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The Blue Eyed Girl
A senior diplomat is stripped of his privileges and abruptly recalled by his own government. As his plane flies into the night, he is shocked that the woman has destroyed his life. But why after so many years? What difference could it make to her now? For decades, two lives have been entangled in the aftermath of sexual violence. Now The Blue Eyed Girl sees clearly.
374 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2013
4 people are currently reading
449 people want to read
About the author
William Goodson
3 books3 followersWilliam Goodson has dedicated his career to improving the care of women with breast cancer. A graduate of Harvard Medical School, he is a surgeon and the author of IT'S YOUR BODY…ASK!, a guide to help women choose their own treatment for breast cancer. He has been professor of surgery and chairman of the Medical School curriculum committee at the University of California, author of over 100 scientific articles, and recipient of the Compassionate Caring Award from the Institute for Health and Healing in San Francisco. This is his first novel.
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
June 4, 2015
I would not have read The Blue Eyed Girl on my own, but my book club scheduled it, and I'm conscientious. This is probably one of the most explicit books I've read in a long time...When Tolstoy brings Anna Karenina and Vronsky together...there are three dots and the subject changes. Well Dr. William Goodson describes things in unflinching detail. He is after all a doctor. The blue eyed girl in question was born in 1946. I was born in 1947. She went to college when I did. She grew up in a world with chaperones and curfews until in the 1960s, then there was James Bond and Playboy, and a tectonic shift no one knew how to manage. All the safeguards for sweet young things were abolished: no more curfew, no more blue laws, no more chaperones. I remember at the time thinking that dating had become barbaric as all the old safeguards were swept away, but good people would develop new more sophisticated ways to manage human nature and restore a civilized way of life. Well, it didn't happen. The blue-eyed girl did not know romance or courtship or wooing...such antique concepts. She knew violence, threats, emotional blackmail,stalking and rape. It happened all the time. It still happens, and even at the best universities. The ladies in my book group thought she should have spoken up against the predator...we know that the price of speaking up even today is a loss of privacy. This was not my book club's most popular book. But we all have either granddaughters or nieces who have to negotiate a violent dating environment and a hypocritical society. I came away from the book thinking what a wonderful man Dr. Goodson is to be honest....
March 27, 2014
This book follows the lives of two characters from childhood to adulthood. The male character, Sayiid, is a Muslim and his side of the story is told from the cultural perspective of a traditional Arab. The lives of these two characters intersect during their college years when Sayiid rapes the female character. The novel continues to follow the lives of the two individuals revealing how the rape impacts their future relationships, families, careers, and friendships.
May 4, 2014
This is one of the best books I've ever read. If everyone read this book, the world would be a better place to live in.
March 21, 2015
When I receive a book to review in the mail, I force myself not to read the back for clues leading to what the book may be about. I do not want to read the summary nor the reviews. I want to form my own opinions and reviews after reading the books. This does not stop me from reading the back of the book after I have read the book myself and started to form my own opinions.
I recently read “The Blue Eyed Girl”, by William Goodson. WIthout any regard to what the book may be about, the cover of the book instantly grabbed me as I took it out of the packaging it arrived in. I was once told that there is something to be said about strong eyes piercing back into yours, and as inanimate as this eye was on the front cover, it pierced right through my soul. Its also been said, not to judge a book by its cover, but quite honestly at this point all I did was judge. I could tell by the cover that this book was going to be intense.
“The Blue Eyed Girl”, by William Goodson focuses on the control of rape culture on women and how different nationalities view women in their societies. It compares in America how women in the 1960’s were taught to be ashamed of having sex before marriage, and if they were raped they were asking for it. It then on the flipside shows how women Arabic women are kept as a trophy. They are completely covered, and do not have control of their sex life or their lives in general.
This novel, although fiction, depicts the evolution of rape culture in America history.How women are viewed, and how men carry a stigmatic trophy of innocence. They say a women wanted it, or convince the women that they were asking to be raped.
I will be honest with you. This book took awhile for me to get into. I often delayed reading it as I could not get into the storyline. However, halfway through the book I started to fold into the pages. The author’s accurate description of the American date rape culture vs the Arabic controlling hierarchy was on point, with how both cultures are viewed in society. As he wrote narratives for both an Arab diplomat, and an American Planned Parenthood activist you could hear both characters voices come through in his writing.
Was this book scary to read? Yes. Was the hush hush of date rape eye opening? Yes.
If you ever find yourself in a position where you are too scared to say no, so you say yes, that is rape. Did you have too much to drink, and a guy takes advantage of you? You were not asking for sex, you were raped. Be strong women. Go confidently in your women’s rights.
This book was reviewed on behalf of a giveaway I won on Goodreads.com.
I recently read “The Blue Eyed Girl”, by William Goodson. WIthout any regard to what the book may be about, the cover of the book instantly grabbed me as I took it out of the packaging it arrived in. I was once told that there is something to be said about strong eyes piercing back into yours, and as inanimate as this eye was on the front cover, it pierced right through my soul. Its also been said, not to judge a book by its cover, but quite honestly at this point all I did was judge. I could tell by the cover that this book was going to be intense.
“The Blue Eyed Girl”, by William Goodson focuses on the control of rape culture on women and how different nationalities view women in their societies. It compares in America how women in the 1960’s were taught to be ashamed of having sex before marriage, and if they were raped they were asking for it. It then on the flipside shows how women Arabic women are kept as a trophy. They are completely covered, and do not have control of their sex life or their lives in general.
This novel, although fiction, depicts the evolution of rape culture in America history.How women are viewed, and how men carry a stigmatic trophy of innocence. They say a women wanted it, or convince the women that they were asking to be raped.
I will be honest with you. This book took awhile for me to get into. I often delayed reading it as I could not get into the storyline. However, halfway through the book I started to fold into the pages. The author’s accurate description of the American date rape culture vs the Arabic controlling hierarchy was on point, with how both cultures are viewed in society. As he wrote narratives for both an Arab diplomat, and an American Planned Parenthood activist you could hear both characters voices come through in his writing.
Was this book scary to read? Yes. Was the hush hush of date rape eye opening? Yes.
If you ever find yourself in a position where you are too scared to say no, so you say yes, that is rape. Did you have too much to drink, and a guy takes advantage of you? You were not asking for sex, you were raped. Be strong women. Go confidently in your women’s rights.
This book was reviewed on behalf of a giveaway I won on Goodreads.com.
October 29, 2014
The book starts with the narrative by a Muslim youth who in the 1960s is studying at an American College with the goal of learning about the country and creating ties for future business between the countries. He is also a predator-in-training. Contrasting the Muslim beliefs about women with the beginnings of the sexual revolution in America could easily have ended with an indictment of all things Muslim. It does not. Sayiid, the predator, contrasts with his friend, Wahiib, who attempts to understand the very alien ways of the country he is living in.
The blue eyed girl has no name. She could be any girl in the U.S. For a variety of reasons she is meek and uncertain of herself. She attends the same college and is friendly towards the Muslim students acting from her own experiences of feeling like an outsider. She attends a few functions and when Sayiid invites her to his apartment after a gathering she goes, thinking there will be others there. Sayiid quickly takes advantage of the situation and rapes her. The blue eyed girl is devastated and ashamed. She doesn't tell anyone knowing that she'd be judged for being alone with a man in his apartment. From that time, Sayiid becomes her stalker. Ashamed and afraid she tells no one. She is unable to escape his attention or seek help. Even years later, when they are married to others and living far from each other, Sayiid contacts her mother regularly.
Post 9/11 the blue eyed girl is finally able to exact revenge and ruin Sayiid's life as a retiring diplomat.
The author, William Goodson, is a doctor whose specialty is breast cancer. He's listened to many woman's stories. That he understood what women told him is obvious in the book. He understands that rape is not just about control but also robs a woman of choices. Raped women and girls are judged by their dress, where and who they are with, whether they drink or do drugs. Our culture perpetuates the belief that rape is the woman's fault and shame. The author clearly sees that truth, reflecting back to the reader the rape culture we live in.
The blue eyed girl has no name. She could be any girl in the U.S. For a variety of reasons she is meek and uncertain of herself. She attends the same college and is friendly towards the Muslim students acting from her own experiences of feeling like an outsider. She attends a few functions and when Sayiid invites her to his apartment after a gathering she goes, thinking there will be others there. Sayiid quickly takes advantage of the situation and rapes her. The blue eyed girl is devastated and ashamed. She doesn't tell anyone knowing that she'd be judged for being alone with a man in his apartment. From that time, Sayiid becomes her stalker. Ashamed and afraid she tells no one. She is unable to escape his attention or seek help. Even years later, when they are married to others and living far from each other, Sayiid contacts her mother regularly.
Post 9/11 the blue eyed girl is finally able to exact revenge and ruin Sayiid's life as a retiring diplomat.
The author, William Goodson, is a doctor whose specialty is breast cancer. He's listened to many woman's stories. That he understood what women told him is obvious in the book. He understands that rape is not just about control but also robs a woman of choices. Raped women and girls are judged by their dress, where and who they are with, whether they drink or do drugs. Our culture perpetuates the belief that rape is the woman's fault and shame. The author clearly sees that truth, reflecting back to the reader the rape culture we live in.
March 14, 2016
The Blue-Eyed Girl by William Goodson is a powerful read. After reading this book, I felt that it should be included on all suggested readings for high school seniors and/or college freshmen. The fact that the author does not provide a name for the blue eyed girl makes her that much more real. The blue eyed girl could be your sister, your best friend or even the reader. No woman should have to be ashamed and go through life believing she did something wrong. It's sad how quick society wants to judge without all the facts. I was very pleased for the blue eyed girl's action to get her life back....that was bitter sweet. The fact that the author also provides the male thoughts and insight via the male character, Sayiid, is important because if this book was read more widespread, maybe just maybe someone would think twice before committing rape. Maybe just maybe this book would be an eye-opener to a male individual with these types of desires and thoughts could realize that hey I need help before acting upon them. I don't know...but I still believe that this book should be read by both sexes of the young adult world and if nothing else it would bring about discussion among them.
September 2, 2014
I received a free copy of this book through the "Good Reads, First Reads Giveaway."
This is a disturbing "realistic" story of incidents in the life of an immature and helpless college student. She is dehumanized by being referred to as "the blue eyed girl" and trapped in a situational "vice".
The author demonstrates brilliant insights into the thought process of some Middle Eastern men, both good and bad, as they respond to the West. All will not be considered perfect for some readers. His technique of constantly flitting back and forth between the main characters does accomplish a feeling of confusion initially.
The author has a sympathetic attitude towards Planned Parenthood including their abortions.
Overall the book is an eye-opening read.
This is a disturbing "realistic" story of incidents in the life of an immature and helpless college student. She is dehumanized by being referred to as "the blue eyed girl" and trapped in a situational "vice".
The author demonstrates brilliant insights into the thought process of some Middle Eastern men, both good and bad, as they respond to the West. All will not be considered perfect for some readers. His technique of constantly flitting back and forth between the main characters does accomplish a feeling of confusion initially.
The author has a sympathetic attitude towards Planned Parenthood including their abortions.
Overall the book is an eye-opening read.
July 18, 2015
This is not an easy book. It describes a compelling experience many women can relate to. The story tells of a coed in the American Midwest who becomes a victim of an Arab student beginning in the 1960s. She is very afraid of him, but she does whatever she can to keep him from destroying her education. Although he follows the cultural norms of his country, he still stalks the girl--now a woman. Her college experience impacts her whole life. This is not a quick or easy read, and the repercussions will haunt you. I'd like to think young women are better-protected today, but the headlines belie that presumption. Women who have experienced rape will certainly understand the feelings and empathize with this young woman.
January 4, 2016
Dr Goodson has written a humdinger! The novel's powerful subject matter is contained in a compelling, deeply moving story which shows, with complete sensitivity, the ongoing emotional consequences of sexual assault. It's a riveting tale of conflicting cultural mores, youthful vulnerability, and courageous healing... with a satisfying, up-beat ending.
The author’s insightful comments at the end of the book are so important and compassionate that they should be shared with ALL who work with these victims. He explains the need for broadening our vocabulary and descriptions of what rape is. He also provides discussion questions and a list of helpful resources.
The author’s insightful comments at the end of the book are so important and compassionate that they should be shared with ALL who work with these victims. He explains the need for broadening our vocabulary and descriptions of what rape is. He also provides discussion questions and a list of helpful resources.
November 18, 2014
This was a Goodreads win for me. I had a difficult time getting through this book. I intensely disliked the main character, Sayiid and got frustrated with his sexist attitude. I tried to see it through his eyes as someone from an Arab country, but I'm afraid my Americanism got in the way. It did jade me feelings about the book though and I can't say I enjoyed it. I do take some of the blame, though.
April 5, 2015
Compelling story of a college rape, set in the 1960's and following the yeoman characters through adulthood. Excellent insights into the lingering effects of sexual assault, as well as the cultural differences between Arab and Western views of women. A great book club read.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews