impacted by this custom as well. This is not a fluffy "beach read." It is a change your life, and Thank God I live in America, read.

[Betty · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was slow in accepting the book since it is fiction. I had just read Half the Sky about oppressed women world wide. I was concerned that a fictional account of the issue would undercut the seriousness of the issue, but I did think it was well done and worth reading.

[Sandy Sullivan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book fascinated me from the beginning. I did not know much about the tradition of female circumcision, otherwise known as female mutilation. I was unaware that this horrific practice continues today in numerous countries. It is done in unsafe ways without pain killers and without sterilized instruments.
This story is about a woman who is circumcised and after having two sons and a daughter is determined that her daughter will not undergo this mutilation. What she must go through to save herself and her daughter to escape her husband, her country and this tradition is unbelievable. I only wish my current life allowed me to sit and read straight through uninterrupted, as I gladly would have read through the night.

[Kris]

Disturbing. And worth reading.

[Dixie Goode · Rating 5 out of 5]

No, this book has nothing to do with sparkly vampires. Yes it is a wonderful, intense read about a life very unlike mine. Not all women get to be as free with who they are and the goals they want to reach for as I have been. The wonderful little girl in this story is mutilated and controlled and intimidated all before she is old enough to know that there are options other than crawling off into the desert to die. The way she comes through her life, scared but strong and aware made me cheer her, but desperately wish no other child would ever have their parents hand them over to be mutilated and purified. This is a graphic look at the practice of female circumcision and genital mutilation and deals with it in an honest yet ultimately empowering way. The key moments in her life hinge on the choices muslim mothers make for their daughters, her mothers choice for her, her young friend's Mother's choice for that child, and finally the choice she couldn't make for herself but must make for her own daughter, and how that means she can not keep her son.

[Christine · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book shows how the lives of Sudanese women are based around the rite of female circumcision--a woman who is not circumcised is not even good enough, clean enough, to prepare food for her family. The female protagonist, Amina, is given a chance for a better, freer, life in the city, outside the compound in which she lives, because she's found favor with her father by being able to repeat verses from the Qur'an. regardless of whether one lives in the village compound or in the confined splendor of the city, women are reduced to chattel, who are usually not good enough to even be in the presence of a male. It is the love of children and tradition that keeps these women trapped. Weidenweber's book shows this in a captivating way, with one having empathy for women in these circumstances. Once they decide circumcision for women is wrong--there can be deadly circumstances.

(Read the overview provided by goodreads, also.)

[Trish Sanders · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this book! It had tremendous substance and depth without being at all boring or pedantic. The author is an anthropologist who has studied the subject matter (Female Genital Mutilation) extensively and uses her knowledge of this practice to inform her writing. However, it is a novel and I was completely drawn into the world of this woman, Amina, who is telling the story of her life thus far. Although Amina is still a relatively young woman as she is narrating her tale, it is stunning to realize how much pain and difficulty she has been through already.

I would strongly encourage you to check out this book. It captivated me from the very beginning and held my interest all the way through. The story rests on a very detailed account of her experiences and thoughts, which is usually more difficult for me to read, but I was so fascinated with Amina, as well as the rest of the characters in the story, that I never felt like putting it down.

[Joni · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very well researched and written book about the Sudanese culture and their mistreatment of Muslim women. It is the story of Amina, a 9 year old Sudanese girl who undergoes female circumcision and almost dies. The act of circumcision is considered to be a female's right of passage into purity, preparing her for marraige. Amina marries a man who takes her from her tiny village into the city of Khartoum where she lives with his family. Her husband's Aunt Sophie, who is a well educated modern woman, takes Amina under her wing and teaches her many things. With the birth of her daughter Amina vows that the girl will not suffer the same fate Amina did.

[Holly · Rating 4 out of 5]

I did a research paper in college on Female Genital Mutilation, so I was very interested in reading this book. I don't think the writing was all that riveting, but the subject matter kept my attention. I appreciate the opportunity to read about FGM from the viewpoint of someone who suffered from it, even if the character was fictional.

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Couldn't put it down. I read it in three sittings. Realistic fiction based on true stories of girls who become women in areas of Africa, growing up under oppression of many different types, including female circumcision. Makes me want to make a difference for them somehow. So grateful I was born someplace else but so desirous to join Sigrid in her adventure to bring good change to the world.

[Evelyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a well researched piece of fiction telling accounts of female circumcision in the Muslim world, specifically Sudan. This custom perpetuated by fear and men's power over women is incredibly inhumane and has resulted in mutilation and deaths. The author helps one understand the cultural forces that allow this to continue.

[Estela]

The story is well written and very gripping. I "enjoyed" it (although it's not correct to say I enjoyed reading about someone's pain), but it did give me several nights of troubled sleep because of the events she described.

[Donna · Rating 5 out of 5]

The story of one woman and her desire to break free. Although a work of fiction it was able to bring you into the world of female circumcision and brought an awareness of the plight of women world wide.

[Rhonda Dickherber · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a disturbing book. I have not heard much of female circumcision and it was difficult to even think about. It also provides a look inside the life of women in predominately Muslim countries.

[Therese]

$0.0

[Alison]

kindle 226 (africa)

[Rose Harris · Rating 4 out of 5]

Worth reading. A reminder of just how lucky we are as American women.