That Other Me

by Maha Gargash

From the #1 internationally bestselling author of The Sand Fish, Maha Gargash’s second novel is set in mid-1990s Dubai and Cairo and tells the story of how secrets and betrayals consume three members—an authoritarian father, a rebellious abandoned daughter, and a vulnerable niece—of a prominent Emirati family.

Majed, the head of the eminent Naseemy family, is proud to have risen into the upper echelons of Emirati society. As one of the richest businessmen in Dubai, he’s used to being catered to and respected—never mind that he acquired his wealth by cheating his brother out of his own company and depriving his niece, Mariam, of her rights.

Not one to dwell on the past—he sent Mariam to school in Egypt, what more could she want from him?—Majed spends his days berating his wife and staff and cavorting with friends at a private apartment. But he’s suddenly plagued by nightmares that continue to haunt him during the day, and he feels his control further slipping away with the discovery that his niece and his daughter are defying his orders.

Mariam despises Majed, and although she blames him for her father’s death, hers is a strictly-organized, dutiful existence. But when she falls for a brash, mischievous fellow student named Adel, he might just prove to be her downfall.

Largely abandoned by Majed as the daughter of a second, secret marriage, the vivacious Dalal has a lot to prove. The runner-up on “Nights of Dubai,” an American Idol-type reality show for Arab talent, Dalal is committed to being a singer despite the fact that it’s a disreputable career. When her efforts to become a celebrity finally begin to pay off, she attracts the attention of her father, who is determined to subdue Dalal to protect the family name. As Majed increasingly exerts his control over both Dalal and Mariam, both girls resist, with explosive consequences.

An exhilarating look at the little-known Khaleeji (Gulf-Arab) culture, That Other Me explores the ways social mores contribute to the collapse of one family.

Genres: Fiction, Middle East, Adult, Contemporary, Book Club, Womens, Novels

384 pages, Paperback

First published January 26, 2016

About the author

Maha Gargash was born in Dubai. She has a Bachelors degree in Radio/Television from the George Washington University in Washington D.C. and a Masters from Goldsmiths’ College in London. In 1985, she joined Dubai Television to pursue her interest in documentaries. It was a field that provided extensive travel opportunities and opened many doors. Through her programmes, which focus mainly on traditional Arab societies, she became involved in research and scriptwriting, which evolved into her first novel, The Sand Fish (Oct/Nov 2009).




((( Maha Gargash: In Conversation )))
Maha Gargash is a woman of many talents. As well as researching, scripting, directing and fronting Arabesque, the cultural series on Dubai TV, she rides horses, plays the piano, has a black belt in karate and has just had her first novel, The Sand Fish, published by HarperCollins, a leading American publisher.
Born in Dubai, she was educated in the UK and America but always knew that she would return to her homeland. She began her career at Dubai Television, working mainly on documentaries about traditional Arab societies and has now set up her own TV company.
The Sand Fish: A Novel From Dubai tells the story of a rebellious girl’s passage into womanhood in a country moving from a traditional way of life in 1950s Dubai to the modern society of today. Will Noora finally choose the freedom that love offers or the security of her traditional married life? Written in spare, poetic language that captures both the landscape of the Emirates and the intimacy of domestic life, the book is both a fascinating snapshot of a very different Dubai fifty years ago and an engrossing read. It has already received excellent review coverage and publication in English by a publisher with worldwide reach should ensure the widest possible readership for this Emirati author.
Maha will be talking about how she has broken away from the traditional role of women in the UAE to fulfil her ambitions – first in television and now as a writer – and reading from The Sand Fish.
http://tickets.emirateslitfest.com/p-...




Maha Gargash on her novel The Sand Fish
http://www.thenational.ae/arts-lifest...



- EDUCATION

Goldsmiths, University of London
London, United Kingdom

GW Alumni
Washington, District of Columbia

Reviews

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve been in the Middle East ten years now and this book was so interesting to me.

Based in Egypt and Dubai I found myself recognizing all the places featured, found myself really invested in all the characters and Arab culture.

If you like Khalid Hosseini then you’d definitely enjoy this book. The Middle East at its absolute best.

I could not stop turning the pages.

Five stars.

[Marjorie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Majed is the head of an Emirati family. He’s quite an unlikeable, angry fellow, full of himself and his power over others. Dalal is the daughter of his second secret marriage and has been abandoned by her father. Her dream is to become a famous singer, which is completely against her father’s wishes. Even though her father has abandoned her, he holds control over her as he attempts to stop what he feels will bring shame and embarrassment to the family. Mariam is Majed’s niece, the daughter of Majed’s dead brother. Majed sends Mariam to dental school, mostly due to guilt because of his cheating his brother out of his business. Both of these young women are greatly restricted in their efforts to lead their own lives by Majed and the Emirati society.

Mariam lives at a university in Cairo, while Dalal lives in the poor section of Cairo so you get a look at the two types of worlds. While it’s obvious why Majed would be an unlikeable character, I couldn’t like Dalal either. She seemed so immature and only cares about becoming a star. I found Dalal and her mother to be quite annoying. Mariam is much easier to like as she struggles to become a dentist, feeling that was the only way she could escape her rigid family and the Emirati society.

This book has been compared to “The Kite Runner” but I didn’t think it had any of the emotional pull of “The Kite Runner”. It was basically a family drama made a bit different by its setting in an Arab culture.

This book was given to me by the publisher in return for an honest review.

[Tasha · Rating 4 out of 5]

Following an extended family’s story over the years set in the Middle East. I probably enjoyed this more because of the familiarity from my time in Egypt and reminiscing throughout.

[Barbara · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a very readable story that offered a very unique, inside look at Emirati society. The author has an excellent ability for writing descriptive scenes. The story centers on the Naseemy family of Dubai and is told from 3 perspectives that of, Majed, the patriarch, Mariam his niece (daughter of his brother) and Dalal his "secret" daughter. Without Majed's knowledge, Mariam & Dalal become friends in school. To provide a little background, Majed married Dalal's mother Zorah without telling his current wife, Aisha. The secret gets out when Dalal is a teen and Majed decides to divorce Zorah due to pressure from his family. Mariam is a quiet, studious girl. Her father, Majed's brother died when she was a teen and she has been taken care of by Majed and his family. Dalal is of course the black sheep, especially since she entered an "Idol" style singing contest and came in second. The story starts in Cairo where Mariam is studying to be a dentist and Dalal has gone with her mom, Zorah, to try and pursue her singing career. Both girls fall in love with the same boy, but neither knows. Meanwhile back in Dubai, Majed is suffering from guilt and nightmares about his brother's death. His misery causes him to lose his temper and everyone in his family tries to avoid him, which makes him more mad, because he feels they are not respecting him. He tries to stop Dalal's path to fame, but he is surprised by the show of force Dalal and her mother present to him. He then decides Mariam's studies should be halted and she should be called home to marry the man Majed chooses. That too goes horribly wrong. The more he tries to exert his authority the worse things get. The author does a great job of building up to the climax. The reader will certainly learn a lot about the family dynamic in the Middle East. Thank you to the author and her publicist for the opportunity to read and review this book.

[Jalilah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Although I had my doubts in the beginning, I ended up really enjoying this book! A few years ago I read Maha Gargash's novel The Sand Fish: A Novel from Dubai and really loved it. It took place in the United Arab Emirates before oil was discovered and was so different from this book which takes place in the 90s both in the UAE and Egypt. At first all the characters were not likeable. The family father Majib is supposed to be that way , but both his niece Maryam and daughter Dahlal were unlikable at first. Maryam was annoying because she just seemed so clueless and Dahlal because she seemed so selfish. As the story goes on it's clear why both young women appear this way, both have been both neglected and over sheltered. Each of them are dealing with their patriarchal society in a different way. Looking at them through a Eurocentric lens one might at first find them weak and silly, but in reality they are strong and rebellious women.
I ended up liking them a lot! I hope this author writes more books, for I will certainly read everything she writes!

[Khalid Hajeri · Rating 3 out of 5]

An intertwining story about a father named Majed, his estranged daughter Dalal, and Mariam the daughter of his deceased brother. The lives of each of them is altered forever as they seek their own paths to success. What will happen when they eventually have to confront their challenges?

I really enjoyed Maha Gargash's previous novel "The Sand Fish" which was very well written and rich in the cultural narrative of Dubai (an Emirate of the United Arab Emirates) in the 1950s, and showcased a very memorable protagonist as she navigated her life through the story. With that said, I decided to read Maha's next novel "That Other Me", feeling eager to find out what she would write about next.

"That Other Me" is a very different book from "The Sand Fish" in both narrative and and tone. Set both in Dubai and in Egypt in the 1990s, the story is told from the point of view of the three characters mentioned in the very beginning of this review, with each chapter title as either character to denote that the chapter is narrated by the respective character. Majed is the overprotective type who strives to grow his business relationships while at the same time monitor his family very closely. Dalal is the dreamy type who aspires to become a famous singer in Egypt and is best friends with Mariam, who is studying dentistry in a college in Egypt. Feeling responsible for the two girls, Majed tries to secretly keep track of their everyday lives while at the same time balance his own life.

I have to say that Majed is a very unlikable character. He comes across as a hypocrite when he tries to point out that his daughter Dalal is behaving immorally, while he himself engages in conduct that would be deemed immoral from his standpoint. He is mean spirited even toward his own friends and family, and his own trail of thoughts is very one-sided to the point that I had zero sympathy for him after his reactions. His chapters were a chore to read through; long and painful dialogues kept me from enjoying reading his parts in the story.

Dalal is arguably the most interesting character of the three, as she tries to better her life despite her flaws. She is the most self aware character in the book which makes reading about her progression in her life most worthwhile; readers will root for her well-being and shed a some tears during the novel's most emotional moments involving her. Dalal's strong character development is especially seen in her interactions with others in her life and in the harsh world of the music business.

Mariam is a decent character who get to learn what she wants to do in her life as the story progresses. She meets a fellow student in the college that find her interesting and a crush develops between the two. With this, she has to decide on how to maintain the relationship while still keeping her cultural boundaries intact.

Now, aside from Majed, another drawback of this book is the introduction of many cookie-cutter characters that never develop, and that vanish quickly toward the end of the book. These characters could have been around longer to be developed and to help make the story more interesting, perhaps even leading to a sequel series to this novel. Alas, one by one the characters are disregarded for very thin reasons briefly explained by each of the three main characters based on cheap situations.

The book is still very readable and there are genuine moments of emotion when Dalal and Mariam are trying to overcome their ordeals. Both have to suffer their own hardships which are very different in scale, yet they must make decisions that will serve as the outcome whether in or against their respective favors. However, no matter what emotional moments are presented with Majed's parts of the story, Majed is an irredeemable character whose extreme hypocrisy and cruelty towards the other two characters greatly prevents the novel from being as good as the author's previous one "The Sand Fish".

Note: "That Other Me" contains some adult situations and language, making this book meant to be read by mature readers only.

[Moushine Zahr · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the second book I read from Emirati author Maha Gargash and totally different from the first one. While her first book was set in Dubai decades prior to finding oil, this novel starts in 1995 after the economic boom Dubai enjoyed. The novel follows 3 people: Majed, Mariam, and Dalal.

Majed is a known sixty years old successful businessmen in the contemporary and modern Dubai, who knew how to benefit from the growing economy of Dubai, but hiding the dark secrets of having sacrificed the traditional moral values of his countrymen, taking advantage of his older brother causing his death, and controlling with a firm grip his entire family.

Mariam is the niece of Majed, styding in Cairo, living far from Majed, and trying to live an independant life away from her uncle's family in a man dominated world.

Dalal is the hidden daughter of Majed from a secret marriage, also living in Cairo with her mother trying to become a famous singer in a cut-throat industry, in a world dominated by men, who keeps deceiving her.

The author developed wery well these 3 main characters and the secondary characters as well, and specially the moral stress and/or distress the two female characters experience when facing duress from men. The story is well written, revealing bit by bits the secrets, the decaying behaviors of men against women, and the final outcome. I loved the last chapters set in a traditional Emirati lavish wedding and its final outcome, filled with strong messages. Besides the story following these 3 characters, this book depicts adequately the Emirati lifestyle inside their homes beyond the external formal image.

[Susan Goveas · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's an excellent book! It was a special book to me because I grew up in Dubai and it took me down memory lane with all the places mentioned in it ❤️

Majed is a mean spirited, evil and a cruel person. I despised the character of him.

In a nutshell, you will read about Khaleeji cultural values and usual family drama dealing with family run businesses.

Overall, it kept me entertained and it was a quick read.

[Mosa'ab · Rating 1 out of 5]

Not worth it. Found myself irritated by how long the book was and how unrewarding it was to get through. Uninspiring characters which are mostly flat and difficult to empathize with. Not sure what the point of telling the story of three characters in a first person narrative was other than doubling the size of the book and overlapping the plot lines.

[Simone B · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well written characters and an interesting insight into Emirati society. Overall I felt that it dragged on a bit, but was still a worthwhile read.

[Hannah · Rating 2 out of 5]

Global Read 181- Emirates

This book was very readable in that it had a page turning story but it was very pat. All loose ends were tied up very neatly. The characters are all very one dimensional. Majed has absolutely no redeeming characters, Mariam is is pure as the driven snow. Dalal is the only one who has some complexity. The story and many of its twists felt predictable.

[heba · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book offered a unique look at different cultures and mindsets. It was really confusing in the beginning, but after I understood the relationship of the characters to each other, I started liking the book.

[Get Red PR Books · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic read.

[Nada Sobhi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Note: I received a free copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

That Other Me by Emirati author Maha Gargash is a novel of beautiful prose handling the lives of members in one Emirati family and the workings within that family. It is a story of how very different women rebel against one man.

Set in Egypt and the UAE in 1995, the novel covers various themes such as women, education, love, family, duty, and entitlement.

It is narrated in the first person perspectives of Majed, his daughter from a secret marriage Dalal, and his niece Mariam. We get some history pertaining to Majed and his brother Hareb, who is Mariam's father.

Majed is an obnoxious character with many faults, constantly berating those around him. I liked how Gargash enables the reader to see these faults through Majed's speech and thoughts. We don't need to know what others think of him; we get to do that for ourselves through him. The same method applies to Dalal, although Mariam is aware of some her own faults.
Moreover, each character has more than one fault, making the reader like and dislike each and every character, except possibly Majed who is also a misogynist.

"I'd overpowered them. I'd broken them and slashed their resolve."

There is also the idea of Hareb's death. Mariam blames her uncle for her father's stroke, whereas Majed constantly compares himself to his older brother. He tries to highlights how the company is better under his management and how his brother was too naïve. Mariam also struggles in silence because of this burden of her father's death.

"[Adel] wants me to open up, but how can I with all this self-blame, this guilt that runs as deep as the river to my side, as thick as the silt at the bottom."

Both Dalal and Mariam have some haughtiness when dealing with Egyptians; however, we see that Dalal is a lot more like her father in terms of pride, condescension and haughtiness.
Although they are fairly good friends, the cousins are very different both in their attitudes and their view of the world. Dalal may be younger but she understands men and the world better than her older cousin.

Dalal is mostly ignored by her father Majed, who divorced her mother and left them in Egypt in the slums of Imbaba – as punishment. He also has several spies tailing them to see what they're up to and thwart any plans to hurt the family name "Al-Naseemy".

"The spies my father sends to watch us – there are two of them tonight – are caught off guard too. As mama breezes past them, one is quick to pretend he is looking for some important item in his pocket, while the other drops to the ground to tie his shoelaces, even though he is wearing sandals. What a clumsy duo!"

There was character development, whether good or bad, not only for the three main characters, but for others as well. Readers will be surprised by some transformations.

The theme of entitlement is evident especially with Majed and Dalal, to the point of irritation and scariness. Majed's selfishness and berating attitude is constant throughout the novel, not only with his subordinates but also with his wife, his children and Zohra, his secret wife. We see him mistreating everyone and no one stands up to him except Zohra and later Dalal, who tries anything and everything to defy him, and finally another character (no spoilers, sorry!).

At one point, Majed says he will change his ways and embark on a path of righteousness; however, this endeavour is quickly tainted by his ulterior motive to marry off his niece in order to get rid of her. He also considers the wealth of her matches in order to acquire additional wealth for himself and his business.

Although Mariam is older than Dalal, she is less outgoing and extremely shy to the extent that she can't summon the courage to say "good morning" to her crush, Adel, which appears to be a childish and fantastical crush. Adel is a minor character in the novel, but he helps Mariam – eventually – mature a bit in her dreamy view of him and the world.

"Always, my courage drained like water down a bathtub. I could almost hear the gurgle and slurp of it as my mouth turned dry."

The word choice and flow in That Other Me is simply beautiful. I enjoyed Gargash's writing A LOT. The words just flowed on the page, prompting me to carry on. The switching of viewpoints kept the novel interesting. You want to know what happens next.

I liked how Gargash managed to maintain the timeframe and background information through the three perspectives. You do not feel lost. You also get to see each character's observations regarding one particular event like Hareb's death or Dalal's actions.

The novel also handles the themes of parenthood and love (both family and romance). Dalal constantly tries to earn the love and admiration of those around her, at first with her father, then her mother then others.

"Clara had a sweet voice that often grew croaky at the end of the day as she tended to my incessant needs. Whenever she felt a tantrum brewing, she would burst into song at the top of her voice… One day my father shouted at her, accusing her of scaring me. I liked that he did that. I thought it showed his love for me."

With Zohra, Dalal's mother, the reader begins to worry that the mother may not have her daughter's best interest at heart, as seen when she tries to get quick fame for Dalal while obviously trying to spite her ex-husband, Majed.

There is also the theme of women and education. The story begins with Mariam, who is under Majed's care, studying dentistry in Egypt. We get the views of other women in her family regarding education. For the grandmother, Mama Al-Ouda, a girl should only learn to read and write. Travelling abroad to be educated is not natural and spoils a girl's mind.

We see that one of the women on the side of Majed's wife, Aisha, is an independent woman, a source of disgust and contempt for Majed.

"It was in the early 1980s that, after a couple of years of marriage, she divorced her husband with the excuse that he was a lazy drunk, indifferent toward her. To the chagrin of her family, she didn't go back to live with them. Instead, she rented an apartment and sought employment at the Ministry of Public Works. Then she took study leave to get a degree in architectural engineering (a most unusual vocation for a woman)… and returned to the Ministry once she was done to work as an engineer in the Tenders and Contracts Department. What business does she have sticking her nose in a man's world, as if she were his equal?"

This issue of education remains till today in the poorer parts of the Arab world, Egypt included, as the elderly believe women need to become wives and mothers before being educated or allowed to work.

A reader of That Other Me needs to remember that this is a work of fiction as it has some scathing views of the ultra-wealthy Emiratis.

I liked Gargash's use of Arabic words, some of which are non-translatable, while others were used to give a better feel of the novel and the settings, like "habibchi" as said by Dalal's manager.

The imagery in That Other Me is brilliant, constant and fresh. There are a lot of scenes and speeches worth highlighting/quoting/noting throughout the book.

I loved Gargash's use of poetic justice. Simply wicked!

Overall, That Other Me is an enjoyable, mind-provoking and flowing read. I'll definitely be interested in reading more of Maha Gargash's work in the future.

Note: The number of quotes I highlighted in the novel is HUGE. Naturally, I couldn't quote them.

[Rachel Reece · Rating 2 out of 5]

I’ve thought a lot about how to describe why I gave this 2 stars. Hear me out, even though this isn’t AP Lang class: The book’s combo of first person and present tense narration with multiple narrators was really jarring.

The first-person narration by 3 different people about events that didn’t really overlap left the story with no moral grounding. When a book has one narrator, you’re given a clear perspective and you can decide whether you agree with it. One character was just about the most horrifically cruel character I’ve ever read in a book. *but he got to tell his own story!!* It was so disturbing to be left without a sense that someone else sees this and can do something about it. Even if that someone is just an omniscient narrator!

All of the characters seemed evil to me, some more than others, and there was no one to root for.

When narration is in past tense, the book has a built-in sense that even though x part of the story was terrible, it’s in the past now and it all turned into a story worth telling.

Present tense leaves you with none of the certainty that it all leads to a story worth telling. I’m reading another book in present tense now, and the effect is that it feels like a horror film, which is the intent so it’s cool.

I found the characters SO deeply hateful. All of them. If just a couple more scenes like that in the final 2 pages of the book has been inserted - scenes with a little pathos - the book would have been bearable.

I finished this one because I can’t leave a book unfinished!

I decided near the end to read it as if it were an old movie - one where characters are one-dimensional and their actions are cheap plot devices. And that helped.

The last 2 pages of the book proved that the book I would have liked to read was possible — it just wasn’t the book in my hands.

[Rhoda · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

This was my read the world selection for United Arab Emirates.

This story focuses on the wealthy Nassemy family of Dubai and from the perspectives of three main characters, Majed the patriarch, his niece Mariam and his “secret daughter” Dalal.

While Majed tries to rule over his family and ensure that what he says goes, he is putting his niece Mariam through university in Cairo, no doubt due to his guilt at cheating his brother and her father out of his business and being instrumental in his demise. Dalal is also in Cairo, trying to get her singing career off the ground, much to the anger of her father who believes it will bring shame to their family. As much as Majed tries to control his family, and to his great frustration, these two women continue to defy him.

This book was definitely a slow burn as the characters were introduced and developed and I was wondering where the story was going. It did get more interesting over time, but I would say that it was more of a character study and exploration of culture than a gripping storyline.

While the three main characters were quite interesting, there were a lot of periphery characters that all started to blend into each other for me, as none were really developed beyond names on a page. As an insight into Emirati culture, this book was interesting but I can’t say that the overall story wowed me. Not bad, but not amazing. ⭐️⭐️⭐️.5/5

[Emese Kovacs · Rating 5 out of 5]

“That Other Me” is a novel written by an Emirati author, Maha Gargash. The plot plays somewhere between 1995 and 1998 in Cairo, Egypt and in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. The story follows two young women, their friendship, their future and the society’s expectations towards them. The conflict is clear that these expectations put an enormous pressure on both of them. Is it possible for them to live independent lives one day? Can they find carrier and love without the society’s required rules? The author gives a hint of insight of cultural traditions and leads the readers over a sequence of events full with excitement in each chapter. The language is clear and readers can learn some Emirati words too. This book is for those who like to learn about different cultures. It is worth to read the authors earlier book first “The Sand Fish” which plays in the 1950’s in the UAE and provides a great opportunity to compare the changes of Emirati traditions from 1950’s to 1990’s. As the UAE is evolving so rapidly, I believe that the author’s next book will reveal this development, maybe within it with some inspiring Emirati women, such as herself.

[Eva · Rating 4 out of 5]

After having read Girls of Riyadh I thought I check out another female voice from the Arabian Peninsula. Gargash is definitely the more skilled writer. She offers us a portrait of 3 members of an established yet secretly scandal-ridden Emirati family: the chauvinistic old patriarch of the family, his illegitimate daughter, and his niece. The novel is set in the 90ies and shows the struggle of the two girls to escape a deeply misogynistic culture. We witness the lack of respect and violence shown towards women when we go into the head of the hateful family head, and we also see how these patriarchal values trickle down to the new generation of young Arabic men.

The writing is feminist yet nuanced and quite engaging in weaving together the storylines by switching between the three characters. And for a change I actually didn't mind the different POVs.

Another great window into a different world.

