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Mässaja. Minu põgenemine Saudi Araabiast vabadusse
Rahaf Mohammedi põgenemislugu naisi rõhuvast Saudi Araabiast võlus ja vapustas kogu maailma.
Rahaf jutustab oma elust välismaailmale suletud Saudi Araabias, kus naised peavad alluma oma mees-eestkostjaile. Ta oli pärit rikka poliitiku perest, kelle koduses elus oli rõhumine ja pettus normiks.
2019. aasta alguseks on Rahaf oma põgenemist planeerinud kolm aastat. Põrandaaluse põgenike võrgustiku abiga jõuab ta Bangkoki, kus ta aga vahistatakse. Rahaf pannakse lennujaama hotelli numbrituppa ootama tagasisaatmist kodumaale, kus ta tõenäoliselt hukatakse. Ta palub Twitteri kaudu maailmalt abi ja maailm vastab ta palvele: tänu rahvusvahelisele survele jõuab ta lõpuks Kanadasse.
„Mässaja“ on lummav ja elujaatav lugu noore naise vabaduseihast.
Rahaf jutustab oma elust välismaailmale suletud Saudi Araabias, kus naised peavad alluma oma mees-eestkostjaile. Ta oli pärit rikka poliitiku perest, kelle koduses elus oli rõhumine ja pettus normiks.
2019. aasta alguseks on Rahaf oma põgenemist planeerinud kolm aastat. Põrandaaluse põgenike võrgustiku abiga jõuab ta Bangkoki, kus ta aga vahistatakse. Rahaf pannakse lennujaama hotelli numbrituppa ootama tagasisaatmist kodumaale, kus ta tõenäoliselt hukatakse. Ta palub Twitteri kaudu maailmalt abi ja maailm vastab ta palvele: tänu rahvusvahelisele survele jõuab ta lõpuks Kanadasse.
„Mässaja“ on lummav ja elujaatav lugu noore naise vabaduseihast.
240 pages, Paperback
First published March 15, 2022
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2705 people want to read
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June 7, 2022
Update "Her mother used to tell her that women who wear swimsuits on the beach are prostitutes, as are women who want to drive or laugh in public. She also told her that riding a bike would cause her to lose her virginity and make her a lesbian. But she [her mother] had had access to an education, she was a teacher. Didn’t she see her hesitate, consider conflicts?"
Rahaf: "That is the duplicity with which women live. She had access to the Internet, like me. But women who are controlled by men somehow make deals with themselves thinking that their life is better if they submit. Although it is not so."
"And the rest of the world, the world of human rights and feminism, is it also a hypocrite when dealing with Saudi Arabia? How do you feel when you see a western leader shake hands or make deals with the royal family or when big sporting events are organized in her country?"
Read this interview, which is obviously translated, Rahaf Mohammed - Saudi Activist After she posted a pic of herself in a bikini, accompanied by these words,"The biggest change in my life.. from being forced to wear black sheets and being controlled by men to being a free woman.” she got censured in Saudi Arabia, by women, who said that 'women are equal in Islam, the Qu'ran says so". Stockholm syndrome?
__________
Rahaf's life ended at 7 when she was no longer allowed to play outside or even raise her voice. It began again at 18 when after three years of detailed planning, she escaped Saudi Arabia, was detained in Thailand, got let down by the mealy-mouthed Australian immigration diplomats and rescued by the immediate warm-heartedness of Canada. She's a feminist, an activist and a proud lesbian now, still only 22 she has the world in front of her, without limitations.
As you might have an app to tell you where your phone is, or your car, should you lose it, so do Saudi men have one to track the women they own. The author had her first phone at age ten, at 18 she writes, "I knew that once they figured out I'd run away, my parents would track my trip and monitor my bank account with an app that men in Saudi Arabia use to trace their women. The app, which is provided by the Saudi Ministry of the Interior and download through Google Play Store or Apple App Store, alerts the man if a woman uses her phone, her passport or her credit cards."
The whole of the story of Rahat's childhood is one of suppressing a playful child into one who is praised for being quiet and looking sad and downcast whilst watching through never-opened windows her brothers play with their bikes, in the pool or cooking on a bbq in the garden. Her role is an indoor one of submission to almost a role of house slave to the men of the family. She is not entitled to a world where she could do or be anything, her imagination and ability taking her anywhere she wants to go. That is for the boys.
She was raped. But who could she tell? She had been alone in a taxi with a man she wasn't related to, a taxi driver. To go to the authorities would have meant probably lashes, imprisonment and given the concept of 'honour' perhaps faced worse from her strict family. There is no #Metoo in Saudi Arabia and as an agent for change, there never will be.
This is truly the evil empire, but Prince Charles has made 27 private visits to visit Saudi Royalty and all the world ignores how the women are like prisoners with ankle bracelets for the sake of oil. His closest aide took the fall for him earlier this year when Charles having elicited a large donation from a Saudi prince (no doubt for his pet charity, restoring a historic house he bought in Scotland) in exchange for not just British citizenship but also a title.
So with a future king who likes the country and the rulers giving it legitimacy, no doubt backed by his cousins, as all the European royalty are, plus the Saudi domination of the oil market, what hope is there for little 7 year old girls having the life squashed out of them in the name of religious submission to men? Activists all over the world simply don't care, it doesn't fit in with their Marxist agenda.
“I asked them why when they persecute men, for religion or colour it was seen by the world as oppression and when they persecute women, it was dismissed as tradition.” Emer Martin.
I know that these books where a girl runs away from a fundamentalist sect of any religion may well be exaggerated, I've certainly read some ridiculously over-the-top accounts, but this one feels authentic. It doesn't blame, it just tells you how it is. And makes me think, what can we do?
Rahaf: "That is the duplicity with which women live. She had access to the Internet, like me. But women who are controlled by men somehow make deals with themselves thinking that their life is better if they submit. Although it is not so."
"And the rest of the world, the world of human rights and feminism, is it also a hypocrite when dealing with Saudi Arabia? How do you feel when you see a western leader shake hands or make deals with the royal family or when big sporting events are organized in her country?"
Read this interview, which is obviously translated, Rahaf Mohammed - Saudi Activist After she posted a pic of herself in a bikini, accompanied by these words,"The biggest change in my life.. from being forced to wear black sheets and being controlled by men to being a free woman.” she got censured in Saudi Arabia, by women, who said that 'women are equal in Islam, the Qu'ran says so". Stockholm syndrome?
__________
Rahaf's life ended at 7 when she was no longer allowed to play outside or even raise her voice. It began again at 18 when after three years of detailed planning, she escaped Saudi Arabia, was detained in Thailand, got let down by the mealy-mouthed Australian immigration diplomats and rescued by the immediate warm-heartedness of Canada. She's a feminist, an activist and a proud lesbian now, still only 22 she has the world in front of her, without limitations.
As you might have an app to tell you where your phone is, or your car, should you lose it, so do Saudi men have one to track the women they own. The author had her first phone at age ten, at 18 she writes, "I knew that once they figured out I'd run away, my parents would track my trip and monitor my bank account with an app that men in Saudi Arabia use to trace their women. The app, which is provided by the Saudi Ministry of the Interior and download through Google Play Store or Apple App Store, alerts the man if a woman uses her phone, her passport or her credit cards."
The whole of the story of Rahat's childhood is one of suppressing a playful child into one who is praised for being quiet and looking sad and downcast whilst watching through never-opened windows her brothers play with their bikes, in the pool or cooking on a bbq in the garden. Her role is an indoor one of submission to almost a role of house slave to the men of the family. She is not entitled to a world where she could do or be anything, her imagination and ability taking her anywhere she wants to go. That is for the boys.
She was raped. But who could she tell? She had been alone in a taxi with a man she wasn't related to, a taxi driver. To go to the authorities would have meant probably lashes, imprisonment and given the concept of 'honour' perhaps faced worse from her strict family. There is no #Metoo in Saudi Arabia and as an agent for change, there never will be.
This is truly the evil empire, but Prince Charles has made 27 private visits to visit Saudi Royalty and all the world ignores how the women are like prisoners with ankle bracelets for the sake of oil. His closest aide took the fall for him earlier this year when Charles having elicited a large donation from a Saudi prince (no doubt for his pet charity, restoring a historic house he bought in Scotland) in exchange for not just British citizenship but also a title.
So with a future king who likes the country and the rulers giving it legitimacy, no doubt backed by his cousins, as all the European royalty are, plus the Saudi domination of the oil market, what hope is there for little 7 year old girls having the life squashed out of them in the name of religious submission to men? Activists all over the world simply don't care, it doesn't fit in with their Marxist agenda.
“I asked them why when they persecute men, for religion or colour it was seen by the world as oppression and when they persecute women, it was dismissed as tradition.” Emer Martin.
I know that these books where a girl runs away from a fundamentalist sect of any religion may well be exaggerated, I've certainly read some ridiculously over-the-top accounts, but this one feels authentic. It doesn't blame, it just tells you how it is. And makes me think, what can we do?
May 23, 2022
Reb·el:
noun
·a person who resists authority, control, or convention.
What a courageous young woman Rahaf Mohammed is!
In 2019, she fled Saudi Arabia and the control and abuse she suffered under their draconian rules for females. Her father and brothers controlled everything she did, beating her up for the slightest infraction. She had to be fully covered, including wearing a niqab, even as a child and wasn't allowed to play outdoors or run or even laugh. She had to be quiet and submissive at all times, bending her will to that of the males in the family.
Rahaf questioned her culture and religion and rebelled against the strict and insane control she was under. At age 18, she ran away, only to be caught when she landed in Thailand. Authorities, under instructions from her father, stripped her of her passport and locked her in a hotel room.
Rahaf knew she would be killed if sent back, for honor, and embarked on an online campaign for her freedom. As word of her plight traveled around the world, human rights groups began fighting for her.
This is her story.
Unfortunately, it's not very well written, though that didn't prevent me from turning the pages. It's repetitive and yet I was early on invested in Rahaf's story and needed to know more.
Because of the quality of writing, I was surprised to learn that her co-author is an author of five books and a journalist. Actually, the journalist part I can believe.
This would have been better as a lengthy magazine article rather than a book. It had the feel of an article -- it often seemed like a report instead of a memoir. Also, it was like everything had to be repeated ad nauseum in order to fill enough pages for a book. It could have done with a heavy-handed red ink edit job.
Still, I'm glad I read it and glad to know Rahaf's story and to have learned more about what Saudi women suffer under the hands of theocracy. It is horrendous. Religion and government are never a good mix. I am glad Rahaf is one woman who was able to stand up and fight for herself -- and win her freedom.
"Freedom is more than avoiding a beating or being able to do what you want to do. It’s being mentally and psychologically free as well as physically free."
noun
·a person who resists authority, control, or convention.
What a courageous young woman Rahaf Mohammed is!
In 2019, she fled Saudi Arabia and the control and abuse she suffered under their draconian rules for females. Her father and brothers controlled everything she did, beating her up for the slightest infraction. She had to be fully covered, including wearing a niqab, even as a child and wasn't allowed to play outdoors or run or even laugh. She had to be quiet and submissive at all times, bending her will to that of the males in the family.
Rahaf questioned her culture and religion and rebelled against the strict and insane control she was under. At age 18, she ran away, only to be caught when she landed in Thailand. Authorities, under instructions from her father, stripped her of her passport and locked her in a hotel room.
Rahaf knew she would be killed if sent back, for honor, and embarked on an online campaign for her freedom. As word of her plight traveled around the world, human rights groups began fighting for her.
This is her story.
Unfortunately, it's not very well written, though that didn't prevent me from turning the pages. It's repetitive and yet I was early on invested in Rahaf's story and needed to know more.
Because of the quality of writing, I was surprised to learn that her co-author is an author of five books and a journalist. Actually, the journalist part I can believe.
This would have been better as a lengthy magazine article rather than a book. It had the feel of an article -- it often seemed like a report instead of a memoir. Also, it was like everything had to be repeated ad nauseum in order to fill enough pages for a book. It could have done with a heavy-handed red ink edit job.
Still, I'm glad I read it and glad to know Rahaf's story and to have learned more about what Saudi women suffer under the hands of theocracy. It is horrendous. Religion and government are never a good mix. I am glad Rahaf is one woman who was able to stand up and fight for herself -- and win her freedom.
"Freedom is more than avoiding a beating or being able to do what you want to do. It’s being mentally and psychologically free as well as physically free."
April 2, 2022
This courageous young woman’s story reminds me why I don’t fuck with organized religion at all. I can’t imagine the pain of growing up with that level of state sanctioned violence against all women centralized in one area. Nowhere to turn, no relief unless you risk your life to find your way out the country. It hurts my heart on levels.
Reading this memoir, the trauma she must have experienced reliving this story and telling a story undoubtably relatable to many, many women and LGBTQIA+ peoples who are living under these restrictive, oppressive and dire circumstances, was intense. I’m proud of her for shining the light on this situation and similar situations surrounding the Saudis such as the murder of Jamal Khashoggi and the disappearance of another woman who attempted to escape, Dina Ali.
The benevolence of the God that created this entire universe, can’t possibly want that oppressive existence for anyone, no matter what white folks say, no matter what Saudis say. There are always gonna be people fighting against oppression. Fuck everything else.
It’s the hypocrisy of the men and the culture for me. The fact that there’s so much abuse and sexual assault present in this story. God can’t possibly have wanted that experience for anyone.
I’m so glad Rahaf fought her way to Canada. My heart hurts for all that she’s lost and it rejoices for all that she is gaining and will gain! I wish for her freedom for all the women around the world.
Reading this memoir, the trauma she must have experienced reliving this story and telling a story undoubtably relatable to many, many women and LGBTQIA+ peoples who are living under these restrictive, oppressive and dire circumstances, was intense. I’m proud of her for shining the light on this situation and similar situations surrounding the Saudis such as the murder of Jamal Khashoggi and the disappearance of another woman who attempted to escape, Dina Ali.
The benevolence of the God that created this entire universe, can’t possibly want that oppressive existence for anyone, no matter what white folks say, no matter what Saudis say. There are always gonna be people fighting against oppression. Fuck everything else.
It’s the hypocrisy of the men and the culture for me. The fact that there’s so much abuse and sexual assault present in this story. God can’t possibly have wanted that experience for anyone.
I’m so glad Rahaf fought her way to Canada. My heart hurts for all that she’s lost and it rejoices for all that she is gaining and will gain! I wish for her freedom for all the women around the world.
March 11, 2022
Repetitive. Was hoping she’d talk about her current life in Canada but it makes sense that she chose not to, nothing is inspiring about having a daughter and lying to someone about the paternity and then abandoning that baby to become OnlyFans famous for creating content to people with incest fetish. Save your money and read her story online.
April 4, 2022
I’ll start my review with how I feel about Rahaf as a character (since I followed her escape story very early on) then I’ll discuss her book. Rahaf has recently faced a backlash by leftist and the so called liberals (the very people who supported her when she was trying to flee Saudi Arabia) due to some of her recent choices (publishing pornographic material in her onlyfans account and supposedly abandoning her own daughter). I personally supported Rahaf right from the start and I continue to support her to this day.
Did she make the wisest decisions since she migrated to Canada? Perhaps not. Is she a role model or an inspiration to other women? That really depends on who you ask but most likely not.
However, that’s really not the point. I think every person on this earth has the right to live their lives the way they want. People are so obsessed with idolizing middle eastern women who flee their oppressive countries and abusive families and end up gaining some media attention. They romanticize the idea of turning them into some role models for other middle eastern women. I really don’t think that this is fair to these women.
As a closeted bisexual and an atheist, Rahaf had to flee her country in order to live the life that she wants. I don’t think that she ever asked to be famous in the first place but her case went viral unlike other cases similar to hers. So I really don’t get the expectations that people hold of her. She was only eighteen when she took the decision to apply for asylum in Canada. I really don’t expect an eighteen years old to make the wisest decisions when she is a teenager who is still finding herself in this world.
What I don’t also get is the hypocrisy of some of these leftists that recently attacked her. I’m not saying I agree with her choice to publish pornographic material in her onlyfans account as I think she’ll end up regretting it when she grows out of it in the future. But I still think that as an adult she has ownership over her body and it’s her call at the end of the day. I don’t understand the hypocrisy of these people as they advocate for sex positivity while they end up shaming Rahaf for publishing this kind of content.
Many people also accuse Rahaf of being a privileged brat who faked her own abuse and ended up lying about it. Whether that’s true or not I really don’t care. I think it takes guts for a person to do what she did. And I think that if I was in her shoes I’d do what it takes to get out of this situation even if it meant lying to get my way. I don’t think that you have to be abused to choose to live a different life. Why should a person put up with living a life they’re forced to live just because they were born in a certain geographical area due to sheer randomness.
As for the book, I was so immersed while listening to her experience. I live in a GCC country and come from the same background so most of what she has mentioned was very familiar to me. At times I was a bit confused if Rahaf was exaggerating in her narrative or if her family was just that ultra religious. It’s a known fact that Wahhabi Islam is a very bigoted version of Sunni Islam but I didn’t realize it had that kind of effect on people’s daily lives in Saudi Arabia. I also enjoyed the parts about her figuring out her own sexuality.
The only thing I hated about this book, and I think this point is exclusive to the audiobook is the narrator’s utter cluelessness on how to pronounce Arabic words. It was so annoying listening to her her jumble up EVERY SINGLE ARABIC WORD. She couldn’t even pronounce Rahaf’s last name properly. I might have the privilege of knowing these words’ actual pronunciations as I speak the language and I come from the same culture but a bunch of other listeners (especially westerners) will end up listening to the distorted version of these words and thinking that’s how these words are supposed to be pronounced. I know this is a very small detail but I think it’s crucial for a book of this kind.
Did she make the wisest decisions since she migrated to Canada? Perhaps not. Is she a role model or an inspiration to other women? That really depends on who you ask but most likely not.
However, that’s really not the point. I think every person on this earth has the right to live their lives the way they want. People are so obsessed with idolizing middle eastern women who flee their oppressive countries and abusive families and end up gaining some media attention. They romanticize the idea of turning them into some role models for other middle eastern women. I really don’t think that this is fair to these women.
As a closeted bisexual and an atheist, Rahaf had to flee her country in order to live the life that she wants. I don’t think that she ever asked to be famous in the first place but her case went viral unlike other cases similar to hers. So I really don’t get the expectations that people hold of her. She was only eighteen when she took the decision to apply for asylum in Canada. I really don’t expect an eighteen years old to make the wisest decisions when she is a teenager who is still finding herself in this world.
What I don’t also get is the hypocrisy of some of these leftists that recently attacked her. I’m not saying I agree with her choice to publish pornographic material in her onlyfans account as I think she’ll end up regretting it when she grows out of it in the future. But I still think that as an adult she has ownership over her body and it’s her call at the end of the day. I don’t understand the hypocrisy of these people as they advocate for sex positivity while they end up shaming Rahaf for publishing this kind of content.
Many people also accuse Rahaf of being a privileged brat who faked her own abuse and ended up lying about it. Whether that’s true or not I really don’t care. I think it takes guts for a person to do what she did. And I think that if I was in her shoes I’d do what it takes to get out of this situation even if it meant lying to get my way. I don’t think that you have to be abused to choose to live a different life. Why should a person put up with living a life they’re forced to live just because they were born in a certain geographical area due to sheer randomness.
As for the book, I was so immersed while listening to her experience. I live in a GCC country and come from the same background so most of what she has mentioned was very familiar to me. At times I was a bit confused if Rahaf was exaggerating in her narrative or if her family was just that ultra religious. It’s a known fact that Wahhabi Islam is a very bigoted version of Sunni Islam but I didn’t realize it had that kind of effect on people’s daily lives in Saudi Arabia. I also enjoyed the parts about her figuring out her own sexuality.
The only thing I hated about this book, and I think this point is exclusive to the audiobook is the narrator’s utter cluelessness on how to pronounce Arabic words. It was so annoying listening to her her jumble up EVERY SINGLE ARABIC WORD. She couldn’t even pronounce Rahaf’s last name properly. I might have the privilege of knowing these words’ actual pronunciations as I speak the language and I come from the same culture but a bunch of other listeners (especially westerners) will end up listening to the distorted version of these words and thinking that’s how these words are supposed to be pronounced. I know this is a very small detail but I think it’s crucial for a book of this kind.
October 24, 2022
The book tells a beautiful, inspirational story that gripped me until the very end. One of the quickest reads I’ve done recently.
So… Why the 1* rating?
Because we can’t trust the author or that any part of the book is true.
Did you stop to think why the book doesn’t tell Rahaf’s story after the book finishes? I did. Rahaf is now doing hardcore pornography on OnlyFans. I felt conned and betrayed, and I think a lot of people that did so much to help her would feel the same.
Asked for a refund and Apple graciously gave one, and can only review this book 1* so other people don’t fall into the same trap. So sad…
So… Why the 1* rating?
Because we can’t trust the author or that any part of the book is true.
Did you stop to think why the book doesn’t tell Rahaf’s story after the book finishes? I did. Rahaf is now doing hardcore pornography on OnlyFans. I felt conned and betrayed, and I think a lot of people that did so much to help her would feel the same.
Asked for a refund and Apple graciously gave one, and can only review this book 1* so other people don’t fall into the same trap. So sad…
August 31, 2024
I didn't get to the half of it. I shouldn't start it.
We know there are abusive families in each and every country.
I am not justifying anyone, but from what she mentioned her family is not abusive!
Before escaping, she had freedom and admitted on her Twitter account that she had relationships with guys! I believe she deleted that account.
She escaped with a bag filled with lingerie, makeup, and shorts.
Soon after she escaped she did a live mentioning doing stuff with more than one person(huh she hated her father for marrying twice), got pregnant, and started creating content in Onlyfans.
[ watch what her husband/boyfriend said ]
I am not judging nor despising, but she is not stating facts here! (As expected)
People got so mad here that they started to not believe women who are suffering. Thanks to Rahaf and ladies like her.
The funny thing is she tried so hard to make up stuff! Like when she got out of the hotel without a hijab for the first time, how the feeling of the breeze on her neck gave her a sense of freedom!! Are you kidding me?? Do women wear hijab 24/7?
We know there are abusive families in each and every country.
I am not justifying anyone, but from what she mentioned her family is not abusive!
Before escaping, she had freedom and admitted on her Twitter account that she had relationships with guys! I believe she deleted that account.
She escaped with a bag filled with lingerie, makeup, and shorts.
Soon after she escaped she did a live mentioning doing stuff with more than one person(huh she hated her father for marrying twice), got pregnant, and started creating content in Onlyfans.
[ watch what her husband/boyfriend said ]
I am not judging nor despising, but she is not stating facts here! (As expected)
People got so mad here that they started to not believe women who are suffering. Thanks to Rahaf and ladies like her.
The funny thing is she tried so hard to make up stuff! Like when she got out of the hotel without a hijab for the first time, how the feeling of the breeze on her neck gave her a sense of freedom!! Are you kidding me?? Do women wear hijab 24/7?
August 6, 2023
Skaitant šią knygą, nuo pirmų puslapių jau trūkčioja akis, sunku patikėti, kad istorija nutiko 2019 metais. Kiek daug nežinome, nesusimąstome apie tai, kas vyksta arčiau ar toliau nuo mūsų, kokios skirtingos kultūros, jų tradicijos, nerašytos taisyklės, įstatymai, kai kada atsiliekantys šviesmečiais nuo vakarietiškų laisvių ir teisių.
Ir tikrai nenoriu sumenkinti to, ką patyrė Rahaf. Protu nesuvokiama moterų padėtis Saudo Arabijoje. Tiesiog stebuklas, kad jai pavyko pabėgti ir pradėti naują gyvenimą Kanadoje. Asmeniškai apie jos istoriją nebuvau girdėjusi, nors googlinant galima rasti, kaip šie įvykiai buvo nušviesti žiniasklaidoje.
Kalbant apie knygą, daugiausia puslapių Rahaf skiria pasakojimui apie savo vaikystę, paauglystę, šeimą, gyvenimą Saudo Arabijoje.. Apie savo nepaklusnumą, virstantį maištu, palydimą brolių smurtu, motinos nusivylimu ir nepritarimu. Būtent šioje knygos dalyje vis ištikdavo kažkoks pasimetimas, nes istorija padrika, nenuosekli, vis blaškomasi laike ir vis pastebėdavau kažkokių neatitikimų, nenoriu dabar iš naujo ieškoti ir cituoti, bet kas atidesnis, manau, skaitant greit supras apie ką aš. Tad labai erzino ir net norėjosi nebeskaityti, prailgo skaityti tą patį per tą patį. Kaip ir nepasakyčiau, kad įdomu buvo skaityti apie jos gyvenimo pradžią Kanadoje. Dėmesį prikaustė tik skyrius apie išsigelbėjimą. O jei trumpiau - įdomios istorijos negana, reikia mokėti ją papasakoti.
Ir tikrai nenoriu sumenkinti to, ką patyrė Rahaf. Protu nesuvokiama moterų padėtis Saudo Arabijoje. Tiesiog stebuklas, kad jai pavyko pabėgti ir pradėti naują gyvenimą Kanadoje. Asmeniškai apie jos istoriją nebuvau girdėjusi, nors googlinant galima rasti, kaip šie įvykiai buvo nušviesti žiniasklaidoje.
Kalbant apie knygą, daugiausia puslapių Rahaf skiria pasakojimui apie savo vaikystę, paauglystę, šeimą, gyvenimą Saudo Arabijoje.. Apie savo nepaklusnumą, virstantį maištu, palydimą brolių smurtu, motinos nusivylimu ir nepritarimu. Būtent šioje knygos dalyje vis ištikdavo kažkoks pasimetimas, nes istorija padrika, nenuosekli, vis blaškomasi laike ir vis pastebėdavau kažkokių neatitikimų, nenoriu dabar iš naujo ieškoti ir cituoti, bet kas atidesnis, manau, skaitant greit supras apie ką aš. Tad labai erzino ir net norėjosi nebeskaityti, prailgo skaityti tą patį per tą patį. Kaip ir nepasakyčiau, kad įdomu buvo skaityti apie jos gyvenimo pradžią Kanadoje. Dėmesį prikaustė tik skyrius apie išsigelbėjimą. O jei trumpiau - įdomios istorijos negana, reikia mokėti ją papasakoti.
January 1, 2024
Die Geschichte über eine tapfere junge Frau, die sich gegen das erschreckende System in ihrem Land auflehnt und schließlich beschließt zu flüchten. Ich konnte viel über das Leben von Frauen in Saudi-Arabien lernen. Das die Frauenfeindlichkeit dort in einem so starken Ausmaß gelebt wird, wusste ich vorher nicht und hat mich teilweise sprachlos gemacht! Wie die Religion dafür ausgenutzt wird, Frauen zu kontrollieren, unterzuordnen und wie Dreck zu behandeln, ist einfach schrecklich!
Es gab einige kleine Situationen, die für mich etwas unglaubwürdig waren - dennoch möchte ich der Autorin nichts unterstellen. An diesen Stellen hätten genauere Erläuterungen wahrscheinlich geholfen, die Situation besser nachvollziehen zu können. Zudem fand ich das Memoir für meinen Geschmack etwas zu unstrukturiert und auch der Schreibstil hat mir nicht immer gefallen. Deshalb insgesamt 4 Sterne.
Es gab einige kleine Situationen, die für mich etwas unglaubwürdig waren - dennoch möchte ich der Autorin nichts unterstellen. An diesen Stellen hätten genauere Erläuterungen wahrscheinlich geholfen, die Situation besser nachvollziehen zu können. Zudem fand ich das Memoir für meinen Geschmack etwas zu unstrukturiert und auch der Schreibstil hat mir nicht immer gefallen. Deshalb insgesamt 4 Sterne.
April 30, 2022
This was a real eye opener and I'd encourage anyone interested in the plight of women in a country like Saudi Arabia to pick up a copy.
February 15, 2024
Fighting for the rights of girls and women to...be in explicit internet videos for the benefit and enjoyment of men? No thanks. Hard pass.
Is she trying to prove her male family members correct when they suggested that any freedom for women leads to complete debauchery? If so, she's a prime example.
She has set Muslim women waaaay back. Muslim societies will be more likely to strictly police the actions of women and girls to prevent them from winding up like Rahaf. Rahaf claims to have a message concerning the worth of women. Judging from her internet presence, she believes that a woman's worth lies in her ability to twerk in a g-string. She obviously wants to be a Kardashian, but it's not working out for her.
She didn't go to college to get an education in Canada, but she's already an unwed mother? It looks like those gullible Canadians will need to set aside more tax $$$ to support Rahaf, now that she is a "baby mama". I hope you Canadians are looking forward to paying for any STI treatments she will likely need in the future as well. Just, no. No. Hard pass on Rahaf.
As an aside, this book was pretty boring after the first chapter and loaded with filler.
Is she trying to prove her male family members correct when they suggested that any freedom for women leads to complete debauchery? If so, she's a prime example.
She has set Muslim women waaaay back. Muslim societies will be more likely to strictly police the actions of women and girls to prevent them from winding up like Rahaf. Rahaf claims to have a message concerning the worth of women. Judging from her internet presence, she believes that a woman's worth lies in her ability to twerk in a g-string. She obviously wants to be a Kardashian, but it's not working out for her.
She didn't go to college to get an education in Canada, but she's already an unwed mother? It looks like those gullible Canadians will need to set aside more tax $$$ to support Rahaf, now that she is a "baby mama". I hope you Canadians are looking forward to paying for any STI treatments she will likely need in the future as well. Just, no. No. Hard pass on Rahaf.
As an aside, this book was pretty boring after the first chapter and loaded with filler.
February 17, 2023
Wow, this memoir is extraordinary. Beautifully written, information rich, and so, so emotive. It's a relatively small memoir, which I'd usually read in a few days. But I struggled to get through this book... only because of the brutality, cruelty, and misogyny Rahaf went through and describes in her memoir. I found myself having to stop to absorb the absolute horror of her experiences and reflect. I can not imagine myself living under state sanctioned misogyny. Rahaf is extremely brave and resourceful. My heart aches for all the women still living under Saudi Arabian misogyny and for the women who were not successful in their escapes.
April 28, 2022
Important topic but written in a repetitive manner that lacked substance in how sensitive topics were approached. Was very blunt.
July 1, 2025
Atrodo tiek daug visko prisiskaitau ir nebeturėtų mane benustębinti tokios istorijos, bet vis tiek pašiurpau.
Liūdna, kraupu ir sunkiai suvokiama.
Bet suteikia vilties, kad po truputį, gal ne dabar, bet vėliau tokiomis sąlygomis gyvenančių moterų situacijos pagerės.
Liūdna, kraupu ir sunkiai suvokiama.
Bet suteikia vilties, kad po truputį, gal ne dabar, bet vėliau tokiomis sąlygomis gyvenančių moterų situacijos pagerės.
September 4, 2022
rahaf mohammed is an inspiration to everyone, but i wish she had focused more on how she left than the history of abuse in Wahhabism . i feel like since i’m familiar with the atrocities of saudi arabia i found it a bit longwinded, but great book nonetheless, and if you’re unfamiliar with the unfortunate patterns of the middle east this would be a great place to start
June 1, 2022
A tough recap of the life of a woman in Saudia Arabia. It's a good read overall and highly recommend. If you were glad you read the book, The Last Girl. You will want to read this too.
November 20, 2024
"All that stood between me and freedom was a car ride..."
Rebel was an intense account of an unbelievable story. I like reading books about the Middle East, Islam, as well as accounts of incredible real-life sagas. This book ticks all of those boxes, so I thought I'd check it out.
Author Rahaf Mohammed is a Saudi ex-pat who was detained by Thai authorities on 5 January 2019 while in transit through an airport in Bangkok, en route from Kuwait to Australia.
Co Author SALLY ARMSTRONG is an award-winning writer, journalist and human rights activist. Armstrong was the first journalist to bring the story of the women of Afghanistan to the world and has also covered stories in conflict zones in Bosnia, Somalia, Rwanda, Iraq, South Sudan, Jordan and Israel. A four-time winner of the Amnesty International Canada Media Award, she holds ten honorary doctorates and is an Officer of the Order of Canada.
Rahaf Mohammed :
The book opens with a bang; as the author delivers a great high-energy intro. The writing in the rest of the book was also very well done, and there were many quoteables. Checking the book's notes, I saw that it had a ghost writer. I suspected as much, because the writing here was very polished and refined; a bit too well for someone with no writing experience who has a hard time speaking English. Now, this is not a complaint, but rather a compliment. I wish more authors would use co-authors (or "ghost writers,") as writing engaging, exciting prose like this is a difficult skillset to master. The ingredients needed to produce a high caliber book are pretty elusive, and few authors are able to tap into this "special sauce."
As the book's title implies, the story told here is how the author escaped the oppressive patriarchal and backward society of Saudi Arabia. I won't give away any spoilers here, so don't worry. The author drops the quote above early on, and it continues:
I have read dozens of books on Islam, the Middle East, and Middle Eastern cultures, so a lot of the info she covers here was not new to me. However, anyone who is not familiar with this subject matter will most certainly be completely horrified by the stories recounted here... The average Western citizen has no idea how oppressive life is in many Islamic countries - and Saudi Arabia is one of (if not the) worst offenders.
For me personally; the first-hand accounts of the trash "honour culture" she talked about here was particularly upsetting. She was terrified of her own father. Her father sent her older sister off to a mental hospital when she was just 15, after she attempted to escape the family's oppressive control. As a father myself, this had my stomach in knots. I love my daughter more than anything else in the world. I would give up my life to protect her without a second thought. That someone would willingly harm their own child is completely repulsive to me.
********************
Rebel was an excellent telling of an incredible real-life saga. I would definitely recommend this one.
5 stars.
Rebel was an intense account of an unbelievable story. I like reading books about the Middle East, Islam, as well as accounts of incredible real-life sagas. This book ticks all of those boxes, so I thought I'd check it out.
Author Rahaf Mohammed is a Saudi ex-pat who was detained by Thai authorities on 5 January 2019 while in transit through an airport in Bangkok, en route from Kuwait to Australia.
Co Author SALLY ARMSTRONG is an award-winning writer, journalist and human rights activist. Armstrong was the first journalist to bring the story of the women of Afghanistan to the world and has also covered stories in conflict zones in Bosnia, Somalia, Rwanda, Iraq, South Sudan, Jordan and Israel. A four-time winner of the Amnesty International Canada Media Award, she holds ten honorary doctorates and is an Officer of the Order of Canada.
Rahaf Mohammed :
The book opens with a bang; as the author delivers a great high-energy intro. The writing in the rest of the book was also very well done, and there were many quoteables. Checking the book's notes, I saw that it had a ghost writer. I suspected as much, because the writing here was very polished and refined; a bit too well for someone with no writing experience who has a hard time speaking English. Now, this is not a complaint, but rather a compliment. I wish more authors would use co-authors (or "ghost writers,") as writing engaging, exciting prose like this is a difficult skillset to master. The ingredients needed to produce a high caliber book are pretty elusive, and few authors are able to tap into this "special sauce."
As the book's title implies, the story told here is how the author escaped the oppressive patriarchal and backward society of Saudi Arabia. I won't give away any spoilers here, so don't worry. The author drops the quote above early on, and it continues:
"...For more than a year I’d bided my time, waiting for the right moment to escape. I was eighteen years old and scared to death that my carefully laid plans might backfire. But my heart was full of rebellion against the constant fear, cruel rules and ancient customs that stifle and sometimes kill girls like me in Saudi Arabia. And it soared when I imagined a life away from them.
I had my phone, but my passport was with my eldest brother. Getting it and hiding it so I would have it when the time came to run was key. I was trying to be cool, trying to look like the dutiful daughter packing for a holiday, trying to calm the waves of anxiety as I watched from my bedroom the family prepare for departure and then gather for lunch before setting out for Kuwait."
I have read dozens of books on Islam, the Middle East, and Middle Eastern cultures, so a lot of the info she covers here was not new to me. However, anyone who is not familiar with this subject matter will most certainly be completely horrified by the stories recounted here... The average Western citizen has no idea how oppressive life is in many Islamic countries - and Saudi Arabia is one of (if not the) worst offenders.
For me personally; the first-hand accounts of the trash "honour culture" she talked about here was particularly upsetting. She was terrified of her own father. Her father sent her older sister off to a mental hospital when she was just 15, after she attempted to escape the family's oppressive control. As a father myself, this had my stomach in knots. I love my daughter more than anything else in the world. I would give up my life to protect her without a second thought. That someone would willingly harm their own child is completely repulsive to me.
********************
Rebel was an excellent telling of an incredible real-life saga. I would definitely recommend this one.
5 stars.
June 16, 2024
El testimonio real de una joven saudí que en 2019, con solo 18 años, huyó de su familia, consiguió llegar a Bangkok y estuvo a punto de que las autoridades del aeropuerto la deportaran y la enviaran de vuelta, lo que hubiera supuesto que la asesinaran por haber mancillado la honra familiar. El libro comienza con su llegada a Bangkok y cómo le retiran el pasaporte para, a partir de ahí, comenzar a narrar su vida y la situación de las mujeres en Arabia Saudí y terminar con su llegada a Toronto siendo recibida en el aeropuerto por la Ministra de Asuntos Exteriores. Algunos momentos son durísimos pero se agradece que huya de la narrativa de telefilm de lágrima fácil. Al contrario, hay momentos bastante terribles muy pasados por encima y se entiende a la perfección por qué la autora no se centra en ellos. No me gusta nada el adjetivo “necesario” para calificar un libro por haberse convertido en un lugar común, pero sí creo que este lo es para conocer de primera mano el horror, la deshumanización y la violencia sistémica que sufren las mujeres en Arabia Saudí.
July 7, 2025
Prasmingas skaitinys apie merginos vaikystę Saudo Arabijoje ir jos patirtą brutalią islamo mizoginiją. Reikia turėti didelius kiaušus tam, kad pabėgtum nuo smurtaujančios šeimos ir tave persekiojančios sistemos – dėl to labai žaviuosi knygos autorės drąsa.
July 5, 2024
4,5⭐️
May 7, 2022
Overall, a good read. Some parts indeed repetitive. Whilst at great difficulty, it was still managble to get away given the fact of having access to a phone, internet, being from a well off family to have this. A lot are more extreme and do not allow any of these. I am glad she was able to flee and hope she is well. I do wish to state, a lot is cultural, customs from so many years which have nothing to do with the religion. Unfortunately, a lot of the times religion misinterpreted and is used however it suits one to justify.
April 27, 2022
Amazing story of the escape of a young woman from Saudi Arabia. Inside perspective of the power and control men have over women.
April 26, 2022
This book was recommended to be by my daughter. I am so glad I read it. It amazes and appals me that girls/women are treated like this in this century.
March 26, 2022
Was such a great read and a really sad and heartbreaking insight into the true life of so many girls and women who live in Saudi Arabia. Really opened my eyes to see how lucky we are to live in a country where I could never even dream of these types of things happening. This book really reeled me in and I finished it in a couple of days and was so hooked in I was researching all the other women she mentions in the book. Such a sad story but so great that rahaf gets to speak out on it and hopefully help so many other women obtain their freedom. Will be recommending this book to everyone and anyone.
October 31, 2022
This was really hard to read at many different points throughout the book for many personal reasons however, I’m still glad I took the time to finish it. Some of the words in this book struck me emotionally. I found myself getting emotional during the first few chapters, but as it went on the more intense moments in Rahaf’s life were phrased as if they were normalities, I found that to be extremely textually powerful since it really captures how “normal” abuse seems when the victim is faced with it casually in a society that allows it. Truly a bittersweet and inspiring book that I will definitely keep in my thoughts and heart.
October 15, 2022
This book made me angry from start to finish. How can we live in a world where young girls and women continue to be treated so awful? I’m glad that Rahaf got to tell her story and warn others of what life is really like for women in Saudi Arabia. This book will open up your eyes within the first few pages.
September 3, 2022
Reads like a dystopian novel…
September 16, 2022
"I was absorbing data from this group like a sponge. All of it fed into what I had suspected, reinforcing my belief that there had to be change in this country. And it underlined my dilemma: I was an outsider in my country, an infidel to my customs and an undesirable to my family.
In the meantime, my life at home and at school carried on as though nothing unusual was occupying my mind every waking hour. My brothers stayed in private schools while I went to the public high school. Their lives were so different from mine, it was as though we lived on two separate planets. It wasn't just the freedom they had to be outside with their friends, or the right they had to swat me across the face just to show me who's boss, or the liberty they took with our mother, telling her to be quiet, to calm down, to stay in the house once she was vulnerable; it was all of that and a lot more. My brothers could travel. They could go out in the wide world and see the sights of a foreign place, taste its flavours, find out who lived there and what their thoughts were. How I longed for such opportunities! I was hungry for knowledge.
After I'd been on the illegal websites and had seen how people lived their lives and discussed forbidden topics, and as I watched their actions in support of their beliefs, all of this astounded me and stirred my soul. I wanted to be part of the world. I wanted to be out there asking my questions, sharing views with others and having fun instead of being forever silenced and subdued and told girls 'don't do that'." Chapter Five, 'Secret Codes' - pg. 140
A read that gets inside Your heart and while causing it to be stirred with indignation, and fury, also cracks it open with admiration, and affection for the incomprehensible tenacity this young Woman portrays!
Rebel is beautifully, and compellingly articulated, and is a memoir that will linger long after the book gathers dust on the shelf. The ghost Writing of Sally Armstrong must be commended with its suspenseful, jaw tightening adroitness.
In the meantime, my life at home and at school carried on as though nothing unusual was occupying my mind every waking hour. My brothers stayed in private schools while I went to the public high school. Their lives were so different from mine, it was as though we lived on two separate planets. It wasn't just the freedom they had to be outside with their friends, or the right they had to swat me across the face just to show me who's boss, or the liberty they took with our mother, telling her to be quiet, to calm down, to stay in the house once she was vulnerable; it was all of that and a lot more. My brothers could travel. They could go out in the wide world and see the sights of a foreign place, taste its flavours, find out who lived there and what their thoughts were. How I longed for such opportunities! I was hungry for knowledge.
After I'd been on the illegal websites and had seen how people lived their lives and discussed forbidden topics, and as I watched their actions in support of their beliefs, all of this astounded me and stirred my soul. I wanted to be part of the world. I wanted to be out there asking my questions, sharing views with others and having fun instead of being forever silenced and subdued and told girls 'don't do that'." Chapter Five, 'Secret Codes' - pg. 140
A read that gets inside Your heart and while causing it to be stirred with indignation, and fury, also cracks it open with admiration, and affection for the incomprehensible tenacity this young Woman portrays!
Rebel is beautifully, and compellingly articulated, and is a memoir that will linger long after the book gathers dust on the shelf. The ghost Writing of Sally Armstrong must be commended with its suspenseful, jaw tightening adroitness.
March 2, 2024
Tai nepaprasta, skaudi, gyvenimiška merginos tikra istorija apie gyvenimą Saudo Arabijoje didelėje pasiturinčioje šeimoje, kur kiekvienas merginos žingsnis, poelgis, veiksmas buvo kontroliuojamas jos tėvo ir brolių. Pasakojama apie jos vaikystę, paauglystę, kurioje smurtas, žeminimas, įvairūs užgauliojimai, apgavystės ir prievarta tęsėsi diena iš dienos. Vis dėl to, knygos herojės aštrus kritinis protas ir savo nuomonės turėjimas jai padėjo. Mergina labai ilgai planavo savo pabėgimą, kuriam galų gale pasiryžo ir tai jai išgelbėjo gyvybę. Šis drąsus ir ryžtingas poelgis merginai padėjo pasiekti tikslą – tapti laisvai ir drąsiai pasitikti taip ilgai lauktą gyvenimą naujoje, saugioje ir svarbiausia – laisvoje šalyje.
April 25, 2025
I’m just as happy about Rahaf's new life as I am about finishing this book…
Took me forever to finish and since I've read books with somewhat similar content before, it didn't offer me much reading pleasure.
Topic itself IS very important and really I’m so glad that Rahaf got her new chance, but as a book it was just average for me.
2,5⭐️
Took me forever to finish and since I've read books with somewhat similar content before, it didn't offer me much reading pleasure.
Topic itself IS very important and really I’m so glad that Rahaf got her new chance, but as a book it was just average for me.
2,5⭐️
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