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Hijab and Red Lipstick
“You cannot do anything in this country without my permission.”
Being a teenager isn't easy. And it doesn't help when you have a mega strict Egyptian dad who tells you that everything is "haram" a.k.a. forbidden. All Sara wants to do is experiment with makeup, listen to the latest Destiny's Child single and read fashion magazines, but her dad's conservative interpretation of Islam makes it impossible. Things get even harder when her dad lands himself a job in the Arabian Gulf and moves Sara and her family to a country where the patriarchy rules supreme. In a country where you have to have your father's permission for everything, every door feels like it is being closed on Sara's future. In a desperate bid for freedom, Sara makes a judgement call that threatens to ruin their dysfunctional father-daughter relationship forever.
Hijab & Red Lipstick is told from the perspective of a young British Muslim woman growing up between London and the Middle East. It is a tale of a young woman’s difficult quest to find herself, offering an unusual and unique insight into life in countries such as Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the UAE, where people’s personal lives, relationships and coming of age experiences are rarely spoken about.
Being a teenager isn't easy. And it doesn't help when you have a mega strict Egyptian dad who tells you that everything is "haram" a.k.a. forbidden. All Sara wants to do is experiment with makeup, listen to the latest Destiny's Child single and read fashion magazines, but her dad's conservative interpretation of Islam makes it impossible. Things get even harder when her dad lands himself a job in the Arabian Gulf and moves Sara and her family to a country where the patriarchy rules supreme. In a country where you have to have your father's permission for everything, every door feels like it is being closed on Sara's future. In a desperate bid for freedom, Sara makes a judgement call that threatens to ruin their dysfunctional father-daughter relationship forever.
Hijab & Red Lipstick is told from the perspective of a young British Muslim woman growing up between London and the Middle East. It is a tale of a young woman’s difficult quest to find herself, offering an unusual and unique insight into life in countries such as Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the UAE, where people’s personal lives, relationships and coming of age experiences are rarely spoken about.
272 pages, Paperback
Published October 15, 2020
7 people are currently reading
320 people want to read
About the author
Yousra Imran
1 book13 followersHere’s a bit about me
I’ve been writing ever since the moment I could hold a pen. I was always entering writing and poetry competitions at school - and won a fair few - and I even wrote the script for the end-of-year play when I was in Year 6!
Fast forward ten years later, and at the age of 20 I began to write articles for blogs, websites and glossy magazines while living in Qatar, and another decade later, at the ripe old age of 31, my first novel, Hijab and Red Lipstick, is being published in the UK by Hashtag Press. You can find out more about my writing experience on the Writing Services section of this website.
I am half English, half Egyptian, and was born and brought up in London, before moving to Qatar at the age of fourteen, where I lived until I was 29 years old.
I am now based in West Yorkshire where I live with my husband and work full time in the higher education sector.
Interesting fact: I used to be a personal trainer and fitness instructor and once modelled for Puma. I was diagnosed with Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome in 2017 and damage to my joints meant I could no longer carry on coaching and teaching.
I am an avid reader and like to review books on my Instagram account as well as review them on the blog section of this website. My favourite things to do (other than writing and reading) are drinking a good coffee or cup of karak chai, hiking, watching movies, listening to old Arabic music, and exploring new cities.
I identify as a Muslim feminist, and I am passionate about women’s rights, gender justice, disability awareness, mental health and women in Islam.
Follow me on social media:
Instagram: @writereadeatrepeat
Twitter: @underyourabaya
I’ve been writing ever since the moment I could hold a pen. I was always entering writing and poetry competitions at school - and won a fair few - and I even wrote the script for the end-of-year play when I was in Year 6!
Fast forward ten years later, and at the age of 20 I began to write articles for blogs, websites and glossy magazines while living in Qatar, and another decade later, at the ripe old age of 31, my first novel, Hijab and Red Lipstick, is being published in the UK by Hashtag Press. You can find out more about my writing experience on the Writing Services section of this website.
I am half English, half Egyptian, and was born and brought up in London, before moving to Qatar at the age of fourteen, where I lived until I was 29 years old.
I am now based in West Yorkshire where I live with my husband and work full time in the higher education sector.
Interesting fact: I used to be a personal trainer and fitness instructor and once modelled for Puma. I was diagnosed with Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome in 2017 and damage to my joints meant I could no longer carry on coaching and teaching.
I am an avid reader and like to review books on my Instagram account as well as review them on the blog section of this website. My favourite things to do (other than writing and reading) are drinking a good coffee or cup of karak chai, hiking, watching movies, listening to old Arabic music, and exploring new cities.
I identify as a Muslim feminist, and I am passionate about women’s rights, gender justice, disability awareness, mental health and women in Islam.
Follow me on social media:
Instagram: @writereadeatrepeat
Twitter: @underyourabaya
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 76 reviews
December 18, 2020
This book had me raging. I was sceptical about this when I first heard about it but this book was worse than I thought it would be.
Before I share the issues I have with it I want to say that I know this is own voices and while I know that stories of women being treated unjustly should be shared and we need to raise awareness so that things can change, it still does not justify making your personal story that of all women raised in the Gulf.
The story itself was really poorly written as if this was a draft rather than an edited finished copy. It had several time jumps and yet we are not told when exactly the book is set, I had to work it out from things that were mentioned. We are also repeatedly told the family live in the Gulf as if the Gulf is one single country and not made up of many countries each with its own cultural norms and rules. I still am not sure exactly where the book was set. It was frustrating to have to try and work things out and not even know where exactly the book was set.
The author at the end of the book had a page where she said that she later learnt that Islam was very different to the version her father had taught her and that it made her see her faith in a different light. However I don’t think that small statement at the end is good enough when the whole book implies that Islam is the root cause of all her problems and that Arab men in general are all oppressive.
We see the author time and time again show that her father uses hadith to oppress her and treat her unjustly which to someone who hasn’t studied hadith will take them at face value which implies that Islam is implicitly the issue, when it’s that her father is actually twisting words to use to his benefit. In fact every single time Islam is mentioned it’s negatively so I don’t really know what point she was making because it came across as Islam is the issue not that people twisting words to their benefit is the actual issue.
We also see that the author implies that living in a specific part of the world, the Gulf, is the reason for the father becoming oppressive but we see that he was always like this. He always had these inclinations and beliefs. The mother hates having to prepare food for the men that come to see the father in the gulf but doesn’t feel as annoyed by doing the same thing in England because the men there said thank you. So the things the father did didn’t actually change he expected the same thing from his wife but somehow it was okay in England but no in the Gulf.
The father is absolutely oppressive and twists things to suit his benefit and there are men who do this and these things should be called out. I hated every single time he twisted things and treated the women in his family unjustly and even how he treated his sons. That unless there is blind obedience from them they are a disappointment and yet Islam teaches us against this very thing. Blind obedience is not part of Islam and yet this distinction was never made despite her having many opportunities throughout the story. It made me more and more angry that the way the story was spun.
Another issue I had with the book was the constant comparison of how White people are superior to Arabs even mentioning looks. There is one scene where she says her sister is blessed with her mother’s looks (who is White) and that she has a big nose because of her “Arab DNA” and I just hated how she kept implying that White people are superior, that the West is better. She showed it in how the people who embraced western ideals of norm were seen as progressive and those who tried to practice Islam were seen as backwards.
There was just so much Arab hate in this book and it made all women who lived in the Gulf a victim and all men are oppressors. It’s not okay to lump everyone in these two neat sides. There are oppressive men everywhere and yet we don’t claim that every man from there is oppressive so why is it okay to say that about the men in the Gulf. Also it didn’t sit right with me that all women are victimised despite this not being the reality of every woman in the Gulf. There was also some fetishization of Arab men which if it had been a man who did that to a woman would be unacceptable and yet it was okay for her to do and it made it to the final copy?!
I also found the story to only focus on her relationship with men, the way she wanted to dress and that being free meant being westernised and I just had so many issues with it. There’s a line where she says in England a girl becomes a teen when she kisses a boy and I just had to double take because WHAT? What is the point of this message except to show how much “better” it was in the west?
She also was pretty judgemental of other girls and their choices because it wasn’t the same as hers and the whole I’m not like other girls. Shaming them for wanting to wear make up etc and at the same time doing the exact same thing as them, putting make up when she left and taking it off before she got home so her dad wouldn’t see.
We see very little of her life outside of this narrative and it made her a very shallow one dimensional character. The whole time she lived in the Gulf she only showed how awful every single man she meets is and therefore all Arab men are awful and she lumps them all together. Even the scene where she attends a conference where she says she is passionate about women’s rights the focus ends up being on a man she meets. I would have liked to have seen more of her relationship with her siblings which are only mentioned to show how oppressive it is for women and how men become misogynists by living in the Gulf.
I am so tired of these stereotypes being perpetuated and especially that the stories lack nuance.
Before I share the issues I have with it I want to say that I know this is own voices and while I know that stories of women being treated unjustly should be shared and we need to raise awareness so that things can change, it still does not justify making your personal story that of all women raised in the Gulf.
The story itself was really poorly written as if this was a draft rather than an edited finished copy. It had several time jumps and yet we are not told when exactly the book is set, I had to work it out from things that were mentioned. We are also repeatedly told the family live in the Gulf as if the Gulf is one single country and not made up of many countries each with its own cultural norms and rules. I still am not sure exactly where the book was set. It was frustrating to have to try and work things out and not even know where exactly the book was set.
The author at the end of the book had a page where she said that she later learnt that Islam was very different to the version her father had taught her and that it made her see her faith in a different light. However I don’t think that small statement at the end is good enough when the whole book implies that Islam is the root cause of all her problems and that Arab men in general are all oppressive.
We see the author time and time again show that her father uses hadith to oppress her and treat her unjustly which to someone who hasn’t studied hadith will take them at face value which implies that Islam is implicitly the issue, when it’s that her father is actually twisting words to use to his benefit. In fact every single time Islam is mentioned it’s negatively so I don’t really know what point she was making because it came across as Islam is the issue not that people twisting words to their benefit is the actual issue.
We also see that the author implies that living in a specific part of the world, the Gulf, is the reason for the father becoming oppressive but we see that he was always like this. He always had these inclinations and beliefs. The mother hates having to prepare food for the men that come to see the father in the gulf but doesn’t feel as annoyed by doing the same thing in England because the men there said thank you. So the things the father did didn’t actually change he expected the same thing from his wife but somehow it was okay in England but no in the Gulf.
The father is absolutely oppressive and twists things to suit his benefit and there are men who do this and these things should be called out. I hated every single time he twisted things and treated the women in his family unjustly and even how he treated his sons. That unless there is blind obedience from them they are a disappointment and yet Islam teaches us against this very thing. Blind obedience is not part of Islam and yet this distinction was never made despite her having many opportunities throughout the story. It made me more and more angry that the way the story was spun.
Another issue I had with the book was the constant comparison of how White people are superior to Arabs even mentioning looks. There is one scene where she says her sister is blessed with her mother’s looks (who is White) and that she has a big nose because of her “Arab DNA” and I just hated how she kept implying that White people are superior, that the West is better. She showed it in how the people who embraced western ideals of norm were seen as progressive and those who tried to practice Islam were seen as backwards.
There was just so much Arab hate in this book and it made all women who lived in the Gulf a victim and all men are oppressors. It’s not okay to lump everyone in these two neat sides. There are oppressive men everywhere and yet we don’t claim that every man from there is oppressive so why is it okay to say that about the men in the Gulf. Also it didn’t sit right with me that all women are victimised despite this not being the reality of every woman in the Gulf. There was also some fetishization of Arab men which if it had been a man who did that to a woman would be unacceptable and yet it was okay for her to do and it made it to the final copy?!
I also found the story to only focus on her relationship with men, the way she wanted to dress and that being free meant being westernised and I just had so many issues with it. There’s a line where she says in England a girl becomes a teen when she kisses a boy and I just had to double take because WHAT? What is the point of this message except to show how much “better” it was in the west?
She also was pretty judgemental of other girls and their choices because it wasn’t the same as hers and the whole I’m not like other girls. Shaming them for wanting to wear make up etc and at the same time doing the exact same thing as them, putting make up when she left and taking it off before she got home so her dad wouldn’t see.
We see very little of her life outside of this narrative and it made her a very shallow one dimensional character. The whole time she lived in the Gulf she only showed how awful every single man she meets is and therefore all Arab men are awful and she lumps them all together. Even the scene where she attends a conference where she says she is passionate about women’s rights the focus ends up being on a man she meets. I would have liked to have seen more of her relationship with her siblings which are only mentioned to show how oppressive it is for women and how men become misogynists by living in the Gulf.
I am so tired of these stereotypes being perpetuated and especially that the stories lack nuance.
October 21, 2020
A perfect book covering a young Muslim woman’s difficult quest to find her identity especially while having a mega strict Egyptian dad who tells her that everything is "haram" a.k.a. forbidden.
I truly enjoyed reading each and every page of this book!
Having spent almost my entire childhood and teenage years in the Gulf, I am aware of the patriarchy system that exists and have heard about a few incidents or experiences. I have never been able to read an entire story spanning across the years.
As we read about Sara's journey from childhood to adulthood, we are actually reading the different experiences and challenges that every young Arab Muslim girl goes through. The constant religious and social pressures are widely know and criticized but rarely defied. The inclusion of the stories of Sara's mother and her sister also highlight other important issues.
I loved the author's dedication at the beginning of the book. I truly believe Yousra Imran is a perfect inspiration for all the Arab women, her courage and determination is amazing!
This is one story which should be read and shared by all.
Thank You to NetGalley and Hashtag Press for this ARC!
I truly enjoyed reading each and every page of this book!
Having spent almost my entire childhood and teenage years in the Gulf, I am aware of the patriarchy system that exists and have heard about a few incidents or experiences. I have never been able to read an entire story spanning across the years.
As we read about Sara's journey from childhood to adulthood, we are actually reading the different experiences and challenges that every young Arab Muslim girl goes through. The constant religious and social pressures are widely know and criticized but rarely defied. The inclusion of the stories of Sara's mother and her sister also highlight other important issues.
I loved the author's dedication at the beginning of the book. I truly believe Yousra Imran is a perfect inspiration for all the Arab women, her courage and determination is amazing!
This is one story which should be read and shared by all.
Thank You to NetGalley and Hashtag Press for this ARC!
October 29, 2020
Hijab and Red Lipstick tells the story of a British-Egyptian teenage girl moving to the Gulf with her family due to her Egyptian father's conservative Muslim ideologies.
The story is a powerful one, presenting numerous examples of the horrendous reality of being a woman in a patriarchal mysogynistic Arab country.
At the beginning and end of the book she states that the repression and abuse women face in these countries is due to Arab cultural ideas being mixed in with Islam, not Islam itself. I agree with her that some Muslim practices are not supported by history and the Qur'an but it bothered me how she blamed both the mysoginy and the patriarchal ideas on Arab culture. All major world religions are patriarchal. Fact. Saying that Mohammed asked his multiple wives for advice does not preclude that Islam is a patriarchal religion. Could his wives have multiple sexual partners? Did they hold positions of power? Did they decide their own fate?
While I think the subject matter is important to voice and important for young people to hear, I didn't like the writing style which felt neutral and void of emotion with short matter-of-fact sentences. The writing almost felt middle grade in it's simplicity but the subject matter is definitely older yound adult with plenty of triggers.
And while she tells us in the intro that the problem with the repression found in some Muslim practices is due to Arab cultural influence, unfortunately in the narrative there didn't seem to be a differenciation so it read like Arab/Muslim equals female repression and abuse.
I would definitely recommend this book but I hope she continues her study of feminism and can finesse her arguments to say more.
Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
The story is a powerful one, presenting numerous examples of the horrendous reality of being a woman in a patriarchal mysogynistic Arab country.
At the beginning and end of the book she states that the repression and abuse women face in these countries is due to Arab cultural ideas being mixed in with Islam, not Islam itself. I agree with her that some Muslim practices are not supported by history and the Qur'an but it bothered me how she blamed both the mysoginy and the patriarchal ideas on Arab culture. All major world religions are patriarchal. Fact. Saying that Mohammed asked his multiple wives for advice does not preclude that Islam is a patriarchal religion. Could his wives have multiple sexual partners? Did they hold positions of power? Did they decide their own fate?
While I think the subject matter is important to voice and important for young people to hear, I didn't like the writing style which felt neutral and void of emotion with short matter-of-fact sentences. The writing almost felt middle grade in it's simplicity but the subject matter is definitely older yound adult with plenty of triggers.
And while she tells us in the intro that the problem with the repression found in some Muslim practices is due to Arab cultural influence, unfortunately in the narrative there didn't seem to be a differenciation so it read like Arab/Muslim equals female repression and abuse.
I would definitely recommend this book but I hope she continues her study of feminism and can finesse her arguments to say more.
Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
November 28, 2020
Shallow, poorly written, one dimensional. No plot, no character development, and almost solely focused on makeup and boys. Absolutely embarrassing.
November 22, 2020
Book reviewed on www.whisperingstories.com
The book opens with Sara as an adult talking to a journalist about her life. We then go back in time to when Sara was a teenager as her strict Egyptian father moves the family from the UK to the Gulf as he thinks they will have a better, safer life there than in a broken Britain.
Sara though just wants to be like the girls she knew growing up. She wants to be able to chat with the opposite sex, to wear clothes that don’t cover her whole body, and to put make-up on her face. Her father tells her everything is ‘haram’ Forbidden and if she steps out of line or dares to question him she is physically beaten.
The book is narrated by Sara who tells us about her life growing up and that of her family. Amongst the school friends, parties, etc there were some harrowing scenes, scenes where men think they can dominate women and women are the ones at fault for being raped or attacked.
Hijab and Red Lipstick was a poignant and hard read at times. Sometimes the content made my blood boil but I don’t want to get into my thoughts on the treatment of women in some parts of the world on here. Let’s just say I stand against all violence, whether that be aimed at men, women, or children. I also stand for equality.
The plot is heart-wrenching and I can see it being a tear-jerking novel for some. It must have been so hard for Sara, her sister, and her mother growing up. Sara though has a lovely spirit to her, she comes across as warm and loving, surprising given her upbringing.
The novel isn’t for the faint-hearted. It is emotional, it will have you wanting to throw the book across the room, not because of the writing – that’s amazing, but because of what this brave young woman went through.
My only criticism is with how it ended. I wanted to know more about Sara returning to the UK, how she did it, what her family thought about it, and how she felt now she was back living here. Essentially I wanted to know more.
The book opens with Sara as an adult talking to a journalist about her life. We then go back in time to when Sara was a teenager as her strict Egyptian father moves the family from the UK to the Gulf as he thinks they will have a better, safer life there than in a broken Britain.
Sara though just wants to be like the girls she knew growing up. She wants to be able to chat with the opposite sex, to wear clothes that don’t cover her whole body, and to put make-up on her face. Her father tells her everything is ‘haram’ Forbidden and if she steps out of line or dares to question him she is physically beaten.
The book is narrated by Sara who tells us about her life growing up and that of her family. Amongst the school friends, parties, etc there were some harrowing scenes, scenes where men think they can dominate women and women are the ones at fault for being raped or attacked.
Hijab and Red Lipstick was a poignant and hard read at times. Sometimes the content made my blood boil but I don’t want to get into my thoughts on the treatment of women in some parts of the world on here. Let’s just say I stand against all violence, whether that be aimed at men, women, or children. I also stand for equality.
The plot is heart-wrenching and I can see it being a tear-jerking novel for some. It must have been so hard for Sara, her sister, and her mother growing up. Sara though has a lovely spirit to her, she comes across as warm and loving, surprising given her upbringing.
The novel isn’t for the faint-hearted. It is emotional, it will have you wanting to throw the book across the room, not because of the writing – that’s amazing, but because of what this brave young woman went through.
My only criticism is with how it ended. I wanted to know more about Sara returning to the UK, how she did it, what her family thought about it, and how she felt now she was back living here. Essentially I wanted to know more.
November 6, 2020
ARC provided by the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
3.5 stars
CW: rape, self-harm, domestic abuse, sexual abuse, coercive behaviour
This book was a difficult read, not just because of the trigger warnings (please pay attention to them if you decide to read this book), but because it felt so deeply personal. I knew going in that this book would have an impact on me. I didn't expect to be up until midnight because I couldn't put it down.
Hijab & Red Lipstick follows Sara and her coming of age in the Gulf area. Sara has an Egyptian father and a British mother and a pretty tumultuous childhood. Things her friends at school take for granted are forbidden and sometimes severely punished. And this doesn't get better when her father decides to move them all to the Gulf area. There Sara has to contend with even stricter rules and the constant conflict between her and her father.
The first half of this book felt like I was reading the story of my life very accurately portrayed by someone who wasn't me. Everything from the strict rules, the double standards, the ban on music, the sudden move from Europe to the Gulf--it hit home, and not in a pleasant way. I found myself dwelling on old childhood memories, more bitter than sweet. And that wasn't the hardest part of the book--after I got beyond the stuff I could personally relate to, Sara's story actually becomes even more heart-wrenching.
In my experience, a lot of Muslims living in the West see the Gulf as some kind of Muslim utopia. Surely everything will be better there, in a Muslim country, where there's no discrimination against Muslims. But the experience of women and immigrants is often discounted in these fantasies. And to be fair, when you're living there, especially as a child, it's all fun and games. It isn't until later that you start to discover the rot underneath the shiny veneer. I still remember the first time I read an article that detailed the deplorable circumstances under which most live-in maids (extremely common there) work. How their passports are taken so they can't leave, how they are abused and forced to work under horrible conditions. And that's just one example of the list of things that's wrong with the Gulf countries. The details in the book don't feel exaggerated even as it sounds impossible for a country to be that backwards, or to interpret what Islam says in such a wrong way.
Yousra Imran mentions in her note to the reader that "it is important to remember not to discount the experiecne of a woman if it is not an experience of your own". I think this is worth remembering more often.
Not everything in this book worked for me. I thought the whole "Sara gets interviewed to tell her life story" bit was unnecessary since it added nothing. The book could just as easily be a fictional autobiography and it would've worked fine. I also didn't like the way Arabic words were used within the text as they were usually followed by "this means ____". I've been seeing this trend in books recently where the words just aren't explained and readers are left to either guess at the meaning from context or to understand them because they happen to speak the language. I admit I prefer that style to this because it feels less infodumpy. The writing itself was also a miss for me, especially regarding the often very sudden transitions between scenes.
The story also ended kind of abruptly where Sara ends the interview with something along the lines of, "and now __ years and relationships later, here we are". I would've been interested in reading more about that.
Overall though, I still recommend this if you're looking for a book that can put you in someone else's shoes and will make you reflect.
(review by Heena)
3.5 stars
CW: rape, self-harm, domestic abuse, sexual abuse, coercive behaviour
This book was a difficult read, not just because of the trigger warnings (please pay attention to them if you decide to read this book), but because it felt so deeply personal. I knew going in that this book would have an impact on me. I didn't expect to be up until midnight because I couldn't put it down.
Hijab & Red Lipstick follows Sara and her coming of age in the Gulf area. Sara has an Egyptian father and a British mother and a pretty tumultuous childhood. Things her friends at school take for granted are forbidden and sometimes severely punished. And this doesn't get better when her father decides to move them all to the Gulf area. There Sara has to contend with even stricter rules and the constant conflict between her and her father.
The first half of this book felt like I was reading the story of my life very accurately portrayed by someone who wasn't me. Everything from the strict rules, the double standards, the ban on music, the sudden move from Europe to the Gulf--it hit home, and not in a pleasant way. I found myself dwelling on old childhood memories, more bitter than sweet. And that wasn't the hardest part of the book--after I got beyond the stuff I could personally relate to, Sara's story actually becomes even more heart-wrenching.
In my experience, a lot of Muslims living in the West see the Gulf as some kind of Muslim utopia. Surely everything will be better there, in a Muslim country, where there's no discrimination against Muslims. But the experience of women and immigrants is often discounted in these fantasies. And to be fair, when you're living there, especially as a child, it's all fun and games. It isn't until later that you start to discover the rot underneath the shiny veneer. I still remember the first time I read an article that detailed the deplorable circumstances under which most live-in maids (extremely common there) work. How their passports are taken so they can't leave, how they are abused and forced to work under horrible conditions. And that's just one example of the list of things that's wrong with the Gulf countries. The details in the book don't feel exaggerated even as it sounds impossible for a country to be that backwards, or to interpret what Islam says in such a wrong way.
Yousra Imran mentions in her note to the reader that "it is important to remember not to discount the experiecne of a woman if it is not an experience of your own". I think this is worth remembering more often.
Not everything in this book worked for me. I thought the whole "Sara gets interviewed to tell her life story" bit was unnecessary since it added nothing. The book could just as easily be a fictional autobiography and it would've worked fine. I also didn't like the way Arabic words were used within the text as they were usually followed by "this means ____". I've been seeing this trend in books recently where the words just aren't explained and readers are left to either guess at the meaning from context or to understand them because they happen to speak the language. I admit I prefer that style to this because it feels less infodumpy. The writing itself was also a miss for me, especially regarding the often very sudden transitions between scenes.
The story also ended kind of abruptly where Sara ends the interview with something along the lines of, "and now __ years and relationships later, here we are". I would've been interested in reading more about that.
Overall though, I still recommend this if you're looking for a book that can put you in someone else's shoes and will make you reflect.
(review by Heena)
October 24, 2020
I have always been fascinated by the Muslim women and culture and read a fair share of books by them too.
The fun fact here is, I have never been disappointed by any of the books I have read by these beautiful and strong women, and even this time I LIKED READING THIS CHATTY and FAST PACED MEMOIR. (I pick up their books blindly and it always warms my heart after I finish it).
"I'm not a better Muslim woman because of my hijab and I'm no worse of a Muslim woman without it.
I'll continue to wear my hijab with RED LIPSTICK."
Yousra Imran, a half Egyptian and half British author throws light into the ugly and heart wrenching side of conservative families and life in the middle eastern countries for a woman,
There are quite a few trigger warnings and it will break your heart to know that such major events are brushed off or not even acknowledged sometimes as if just "SWATTING AN ANNOYING FLY AWAY".
Women are mere objects and aren't allowed to do anything. It might be insanely stifling and I am sure some of us cant even FATHOM HOW DOES A PERSON , LET ALONE , a WOMAN SURVIVE THAT !
But it is the incredible faith in oneself and that WOMEN ARE NOT LESS THAN ANYONE feat that leads Yousra to greater things.
The narrative is more YA and its a story you want to hear, because you will start to feel for Yousra and love her spirit and become her friend even before you know. Also you will pick up some interesting Arabic slangs and vocabulary along the way.
I RECOMMEND THIS ONE.
Thankyou NetGalley and the publishers for sending me an EARC in exchange for an honest review.
The fun fact here is, I have never been disappointed by any of the books I have read by these beautiful and strong women, and even this time I LIKED READING THIS CHATTY and FAST PACED MEMOIR. (I pick up their books blindly and it always warms my heart after I finish it).
"I'm not a better Muslim woman because of my hijab and I'm no worse of a Muslim woman without it.
I'll continue to wear my hijab with RED LIPSTICK."
Yousra Imran, a half Egyptian and half British author throws light into the ugly and heart wrenching side of conservative families and life in the middle eastern countries for a woman,
There are quite a few trigger warnings and it will break your heart to know that such major events are brushed off or not even acknowledged sometimes as if just "SWATTING AN ANNOYING FLY AWAY".
Women are mere objects and aren't allowed to do anything. It might be insanely stifling and I am sure some of us cant even FATHOM HOW DOES A PERSON , LET ALONE , a WOMAN SURVIVE THAT !
But it is the incredible faith in oneself and that WOMEN ARE NOT LESS THAN ANYONE feat that leads Yousra to greater things.
The narrative is more YA and its a story you want to hear, because you will start to feel for Yousra and love her spirit and become her friend even before you know. Also you will pick up some interesting Arabic slangs and vocabulary along the way.
I RECOMMEND THIS ONE.
Thankyou NetGalley and the publishers for sending me an EARC in exchange for an honest review.
May 15, 2022
It's a good book but it could be better. It just didn't quite live up to my expectations.
The premise behind the book, a story of a girl trying to merge two worlds that made her, trying to follow the traditional ways of her father whilst forging a path to being her own person free to make independent choices, that's what pulled me in.
I just feel the book itself would do with more editing, writing was stilted at times. But I'm glad I read it. Sara's voice's deserves to be heard.
The premise behind the book, a story of a girl trying to merge two worlds that made her, trying to follow the traditional ways of her father whilst forging a path to being her own person free to make independent choices, that's what pulled me in.
I just feel the book itself would do with more editing, writing was stilted at times. But I'm glad I read it. Sara's voice's deserves to be heard.
December 15, 2020
quote :
“ I’m not a better Muslim women because of my hijab and I’m no worse of a Muslim women without it . I’ll continue to wear my hijab with red lipstick”.
This is such an interesting , well written and inspiring book . A fast paced book that touch lots of issues such as hijabi , misogyny, rape , sexual harassment, domestic violence , oppressive rules and expectations, two different cultures need to adapt ,
After all , glad that the author sharing her story and how she realized that everything happened around her is the part of the culture not religion matter . Recently , Islamophobia happened very huge . So the message that the author want to portray is the culture that makes the religion looks bad . After all , remember that not to blame religion solely . As religion is not do any harm but the people.
“ I’m not a better Muslim women because of my hijab and I’m no worse of a Muslim women without it . I’ll continue to wear my hijab with red lipstick”.
This is such an interesting , well written and inspiring book . A fast paced book that touch lots of issues such as hijabi , misogyny, rape , sexual harassment, domestic violence , oppressive rules and expectations, two different cultures need to adapt ,
After all , glad that the author sharing her story and how she realized that everything happened around her is the part of the culture not religion matter . Recently , Islamophobia happened very huge . So the message that the author want to portray is the culture that makes the religion looks bad . After all , remember that not to blame religion solely . As religion is not do any harm but the people.
June 18, 2021
This was a difficult read. Not because of the subject matter itself (it looks at a lot of issues that should be addressed) but in how inelegantly it looks at said subject matter. The writing lacks skill and nuance, leaving this as a flat, pantomime-like story where everything is divided into good or bad and where there is no attempt at creating rounded characters or adding depth beyond those two opposites. This leads to some extremely damaging representations of marginalised groups, making this a book that goes beyond being simply badly written, to one that is dangerous.
I'm aware from elsewhere that the writer has altered her position across time, from this being a work of fiction based on input from women she knew, to it being a biographical account which she had to present as fictional to protect herself. It's awful that she has been through the events narrated, and there's no doubting she should talk about them, but most people who read this will see it as it is presented: a work of fiction. Taking it as fact (and therefore based on real events and people) you have to wonder why the characters are so flat and one-dimensional, as it's much easier to create nuance, context and depth around people you know personally.
Whether we treat it as fiction or fact, the same problems exist - everything is presented as binary opposites, and ultimately it panders to the white gaze, writing about the awfulness of everything 'eastern' and the goodness of everything 'western'. The most obvious manifestation of this is in how the central character (Sara) - who has an English mum and Egyptian dad - talks about white features in contrast to Arab ones. At one stage the conversation is about the size of her nose, with Sara stating: "'It's Baba's fault I have a big nose. It's his Arab DNA.'" This is reinforced later when Sara is getting ready for a party:
"I had long, dark brown curly hair, but ... I wasn't proud of my curls. My entire life, I'd never felt a connection to Baba's homeland. When people asked me where I was from, I'd emphasise that I was British, and leave out the Egyptian part."
In contrast, when describing her sister, Sara talks about her as being "blessed with Mum's English hair genes, and with ... straight hair".
Set against this kind of backdrop, when she describes her brother Ahmed as "more of an English lad than an Arab one" it becomes a kind of code for him being a good guy, rather than a bad one. There are multiple examples of this throughout the book, with Arab men (or "Gulf men" as the writer consistently calls them, homogonising everyone from 8 countries into one all-encompassing stereotype) routinely caricatured as backwards and evil. This is apparent in multiple places throughout the book, such as when Sara's friend warns her: "'These guys date us, but they don't want to marry us.'" The writer reinforces this later when her protagonist complains: "Now that I was no longer a virgin, I could say goodbye to getting married to a Gulfie, or even an Arab ... I was now spoiled goods."
Throughout, both the father and Sara's younger brother (Abdullah) are used to represent both the above stereotypes and strict, 'religious' figures who by definition fall into the bad camp (since religion is almost exclusively written of in the negative in this book). Abdullah's catchphrase throughout is to refer to his sister as a "sharmootah" (slut) and when he falls in with a crowd of Palestinian boys his behaviour becomes worse. This is obviously to be expected, because the narrator wastes no time in telling us how terrible Palestinian men are, coming as they do from villages where "honour killings and domestic abuse were not uncommon" and that "The abusive ways of their fathers trickled down to the boys and they were clapped on the back by their elders for taking a firm stance against their sisters."
This is ultimately what fuels Abdullah to ask his mum: "'Why is there never a cooked lunch ready for me when I come home from school like the Palestinian boys?'" The argument that consequently flares up results in Abdullah stating: "I hate having a white mum!" - again reinforcing whiteness as good, since the bad character is railing against it (and strangely ignoring the fact that a conservative Muslim boy - which is apparently what Abdullah is meant to be - would recognise that verbally abusing his mum is considered to be a significant sin in Islam). In case we're unsure how to position ourselves in amongst all this, when Sara's mum (western/good) tells her dad (eastern/bad) what has happened, he helpfully comments: "I'd rather Abdullah be influenced by the Palestinian boys than be like Ahmed, influenced by the West." It is for this reason that Sara describes Ahmed as being "more of an English lad than an Arab one", to frame him as good (and reinforce that you can't be good and be a conservative Muslim - a message that is repeated throughout).
This east-west/bad-good narrative plays out in other ways too, for example in what happens post-rape. Sara goes to see a female doctor on campus who she initially describes as a "kind Iraqi" and who - while somewhat sympathetic - refuses to give her a physical examination: "'I cannot give you a physical examination unless I inform the police; this is the law in this country.'" With Sara reticent to inform the police, the doctor eventually prescribes some antiseptic cream, which Sara goes to get from a pharmacy, lamenting "I had never felt so alone." Literally on the next page, the contrast is made with how a westerner responds. Sophie (who Sara is narrating all these events to) is visibly moved by the account:
"Sophie switched off her audio recorder and sat back in her chair. I could see she the (sic) tears in her eyes."
Sara then takes Sophie's hands in her own and reassures her, adding:
"'It's been nine years since it happened. I've decided now is the right time to talk about it, to let the world know what happens when you're raped in an Arab country. It wouldn't have been safe for me to tweet about it while I still lived in the Gulf. Here in London I have freedom of speech again. You don't know how precious that is.'"
This book runs to 245 pages; it takes until page 243 for the writer to say something even vaguely positive about Islam and why she wears hijab (and red lipstick), and it feels very tacked-on, like an afterthought. Indeed, in case there were any doubt, the glossary that follows immediately after returns to the usual fare the book serves up and ensures that the book continues to pander to the white gaze.
I've described this book as dangerous, and it is. The internalised colonialism and Islamophobia drips off every page and bleeds into the protagonist/author aligning herself with the western/English/'good' part of her identity, which by default - and by repeatedly asserting that the eastern/Arab is 'bad' - means she aligns herself with the coloniser, with the power. Consequently, this book becomes page upon page of punching down (rather than up) and gives carte blanche to those who rely on Muslims and Muslim authors to continue to feed the stereotype and narrative that all conservative versions of Islam are backwards and oppressive, and that all conservative Muslims are harsh, unfeeling and incapable of good. The fact that it feeds these tropes has helped it gained popularity and traction (in spite of it being badly written as well as damaging), and it has had several idealogically-aligned benefactors who have helped push it forward and increase the damage it has done and will continue to do.
But it's ok. It's only the bad Muslims who will suffer as a result.
I'm aware from elsewhere that the writer has altered her position across time, from this being a work of fiction based on input from women she knew, to it being a biographical account which she had to present as fictional to protect herself. It's awful that she has been through the events narrated, and there's no doubting she should talk about them, but most people who read this will see it as it is presented: a work of fiction. Taking it as fact (and therefore based on real events and people) you have to wonder why the characters are so flat and one-dimensional, as it's much easier to create nuance, context and depth around people you know personally.
Whether we treat it as fiction or fact, the same problems exist - everything is presented as binary opposites, and ultimately it panders to the white gaze, writing about the awfulness of everything 'eastern' and the goodness of everything 'western'. The most obvious manifestation of this is in how the central character (Sara) - who has an English mum and Egyptian dad - talks about white features in contrast to Arab ones. At one stage the conversation is about the size of her nose, with Sara stating: "'It's Baba's fault I have a big nose. It's his Arab DNA.'" This is reinforced later when Sara is getting ready for a party:
"I had long, dark brown curly hair, but ... I wasn't proud of my curls. My entire life, I'd never felt a connection to Baba's homeland. When people asked me where I was from, I'd emphasise that I was British, and leave out the Egyptian part."
In contrast, when describing her sister, Sara talks about her as being "blessed with Mum's English hair genes, and with ... straight hair".
Set against this kind of backdrop, when she describes her brother Ahmed as "more of an English lad than an Arab one" it becomes a kind of code for him being a good guy, rather than a bad one. There are multiple examples of this throughout the book, with Arab men (or "Gulf men" as the writer consistently calls them, homogonising everyone from 8 countries into one all-encompassing stereotype) routinely caricatured as backwards and evil. This is apparent in multiple places throughout the book, such as when Sara's friend warns her: "'These guys date us, but they don't want to marry us.'" The writer reinforces this later when her protagonist complains: "Now that I was no longer a virgin, I could say goodbye to getting married to a Gulfie, or even an Arab ... I was now spoiled goods."
Throughout, both the father and Sara's younger brother (Abdullah) are used to represent both the above stereotypes and strict, 'religious' figures who by definition fall into the bad camp (since religion is almost exclusively written of in the negative in this book). Abdullah's catchphrase throughout is to refer to his sister as a "sharmootah" (slut) and when he falls in with a crowd of Palestinian boys his behaviour becomes worse. This is obviously to be expected, because the narrator wastes no time in telling us how terrible Palestinian men are, coming as they do from villages where "honour killings and domestic abuse were not uncommon" and that "The abusive ways of their fathers trickled down to the boys and they were clapped on the back by their elders for taking a firm stance against their sisters."
This is ultimately what fuels Abdullah to ask his mum: "'Why is there never a cooked lunch ready for me when I come home from school like the Palestinian boys?'" The argument that consequently flares up results in Abdullah stating: "I hate having a white mum!" - again reinforcing whiteness as good, since the bad character is railing against it (and strangely ignoring the fact that a conservative Muslim boy - which is apparently what Abdullah is meant to be - would recognise that verbally abusing his mum is considered to be a significant sin in Islam). In case we're unsure how to position ourselves in amongst all this, when Sara's mum (western/good) tells her dad (eastern/bad) what has happened, he helpfully comments: "I'd rather Abdullah be influenced by the Palestinian boys than be like Ahmed, influenced by the West." It is for this reason that Sara describes Ahmed as being "more of an English lad than an Arab one", to frame him as good (and reinforce that you can't be good and be a conservative Muslim - a message that is repeated throughout).
This east-west/bad-good narrative plays out in other ways too, for example in what happens post-rape. Sara goes to see a female doctor on campus who she initially describes as a "kind Iraqi" and who - while somewhat sympathetic - refuses to give her a physical examination: "'I cannot give you a physical examination unless I inform the police; this is the law in this country.'" With Sara reticent to inform the police, the doctor eventually prescribes some antiseptic cream, which Sara goes to get from a pharmacy, lamenting "I had never felt so alone." Literally on the next page, the contrast is made with how a westerner responds. Sophie (who Sara is narrating all these events to) is visibly moved by the account:
"Sophie switched off her audio recorder and sat back in her chair. I could see she the (sic) tears in her eyes."
Sara then takes Sophie's hands in her own and reassures her, adding:
"'It's been nine years since it happened. I've decided now is the right time to talk about it, to let the world know what happens when you're raped in an Arab country. It wouldn't have been safe for me to tweet about it while I still lived in the Gulf. Here in London I have freedom of speech again. You don't know how precious that is.'"
This book runs to 245 pages; it takes until page 243 for the writer to say something even vaguely positive about Islam and why she wears hijab (and red lipstick), and it feels very tacked-on, like an afterthought. Indeed, in case there were any doubt, the glossary that follows immediately after returns to the usual fare the book serves up and ensures that the book continues to pander to the white gaze.
I've described this book as dangerous, and it is. The internalised colonialism and Islamophobia drips off every page and bleeds into the protagonist/author aligning herself with the western/English/'good' part of her identity, which by default - and by repeatedly asserting that the eastern/Arab is 'bad' - means she aligns herself with the coloniser, with the power. Consequently, this book becomes page upon page of punching down (rather than up) and gives carte blanche to those who rely on Muslims and Muslim authors to continue to feed the stereotype and narrative that all conservative versions of Islam are backwards and oppressive, and that all conservative Muslims are harsh, unfeeling and incapable of good. The fact that it feeds these tropes has helped it gained popularity and traction (in spite of it being badly written as well as damaging), and it has had several idealogically-aligned benefactors who have helped push it forward and increase the damage it has done and will continue to do.
But it's ok. It's only the bad Muslims who will suffer as a result.
September 21, 2022
Another book about atrocities of a religion but would it be fine if we consider the fact that a certain religion,custom or any belief can make things go so far.
Any person or a community or a gender implicating any rules and regulations will make it on their own accord. So we can look it this way while in some places women suffer by the hands of male dominance and their fear of female stigma while in other men suffer by the hands of feminism. Question still remains the same who is to be blamed? Anyone thinking that they are above other human being, who thinks they are helping someone in the name of God.
This book contains some similar norms but the problem with the book is:
= generalisation (taking all Gulf countries as one)
=not defining the time period of the event
=haphazardly putting all the words crammed together, way of writing not much intriguing. More like it writer was meddling with multiple thoughts and was not able to pen it down in a succinct way.
Any person or a community or a gender implicating any rules and regulations will make it on their own accord. So we can look it this way while in some places women suffer by the hands of male dominance and their fear of female stigma while in other men suffer by the hands of feminism. Question still remains the same who is to be blamed? Anyone thinking that they are above other human being, who thinks they are helping someone in the name of God.
This book contains some similar norms but the problem with the book is:
= generalisation (taking all Gulf countries as one)
=not defining the time period of the event
=haphazardly putting all the words crammed together, way of writing not much intriguing. More like it writer was meddling with multiple thoughts and was not able to pen it down in a succinct way.
October 9, 2020
This book was such an amazing look into the culture that many people face, especially women, where they are treated as second class citizens because of their gender. I think it speaks to the bravery of anyone who escapes. There was some violence, abuse, and truly some heartbreaking moments. It was a little slow at times so it was difficult to keep going at some points but the overall story was interesting and well-written.
January 1, 2021
1.5 ⭐️ is this meant to be a memoir?
November 30, 2020
This book was so good I read it in an evening because I couldn’t put it down. It’s compelling and eye opening and fantastically well written
October 7, 2023
Slow start and it didn’t get going till page 142 but while I found Sara’s choices frustrating by the end i felt i understood her and the situation she was in.
Also felt like it needed editing especially in the early chapters and i know the author can write as i enjoy her non fiction pieces so this was incredibly disappointing.
Also felt like it needed editing especially in the early chapters and i know the author can write as i enjoy her non fiction pieces so this was incredibly disappointing.
July 10, 2022
Full review on my blog: Hijab and Red Lipstick
I heard from a few people that this book was not a good Muslim representation book, and at some point, I understood why. What I think is, this book is not about religion, it's a life story.
I heard from a few people that this book was not a good Muslim representation book, and at some point, I understood why. What I think is, this book is not about religion, it's a life story.
October 18, 2020
Thanks to the publisher for providing an eARC of Hijab & Red Lipstick in exchange for an honest review.
Hijab & Red Lipstick really makes it feel like protagonist Sara is sitting next to you, telling her story. Narratively set up as Sara recounting her story to a reporter, Hijab & Red Lipstick follows her from childhood to adulthood as she grapples with religious & social pressures, a messy family dynamic, and attempting to forge her own identity in the middle of all that.
I'm still torn on how the narrative structure worked for me. At times I found the choice to move from scene to scene incredibly natural, at times it was jarring and pulled me out to the story. It also makes for very blunt to the point narrative which isn't what I tend to look for, but given the subject matter I'm not sure if a different style would have been better suited.
I do really like how Sara's journey of self discovery was set up and how Imran makes it extremely clear that she's not escaping her religion, she's escaping zealots who misunderstand it. I also loved how Sara's mother and her own struggles were framed.
Hijab & Red Lipstick really makes it feel like protagonist Sara is sitting next to you, telling her story. Narratively set up as Sara recounting her story to a reporter, Hijab & Red Lipstick follows her from childhood to adulthood as she grapples with religious & social pressures, a messy family dynamic, and attempting to forge her own identity in the middle of all that.
I'm still torn on how the narrative structure worked for me. At times I found the choice to move from scene to scene incredibly natural, at times it was jarring and pulled me out to the story. It also makes for very blunt to the point narrative which isn't what I tend to look for, but given the subject matter I'm not sure if a different style would have been better suited.
I do really like how Sara's journey of self discovery was set up and how Imran makes it extremely clear that she's not escaping her religion, she's escaping zealots who misunderstand it. I also loved how Sara's mother and her own struggles were framed.
February 1, 2021
This is an intense read and difficult read at times, but I’m so glad I did. It has big trigger warnings for rape, misogyny, sexual assault, and domestic violence and violence toward women. This is such an interesting and well written book. Though the story is a bit difficult to read at times (emotionally nothing to do with the writing etc), it was so beautifully written and so interesting to see the religious and cultural dynamics within family life. Although I say I found it hard at times , it’s still a fast paced read and I enjoyed the book so very much. Heartbreaking, emotional, inspiring, pick this up and read this , you really need to
Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for a free copy for an honest opinion
[Trigger Warning: rape, sexual assault, child abuse, emotional and physical abuse, misogyany, domestic abuse, coercive behaviour, self harm, suicidal ideation]
Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for a free copy for an honest opinion
[Trigger Warning: rape, sexual assault, child abuse, emotional and physical abuse, misogyany, domestic abuse, coercive behaviour, self harm, suicidal ideation]
November 12, 2020
I did not like this book. The characters were flat and cartoonish. The writing amateurish. Plus, the ending is very anti-climactic.
November 16, 2020
Content warning: rape, sexual assault, domestic abuse, self-harm
Sara is wearing her Hijab and Red Lipstick as she recounts her experiences to a journalist for a documentary. Her story begins when her Baba decides to move the family from London to the Gulf. We go through her tumultuous teen years and early twenties, her rebellious phase and the traumatic events which all contributed to her journey.
Writing is exposing and takes a certain vulnerability. I really admire Yousra’s bravery and direct manner with which she addresses some very difficult topics which no doubt would be met with resistance in some circles.
The overbearing and controlling Muslim father is a stereotype that is overused in (Western certainly) literature and media. Of course, the stark difference here is that this story was written by a British Arab Muslim woman inspired by her own years living in the Gulf.
Sadly, sometimes the stereotype is true and it matters who the story is being told by. This story is valid and important, no matter how uncomfortable the depiction is. Yousra made an important distinction between toxic aspects of Arab culture propagated as religion and Islam itself. This was cemented with the ending of the story as Sara reflects briefly on her personal journey to reconnecting with Islam.
I won’t lie, Sara had me pleading with her ‘no please don’t do it!’ quite a few times. But no matter how much I despaired of her decisions (because I feared for her safety), every time she got burned she still came out of it with hope and strength and I really admired that about her character. I found her naïveté endearing because it showed her innocence and her good intentions. Naïveté is a characteristic that gets people hurt, it either gets worn out of people or it remains there, keeping them vulnerable.
My heart ached for Sara through each ordeal she went through and the last interaction shown between her and Baba made me very emotional.
This story shone a glaring light on the way misogyny can be all the more dangerous in a state in which the laws support it. Sara, her mum and sister were all beholden to Baba and he took full advantage. The laws there emboldened him, even encouraged him, evident in the way his controlling nature exacerbated in the Gulf. I thought this was a really important issue to demonstrate.
Sara’s story also made me reflect on the struggles of raising Muslim children in the west and the fact that living in an Islamic country by no means solves those difficulties. To me, this story demonstrated powerfully that the most important thing is the relationship between the parents and the children and the ambience of the household.
An important story, harrowing and heartbreaking at times but lined with a sparkling gleam of hope and strength.
Thank you to Hashtag Press for the e-copy to review.
Sara is wearing her Hijab and Red Lipstick as she recounts her experiences to a journalist for a documentary. Her story begins when her Baba decides to move the family from London to the Gulf. We go through her tumultuous teen years and early twenties, her rebellious phase and the traumatic events which all contributed to her journey.
Writing is exposing and takes a certain vulnerability. I really admire Yousra’s bravery and direct manner with which she addresses some very difficult topics which no doubt would be met with resistance in some circles.
The overbearing and controlling Muslim father is a stereotype that is overused in (Western certainly) literature and media. Of course, the stark difference here is that this story was written by a British Arab Muslim woman inspired by her own years living in the Gulf.
Sadly, sometimes the stereotype is true and it matters who the story is being told by. This story is valid and important, no matter how uncomfortable the depiction is. Yousra made an important distinction between toxic aspects of Arab culture propagated as religion and Islam itself. This was cemented with the ending of the story as Sara reflects briefly on her personal journey to reconnecting with Islam.
I won’t lie, Sara had me pleading with her ‘no please don’t do it!’ quite a few times. But no matter how much I despaired of her decisions (because I feared for her safety), every time she got burned she still came out of it with hope and strength and I really admired that about her character. I found her naïveté endearing because it showed her innocence and her good intentions. Naïveté is a characteristic that gets people hurt, it either gets worn out of people or it remains there, keeping them vulnerable.
My heart ached for Sara through each ordeal she went through and the last interaction shown between her and Baba made me very emotional.
This story shone a glaring light on the way misogyny can be all the more dangerous in a state in which the laws support it. Sara, her mum and sister were all beholden to Baba and he took full advantage. The laws there emboldened him, even encouraged him, evident in the way his controlling nature exacerbated in the Gulf. I thought this was a really important issue to demonstrate.
Sara’s story also made me reflect on the struggles of raising Muslim children in the west and the fact that living in an Islamic country by no means solves those difficulties. To me, this story demonstrated powerfully that the most important thing is the relationship between the parents and the children and the ambience of the household.
An important story, harrowing and heartbreaking at times but lined with a sparkling gleam of hope and strength.
Thank you to Hashtag Press for the e-copy to review.
Read
October 29, 2020***thanks to the publisher and netgalley for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review***
CW: sexual assault, violence, rape, sexism (check other reviews for more, in case I've missed something)
Hijab and Red Lipstick is the story of Sara, a young girl who's grown up in the UK, but moves to the Gulf when her father gets a job there. In the Arabian Gulf, where the patriarchy rules, it isn't easy being a young girl.
Sara and her family are Muslim. I liked how the author explained things from this culture such as clothing and how she argued that Islam's view on women has gotten a bad rep because of the Middle Eastern culture's impact on it — that Islam isn't as sexist as often viewed in many parts of western culture.
This story was a great window into a culture I haven't read much about before. Reading this honest and unflinching portrayal was rough at times, but mostly just eye-opening.
I, unfortunately, didn't connect with the writing style and found that the narrative structure with two timelines (though one not taking up much space) didn't work as well for me, but that's purely a personal preference.
Overall, I'm just so glad I read this book and would recommend it!
CW: sexual assault, violence, rape, sexism (check other reviews for more, in case I've missed something)
Hijab and Red Lipstick is the story of Sara, a young girl who's grown up in the UK, but moves to the Gulf when her father gets a job there. In the Arabian Gulf, where the patriarchy rules, it isn't easy being a young girl.
Sara and her family are Muslim. I liked how the author explained things from this culture such as clothing and how she argued that Islam's view on women has gotten a bad rep because of the Middle Eastern culture's impact on it — that Islam isn't as sexist as often viewed in many parts of western culture.
This story was a great window into a culture I haven't read much about before. Reading this honest and unflinching portrayal was rough at times, but mostly just eye-opening.
I, unfortunately, didn't connect with the writing style and found that the narrative structure with two timelines (though one not taking up much space) didn't work as well for me, but that's purely a personal preference.
Overall, I'm just so glad I read this book and would recommend it!
February 9, 2021
I realised that I don't know a lot of YA with Muslim protagonists. So I'm slowly changing this.
This book is an interesting and important story of a Muslim woman freeing herself from her oppressive and violent father, from London to Egypt and the Gulf, and back to London. It's a story full of pain and violence and patriarchal oppressium that just makes you angry. Also TW/CW for a lot of things, but especially rape.
While I think that these stories need to be told, it was hard because there was so much suffering and so little joy. The ending could've been more hopeful for me.
There were also some very weird passages, for example, the all female university campus being full of predatory lesbians??? Okay??? While the novel moves in very heteronormative ways, which is okay, statements like these shouldn't be left standing like this.
But good YA with Muslim feminism in it. As I am not affiliated to any religion, I cannot really comment on the depiction of Islam, but I think that the protagonist's father was very orthodox and strict. I do believe that not all Muslims are like that! Maybe the novel should've evaluated this more critically...
3 Stars
This book is an interesting and important story of a Muslim woman freeing herself from her oppressive and violent father, from London to Egypt and the Gulf, and back to London. It's a story full of pain and violence and patriarchal oppressium that just makes you angry. Also TW/CW for a lot of things, but especially rape.
While I think that these stories need to be told, it was hard because there was so much suffering and so little joy. The ending could've been more hopeful for me.
There were also some very weird passages, for example, the all female university campus being full of predatory lesbians??? Okay??? While the novel moves in very heteronormative ways, which is okay, statements like these shouldn't be left standing like this.
But good YA with Muslim feminism in it. As I am not affiliated to any religion, I cannot really comment on the depiction of Islam, but I think that the protagonist's father was very orthodox and strict. I do believe that not all Muslims are like that! Maybe the novel should've evaluated this more critically...
3 Stars
November 8, 2020
Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for the eARC in exchange for an honest review!
I've been really trying to broaden my selection of reading and I am so happy I requested this novel. It was eye-opening, educational, heart-warming, and really gave me something to think about when I was done reading. It was a fast-paced read that I found myself really enjoying.
When the novel began with the introduction of a reporter to record the interview, I assumed there'd be more back and forth and not solely a complete replay with a few interjections. It wasn't a bad thing, not at all, it just wasn't what I expected. The story flowed naturally as if someone was telling it to me while we were out having coffee and a few times I had wished I could have jumped in with questions to ask the narrator, haha.
Overall, a great read that I recommend.
I've been really trying to broaden my selection of reading and I am so happy I requested this novel. It was eye-opening, educational, heart-warming, and really gave me something to think about when I was done reading. It was a fast-paced read that I found myself really enjoying.
When the novel began with the introduction of a reporter to record the interview, I assumed there'd be more back and forth and not solely a complete replay with a few interjections. It wasn't a bad thing, not at all, it just wasn't what I expected. The story flowed naturally as if someone was telling it to me while we were out having coffee and a few times I had wished I could have jumped in with questions to ask the narrator, haha.
Overall, a great read that I recommend.
November 8, 2020
Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for the eARC in exchange for an honest review!
I've been really trying to broaden my selection of reading and I am so happy I requested this novel. It was eye-opening, educational, heart-warming, and really gave me something to think about when I was done reading. It was a fast-paced read that I found myself really enjoying.
When the novel began with the introduction of a reporter to record the interview, I assumed there'd be more back and forth and not solely a complete replay with a few interjections. It wasn't a bad thing, not at all, it just wasn't what I expected. The story flowed naturally as if someone was telling it to me while we were out having coffee and a few times I had wished I could have jumped in with questions to ask the narrator, haha.
Overall, a great read that I recommend.
I've been really trying to broaden my selection of reading and I am so happy I requested this novel. It was eye-opening, educational, heart-warming, and really gave me something to think about when I was done reading. It was a fast-paced read that I found myself really enjoying.
When the novel began with the introduction of a reporter to record the interview, I assumed there'd be more back and forth and not solely a complete replay with a few interjections. It wasn't a bad thing, not at all, it just wasn't what I expected. The story flowed naturally as if someone was telling it to me while we were out having coffee and a few times I had wished I could have jumped in with questions to ask the narrator, haha.
Overall, a great read that I recommend.
Read
June 5, 2021Trigger: sexual assault, rape, self-harm.
This was a difficult read for me personally.
It is the story of Sara, who tries to break free from her overly zealous and religious father's grip and gain her freedom and independence.
This was a difficult read for me personally.
It is the story of Sara, who tries to break free from her overly zealous and religious father's grip and gain her freedom and independence.
January 15, 2023
when starting this novel, i was very skeptical & didn’t think it would be good, also I was scared of horrible representation. this book though, wasn’t about Islam rather about the misinterpretation of Islam. nevertheless i loved it. especially the ending.
Want to read
December 29, 2023lmao not the extremist muslims hate-spam reviewing without even reading books that are tiny bit more questionable. i knew nothing about this book but they have made me want to read it now lol. (and fyi im a muslim too) i hate haters.
January 3, 2021
I really had no clue what to expect from this book as I've read several memoirs about young girls forced to move to Gulf countries and live within a very different culture than they are used to but Hijab and Red Lipstick seemed to be not as extreme. This is actually a debut fictional novel by author Yousra Imran however it is own voices and some of it is based on her own experiences. And whilst this is a work of fiction, the harsh fact remains that there are young girls and women out there for whom this is the brutal reality.
Hijab and Red Lipstick tells the story of Sara who is a Muslim teenage girl living in the UK. Her Father decides to move the family to the Arabian Gulf where he has landed a better job. As the family's time there goes on her Father gradually enforces more and more of the stricter parts of Islamic beliefs on the family, especially the girls. Sara just wants to be a 'normal' teenager listening to pop music and hanging out with her friends but finds herself being told who she can and can't speak to, what she can and can't wear, where she can and can't go, having to ask permission from her Father to leave the house etc. As Sara grows and learns more about who she is and who she wants to be she starts to rebel against her Father but suffers some awful consequences.
It was great to see Sara's strength, resilience and determination throughout her years in the Gulf and she was definitely a character readers would get behind and support.
After reading this novel I feel that those extreme memoirs I mentioned are just that..... extreme cases. It is far more likely that young girls will find themselves in situations similar to what Yousra Imran wrote about. The types of manipulation, emotional, physical and mental abuse that is far more likely to go under the radar but are no less damaging.
The only thing about this book that made this a 4 star instead of a 5 star was that I felt some of the events were written about too briefly and I found myself wanting more details or explanations. I would highly recommend it though.
Hijab and Red Lipstick tells the story of Sara who is a Muslim teenage girl living in the UK. Her Father decides to move the family to the Arabian Gulf where he has landed a better job. As the family's time there goes on her Father gradually enforces more and more of the stricter parts of Islamic beliefs on the family, especially the girls. Sara just wants to be a 'normal' teenager listening to pop music and hanging out with her friends but finds herself being told who she can and can't speak to, what she can and can't wear, where she can and can't go, having to ask permission from her Father to leave the house etc. As Sara grows and learns more about who she is and who she wants to be she starts to rebel against her Father but suffers some awful consequences.
It was great to see Sara's strength, resilience and determination throughout her years in the Gulf and she was definitely a character readers would get behind and support.
After reading this novel I feel that those extreme memoirs I mentioned are just that..... extreme cases. It is far more likely that young girls will find themselves in situations similar to what Yousra Imran wrote about. The types of manipulation, emotional, physical and mental abuse that is far more likely to go under the radar but are no less damaging.
The only thing about this book that made this a 4 star instead of a 5 star was that I felt some of the events were written about too briefly and I found myself wanting more details or explanations. I would highly recommend it though.
November 8, 2020
This was such a fast-paced read! Once I started reading, I couldn‘t put the book away. I seriously enjoyed every single page. I highly recommend reading this book if you enjoy coming of age stories.
If I could give more than 5 stars, I definitely would!!
If I could give more than 5 stars, I definitely would!!
February 3, 2021
I'd give this book 4.5 stars, but I've chosen to round up for the rating as I feel a lot of the lower ratings are more to do with people being uncomfortable with the subject matter rather than the quality of the writing, and so I'd like to help compensate for that.
I'd like to preface this as well by saying that I'm a hijab-wearing Muslim woman who has almost always had positive experiences with Islam. However, I recognise that unfortunately that is not the case for a lot of other Muslim women in a less privileged position than I am, as there are lots of men out there who twist the religion for their own purposes, and that is the issue which this book was drawing attention to.
Despite technically being fiction, this book reads like a memoir, which isn't my usual type of book, but in this particular case it worked really well. I haven't been this engrossed in a read in a very long time, and I found myself devouring chapter after chapter, desperate to know what happened next. I have never had the chance to read a fiction book aimed at adults which had a Muslim protagonist before, and so I felt really happy to see that representation. In the early chapters, when Sara (the main character) was still living in England, I saw a lot of parallels to my own childhood, and so I immediately found myself relating to her as a character.
As the story went on, Sara's life became more and more tragic, and it was a really heart-breaking and tough read. Her dad is an absolutely awful human being, and we saw the conflict that Sara had in loving a man who is so cruel. He frames himself as a paragon of Islam, when in actual fact he ignores all the teachings about how you're supposed to show kindness to others, and how he should be raising his family with love. Instead, he abuses his wife, and makes one set of rules for his daughters and another for his sons. Having personally known Arab families myself, I know that this is a very common issue, and unfortunately a lot of Arab Muslims combine culture with religion.
Sara faces all kinds of misogyny after moving to the Gulf, and her experiences with men reflect that. She misses her life in the West, and she loses all sense of freedom under the new regulations, and I feel like this is developed really well. Her father restricts her happiness at every turn, and her mother is too afraid to speak up. All 3 of the women in her family end up experiencing some form of sexual abuse after they move to the Gulf, and those scenes were incredibly tough to read. I felt like crying, because even though it's just fiction, it could so easily be a true story, and indeed it is the case for a lot of women in the world.
I feel like this book raises a lot of important and uncomfortable issues that a lot of Muslims would prefer to ignore. The protagonist isn't perfect, and she doesn't follow Islam properly, but it's very clear that her rejection of the religion comes from the harsh way that her father is teaching it. Once she eventually breaks free of his control, we see that her understanding of Islam improves, and she ends up actually becoming more religious as she's focusing on her relationship with Allah SWT, rather than just doing what her father tells her.
One thing I did notice is that the pacing in this book can feel a little off at times, and we sometimes see several months and even years glossed over in half a sentence. However, this doesn't hurt the story itself or the narrative structure, I just would have liked to see more of Sara's life, and I think this book could have been even better if it were a bit longer. Also, there are quite a few typos throughout the book which could probably have done with some proofreading, however, there aren't enough that it ruins the book.
All in all, I would definitely recommend this book as I think it's a worthwhile read, however it's important to note that this isn't the experience for all Muslim women, nor is it framed as such. It's well written, fast paced, and is the kind of book that sticks with you long after you've read it.
I'd like to preface this as well by saying that I'm a hijab-wearing Muslim woman who has almost always had positive experiences with Islam. However, I recognise that unfortunately that is not the case for a lot of other Muslim women in a less privileged position than I am, as there are lots of men out there who twist the religion for their own purposes, and that is the issue which this book was drawing attention to.
Despite technically being fiction, this book reads like a memoir, which isn't my usual type of book, but in this particular case it worked really well. I haven't been this engrossed in a read in a very long time, and I found myself devouring chapter after chapter, desperate to know what happened next. I have never had the chance to read a fiction book aimed at adults which had a Muslim protagonist before, and so I felt really happy to see that representation. In the early chapters, when Sara (the main character) was still living in England, I saw a lot of parallels to my own childhood, and so I immediately found myself relating to her as a character.
As the story went on, Sara's life became more and more tragic, and it was a really heart-breaking and tough read. Her dad is an absolutely awful human being, and we saw the conflict that Sara had in loving a man who is so cruel. He frames himself as a paragon of Islam, when in actual fact he ignores all the teachings about how you're supposed to show kindness to others, and how he should be raising his family with love. Instead, he abuses his wife, and makes one set of rules for his daughters and another for his sons. Having personally known Arab families myself, I know that this is a very common issue, and unfortunately a lot of Arab Muslims combine culture with religion.
Sara faces all kinds of misogyny after moving to the Gulf, and her experiences with men reflect that. She misses her life in the West, and she loses all sense of freedom under the new regulations, and I feel like this is developed really well. Her father restricts her happiness at every turn, and her mother is too afraid to speak up. All 3 of the women in her family end up experiencing some form of sexual abuse after they move to the Gulf, and those scenes were incredibly tough to read. I felt like crying, because even though it's just fiction, it could so easily be a true story, and indeed it is the case for a lot of women in the world.
I feel like this book raises a lot of important and uncomfortable issues that a lot of Muslims would prefer to ignore. The protagonist isn't perfect, and she doesn't follow Islam properly, but it's very clear that her rejection of the religion comes from the harsh way that her father is teaching it. Once she eventually breaks free of his control, we see that her understanding of Islam improves, and she ends up actually becoming more religious as she's focusing on her relationship with Allah SWT, rather than just doing what her father tells her.
One thing I did notice is that the pacing in this book can feel a little off at times, and we sometimes see several months and even years glossed over in half a sentence. However, this doesn't hurt the story itself or the narrative structure, I just would have liked to see more of Sara's life, and I think this book could have been even better if it were a bit longer. Also, there are quite a few typos throughout the book which could probably have done with some proofreading, however, there aren't enough that it ruins the book.
All in all, I would definitely recommend this book as I think it's a worthwhile read, however it's important to note that this isn't the experience for all Muslim women, nor is it framed as such. It's well written, fast paced, and is the kind of book that sticks with you long after you've read it.
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