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Mirrors and Mirages
In the spirit of Amy Tan’s international bestselling novel The Joy Luck Club, Mirrors and Mirages is an intricately woven, deftly told story that follows the lives of women and their daughters.
In Mirrors and Mirages, Monia Mazigh lets us into the lives of six women. They are immigrant mothers — Emma, Samia, and Fauzia — guardians of tradition who want their daughters to enjoy freedom in Western society. They are daughters — Lama, Sally, and Louise, a young woman who converted to Islam for love — university students who are clever and computer savvy. They decide for themselves whether or not to wear a veil, or niqab. Gradually, these women cross paths, and, without losing their authenticity, they become friends and rivals, mirrors and mirages of each other.
In Mirrors and Mirages, Monia Mazigh lets us into the lives of six women. They are immigrant mothers — Emma, Samia, and Fauzia — guardians of tradition who want their daughters to enjoy freedom in Western society. They are daughters — Lama, Sally, and Louise, a young woman who converted to Islam for love — university students who are clever and computer savvy. They decide for themselves whether or not to wear a veil, or niqab. Gradually, these women cross paths, and, without losing their authenticity, they become friends and rivals, mirrors and mirages of each other.
272 pages, Paperback
First published September 1, 2011
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
April 26, 2021
Enjoyed the various stories of young Muslim women's experiences in Canada. Didn't like that the author left all the stories without any resolution.
December 10, 2014
I have struggled for a while to put into words what it was that I found dissatisfying about this book. I was interested to read a book about the experience of Muslim women, set in the city in which I live. Set not too explicitly; though we are told it happens in Ottawa, the neighbourhoods were never identified, the characters never clearly placed.
In fact, that might be a good representation of what I found dissatisfying. We are told it is Ottawa, but given no real proof or examples, no sense of Ottawa as a city.
That's pretty much exactly what happens emotionally. We are told what is happening in these women's lives, and, to a lesser degree, what is happening in their hearts and minds, but these assertions are never sufficiently, compellingly, backed up with reality. We are told of a mother-daughter estrangement, we see the barest shape of it, but we don't get to explore it, and, when the rift (so we are told) begins to heal, we don't see the how or the why.
We are told what is happening emotionally, but we rarely get to feel it.
The relations between men and women are scant to non-existent. I know, this is a book about women, but a little more substance to the men with whom they interact would lend more authenticity to their (supposed) relationships.
I don't require that all plot threads are tied up with pretty bows at the end of a book, but it would have been nice if at least one of them had been. I suppose the friendship of Lama and Louise is one tidy ending, kinda sorta, but there are no others.
I was hoping for some insight on what it's like to be Muslim, to be Muslim in Canada. I got glimpses, but nothing substantive. I was hoping to know why a woman would choose to be Muslim, but the closest I got was Louise's assertion that she was lacking something at the core, which sounds pretty much like the Christian assertion that each person has within them a "God-shaped hole". So the question, Why Islam? remains unanswered.
An interesting read, but a dissatisfying book, all in all.
In fact, that might be a good representation of what I found dissatisfying. We are told it is Ottawa, but given no real proof or examples, no sense of Ottawa as a city.
That's pretty much exactly what happens emotionally. We are told what is happening in these women's lives, and, to a lesser degree, what is happening in their hearts and minds, but these assertions are never sufficiently, compellingly, backed up with reality. We are told of a mother-daughter estrangement, we see the barest shape of it, but we don't get to explore it, and, when the rift (so we are told) begins to heal, we don't see the how or the why.
We are told what is happening emotionally, but we rarely get to feel it.
The relations between men and women are scant to non-existent. I know, this is a book about women, but a little more substance to the men with whom they interact would lend more authenticity to their (supposed) relationships.
I don't require that all plot threads are tied up with pretty bows at the end of a book, but it would have been nice if at least one of them had been. I suppose the friendship of Lama and Louise is one tidy ending, kinda sorta, but there are no others.
I was hoping for some insight on what it's like to be Muslim, to be Muslim in Canada. I got glimpses, but nothing substantive. I was hoping to know why a woman would choose to be Muslim, but the closest I got was Louise's assertion that she was lacking something at the core, which sounds pretty much like the Christian assertion that each person has within them a "God-shaped hole". So the question, Why Islam? remains unanswered.
An interesting read, but a dissatisfying book, all in all.
February 26, 2013
Set in Ottawa, this book explores the lives of three women, all Muslim, and each dealing with a very unique set of challenges. The book shares a wealth of insight into the immigrant experience in Ottawa. An evocative tale, beautifully written, that I hope will be translated into English. I also hope that some of the story lines from this book are picked up by Monia Mazigh in future novels.
August 16, 2015
This was a pretty good debut novel. In enjoyed the variety of characters, the culture different from my own, and the rapid change of chapters. Some sections were beautifully written, others sounded trite. The book ended abruptly, there was nothing like a conclusion of denouement and I found that odd.
July 19, 2022
Intriguing premise, themes worth exploring, but unfortunately delivery wasn't well executed. Too many stories going on, none of them well connected; no one was explored thoroughly enough and it ended very abruptly.