[Dominique · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is one of those books that carefully sets up the characters and the setting for there to be a massive payoff, a climax if you will, that finally sets everything in place. For me, the first 2/3rds of the book were incredibly slow. It was a struggle to finish a chapter. I didn't like any of the characters. Dalal is the most interesting perspective to read, as she is striving to be a singer, a profession that is looked down upon in Khaleeji society. However, she can come across as bone-headed and immature in her single-minded pursuit of achieving fame.

But the climax of the book was when I absolutely could not put it down, which was about 80% into the book. The drama! The tension! It was all there!

[T · Rating 3 out of 5]

Finally finished this Emirati novel. Was not surprised by the violent sexual abuse and consequent payoff by the patriarch. The glimpses into student lives of Emiratis in Cairo were different.
The dramatic plot was uninspired. In one instance characters accuse each other of being selfish. The one that is actually not selfish, defends himself by saying "I could be with my friends, sipping coffee at Gerard's or playing cards right now! So tell me again that I'm selfish." This completely confuses his point. Another time, a student is supposedly different from her immature peers because...the author says she is w/o any example of why this is so.
One interesting note, a character in Egypt was chewing libb, apparently this is white radish.
Another character's kharteeta was dented, the car bonnet.

[Anna · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked this book a lot, and read it really quickly. It took a lot of unexpected turns but not all of them were easy to read. So take this as your warning. This is a good book, but there is one brutal sexual assault, another rape and another instance of non-consensual sexual contact. I was really caught off guard by each one of them so, if that’s an issue for you, be aware. It does have a very satisfying (though not necessarily “happy”) ending.

[Kate · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting glimpse into a segment of the Arab world and a bittersweet family saga. The ending is a bit more bitter than sweet, but overall an interesting read. Not manner of the characters are particularly likeable, but I don't think they were meant to be. There was a lot of anger and resentment twisted through the family that popped out through the characters. I thought that aspect of the story was really well done.

[Akshara · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have very complicated feelings about this book. I enjoyed the pace of the story, I didn't even mind the different PoVs though they did seem forced and clunky. I found most of the descriptions interesting about the city of Cairo, the wedding or the struggle for stardom. However, the ending seemed rushed and the resolution for the characters was definitely forced.
And my book club discussion did put in perspective the stereotypes at play for better or for worse before I finished the book.

[tojinomoto · Rating 4 out of 5]

My kind of novel. Can't wait to read The Sand Fish.

Kinda hits close to home. Been living in Dubai for 15 yrs, can relate to this book. If you're into Emirati or Khaleeji culture, this one's for you.

[Serendipity · Rating 4 out of 5]

That Other Me is the tale of a dysfunctional family, narrated by three of its members. Majed is the domineering, controlling family patriarch. Dalal is his daughter from his second wife, but he has effectively cut them from his life. She aims to find fame through a singing career. Mariam is his niece. Since both her parents, including Majed’s brother and one-time business partner, are dead he has responsibility for her. She’s bright and is studying overseas, but just recently has developed an interest in a fellow student who seems to be a bit of a bad boy.
🇦🇪 The writing was nothing special- perfectly satisfactory but it didn’t draw me in. I also struggled to connect to the characters, especially misogynistic Majed who had no redeeming characteristics. Dalal seemed to expect fame to be handed to her, was selfishly wilful, and struck me as a vapid reality star. Mariam was better but clearly blind to a man who was using her.
🇦🇪 What saved the book for me was it’s setting - the United Arab Emirates - which added another level to the story due to its different laws and customs. Especially noticeable were the means Majed was able to go to to exert his control over both his daughter and niece. I really enjoyed the glimpses into another culture - everything from family dynamics and gender relationships, through food, business practices, clothing and music to speeding in the desert and coming to grief in sand dunes.
🇦🇪 Changing customs and the clash between modern and traditional ways were frequently at the crux of the plot. The contrast between the way young people flirted and the way a wedding was traditionally arranged and conducted is one example. Another is the differences between how Majed entertained business associates and how he entertained traditional clansmen. While he seemed willing to take advantage of some newer ways and customs like drinking alcohol, he resented and fought any changes that threatened his autocratic power. This was especially evident when Mariam and Dalal tried to forge their own paths and he needed to thwart them and ensure they conformed to the culturally prescribed standards for women.

[Majed · Rating 4 out of 5]

although i’m not sure anything can clear the bar set by her first novel, this one landed for me as well. maybe because i have a personal experience in the society that is being depicted here, but i was able to feel deeply with these characters. the first half of the book made me feel suffocated along with them, and the second half brought the catharsis of disruption. although the evil in this book sometimes feels one note, there is a whole lot of depth in each girl’s reaction to it. this book asks a question of each character: how do you want to fit into this society? and both Dalal and Mariam find their own unique way of answering that question. the answer needs not be one of two extremes, it can mirror just how ambivalent an impossible question like that leaves you feeling.

[Courtney · Rating 4 out of 5]

A look into family structure in the Arab world, I felt transported to Cairo and Dubai. The culture, language, lifestyle, all painted eloquently to provide the backdrop for familial engagements and how it all intertwines. I consumed the entirety of this book in one weekend, feeling empowered to stand up to those who may treat me unfairly or hold me back from my dreams. Being from a supportive family, I cannot imagine what it could be like for Dalal and Mariam, being constantly directed into what is expected of them by the head of the household. Having to act a certain way, blend into the family despite unique talents and qualities, and

Don't get me wrong, Dalal is quite bold and thinks too highly of herself as her career starts to take off in the entertainment world and Mariam playing cat and mouse with a young man in her school. However, I find their dedication and spirit encouraging. To be honest I have struggled with accepting what's said to me without complaint, yet seeing how these young women defied their fatherly figure, inspires me to fight back (bit with more tact and maturity then what Dalal and Mariam express ;) ).

The pace between each character's first person narrative every chapter was pretty quick so sometimes it would be challenging to figure out where the story picks back up again and/or when it picks up where the last chapter ends and their perspective is tagged in. I also felt that towards the end, there was a quite a bit of a jump in time (3 years), without a preface for doing so - I feel as if it was slightly rushed and would be interested to see what the parts Gargash summarized quickly would look like spelled out in more detail.

Read That Other Me if you like the themes of:

Rebelling
Family ties
Authority/Patriarchy
Determination
Fame/Fortune

[Abeer AlRasbi · Rating 3 out of 5]

A story of a typical wealthy Emirati family in Dubai in 1980's that captures the story of a man who had struggled to build the family fortune and died because of his brother Majed's betrayal. Then the story goes on describing Majed's life around his wife, daughters, sons,niece, his secret wife and daughter, friends, and the tragedy ending.

Very easily readable story line, getting the reader a picture of Dubai's families at that time. The first around 250-300 pages of the story were kinda of going deep on events and stories of all the main characters: Majed, Maryam, and Dalal in a kinda of connected way drawing lines and shadows every now and then on other characters, then suddenly the events were running and were just thrown all togather with no much details to the extent of being briefly mentioned. Yes, I enjoyed reading it especially the deep feelings description to what really these characters are going through.

[Sana Abdulla · Rating 3 out of 5]

There are three main characters,the patriarch who is a typical arab male, who has the upper hand in the family and allows himself all the liberties but discreetly to keep up his good name. An orphaned girl who is a mixture of innocence and passion but is compelled to abide by her guardian's wishes. And finally a girl with gusto made more rebellious by her status as a daughter of a secret second marriage. Set in Cairo and Dubai , it is a good and sometimes hilarious depiction of opposite lives in the two cities.

[Amy Shannon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Incredible!

An incredible peek into the Khaleeji (Gulf-Arab) culture. The reader doesn't have to be part of the culture to enjoy this great story. Dalal and Mariam are bound in their families, set in a showbiz glamour world of Arab. Riddled with secrets and internal corruption, the girls have their own dreams as they strive for freedom. It's an amazing story, with greatness of characters. It's a story that is told from different perspectives of different characters, and that can be difficult and confusing, but this is not that time.