January 15, 2026
I appreciate that this book tries to show the real lives of Muslim women. That’s why it was disappointing that the pacing felt off and the stories never really came together. Each woman’s experience is introduced, but there’s no real resolution or connection between them.
I was hoping to learn more about what it means to be a Muslim woman, especially a Muslim woman in Canada…but that exploration felt surface-level.
The voices are there, but the book doesn’t fully follow through with them.
I was hoping to learn more about what it means to be a Muslim woman, especially a Muslim woman in Canada…but that exploration felt surface-level.
The voices are there, but the book doesn’t fully follow through with them.
November 28, 2018
Fun cast of women characters all with a different story to tell. A quick read!!
Read
January 18, 2020It's not bad, but it's also really dry and some of the characters blend in with each other. After 65 pages I couldn't get over my bored feeling so imma dnf this for the time being.
September 3, 2021
Wandering story of a collection of young Muslim women, whose live are intertwined. Finding their way in Canada both culturally and spiritually.
March 9, 2024
a character study. mostly felt like a glimpse into the lives of these women with an open end. The tone of the book is neutral and its up to you to pass judgement.
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July 27, 2015http://rabble.ca/books/reviews/2014/0...
Review by Amira Elghawaby
Monia Mazigh's debut novel, Mirrors and Mirages: a Novel, has enriched Canadian literature.
This lyrical work, exploring the lives and motivations of six Muslim women living in Canada, is a testament to the multicultural fabric that continues to influence the country's character and global reputation.
Woven effortlessly throughout the interconnected stories are the scents, flavours, sounds, sights and emotions evoking faraway lands, as well as neighbourhoods just around the corner.
With detailed backdrops, the stories within this novel speak to deep and contemporary themes that will resonate with immigrants, their children and others who come into contact daily with people from all over the world and would appreciate this intimate glimpse into their experiences.
Though the characters all share the same faith, Islam, they are as different as can be imagined. The stories underscore what many know, but would be forgiven for forgetting -- that Muslim women are as varied as any subset of women, anywhere.
Despite their diversity, they all grapple with similar issues and it is through their struggles that Mazigh explores themes of identity, religious belief and fervour, female empowerment, male presence (or lack thereof), tradition versus modernity and the never-ending search for self and belonging.
Read more here: http://rabble.ca/books/reviews/2014/0...
Review by Amira Elghawaby
Monia Mazigh's debut novel, Mirrors and Mirages: a Novel, has enriched Canadian literature.
This lyrical work, exploring the lives and motivations of six Muslim women living in Canada, is a testament to the multicultural fabric that continues to influence the country's character and global reputation.
Woven effortlessly throughout the interconnected stories are the scents, flavours, sounds, sights and emotions evoking faraway lands, as well as neighbourhoods just around the corner.
With detailed backdrops, the stories within this novel speak to deep and contemporary themes that will resonate with immigrants, their children and others who come into contact daily with people from all over the world and would appreciate this intimate glimpse into their experiences.
Though the characters all share the same faith, Islam, they are as different as can be imagined. The stories underscore what many know, but would be forgiven for forgetting -- that Muslim women are as varied as any subset of women, anywhere.
Despite their diversity, they all grapple with similar issues and it is through their struggles that Mazigh explores themes of identity, religious belief and fervour, female empowerment, male presence (or lack thereof), tradition versus modernity and the never-ending search for self and belonging.
Read more here: http://rabble.ca/books/reviews/2014/0...
January 26, 2015
I heard about this book from going to a book launch. I was mostly curious about the author and not the book, having skimmed through her "life story" (her husband is Maher Arar, who was wrongfully deported to Syria by the United States and tortured there - google it, seriously), and I loved the event. The book store was quirky and cute, the interviewer was very competent, and I really liked Monia from her attitude and responses. I also found the premise of the book interesting and compelling - a book about different Muslim women in Canada? Excellent!
Unfortunately, I feel like the content works more as a rough sketch, or what one would write as notes to build up a more complete story. There was almost no dialogue, and after reading the book all I kept thinking was "this is it?". More than stories connected across time and space, the book felt like the notes of a person who has been people watching the same people and is deducing their thoughts and emotions through their actions. There was so much more potential here! If the author was to give it another go, and spent another year really fleshing out the story, I'd read it. Too bad it didn't go that way, as I really, really liked the author and found her an intelligent and fascinating person.
Unfortunately, I feel like the content works more as a rough sketch, or what one would write as notes to build up a more complete story. There was almost no dialogue, and after reading the book all I kept thinking was "this is it?". More than stories connected across time and space, the book felt like the notes of a person who has been people watching the same people and is deducing their thoughts and emotions through their actions. There was so much more potential here! If the author was to give it another go, and spent another year really fleshing out the story, I'd read it. Too bad it didn't go that way, as I really, really liked the author and found her an intelligent and fascinating person.
November 2, 2014
Monia gives us an insightful and rarely shared or understood picture of young muslim women and the women who love and raise them. The books starts a little slow but it's definitely worth hanging on for the stories that unfold in the lives of her characters. As a mother, I found myself cheering these young women on as they found themselves and their connections to their blood and community "families".
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews