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The Window Peep: Every forbidden fruit is desired.... until forbidden fruits are within reach.
An epic tale that takes us across cultures, yet this is not the tale of one girl or woman, but that of many and for fear of sounding clichéd, perhaps all women in some areas of the world. Their voice is not heard because if one speaks out numerous may silence their own kind, or she becomes the black sheep, the odd one out.
Every forbidden fruit is desired. And when we realize that ominous list of ‘don’t do this’, we are left with the only option, looking. And like a starved or fasting man, he draws images in his mind of what he wants to eat or craves at that particular moment. At this point, window peeping becomes a not just a way of life but the only way to live – the fact that you peep out at life but are never allowed to live it.
Hana’s tale takes her to the breaking point that many psychologists will identify with, or women like her, like us. An inherent need for exploring life with all its diversity, its flavors and reaching inside herself to explore her sexuality, and any hidden desires until she reaches the shore.
With her breaking, she grabs freedom and like any prisoner, the safe solution is to go back to the familiar walls and bear the whip of the prison keeper or run here and there...
Does that sound out of this world?
It does, yet it is a model for many and if a countable few are breaking free, their backbones will be broken unless voices join in the chorus.
Hana takes us with her through heartbreak, freedom, the wild eating of the starved, breaking lines, rules and boundaries. Strangely, once she has the keys of her life, there is no desire for overeating, and her pace, her face - are those of the settled, and she creates her own lines.
Starved for food? Well, let us just say food is just one on a long list that she goes through until she is out of breath, and smiling.
Smiling at whom? At what?
Well…
Every forbidden fruit is desired. And when we realize that ominous list of ‘don’t do this’, we are left with the only option, looking. And like a starved or fasting man, he draws images in his mind of what he wants to eat or craves at that particular moment. At this point, window peeping becomes a not just a way of life but the only way to live – the fact that you peep out at life but are never allowed to live it.
Hana’s tale takes her to the breaking point that many psychologists will identify with, or women like her, like us. An inherent need for exploring life with all its diversity, its flavors and reaching inside herself to explore her sexuality, and any hidden desires until she reaches the shore.
With her breaking, she grabs freedom and like any prisoner, the safe solution is to go back to the familiar walls and bear the whip of the prison keeper or run here and there...
Does that sound out of this world?
It does, yet it is a model for many and if a countable few are breaking free, their backbones will be broken unless voices join in the chorus.
Hana takes us with her through heartbreak, freedom, the wild eating of the starved, breaking lines, rules and boundaries. Strangely, once she has the keys of her life, there is no desire for overeating, and her pace, her face - are those of the settled, and she creates her own lines.
Starved for food? Well, let us just say food is just one on a long list that she goes through until she is out of breath, and smiling.
Smiling at whom? At what?
Well…
154 pages, Kindle Edition
Published June 20, 2021
3 people want to read
About the author
Salwa Michel
1 book19 followersFrom little snippets that were written and hidden from all eyes to page-long text, until the voice inside the author could not be silenced. Snippets from life, or a figment of a mind that woke its owner many a night to scribble a few words that would otherwise fly out; seedlings around which was woven a tale or two!
A girl fighting to live life but unable, creating a longing that could not be quenched; Hana - The Window Peep - an intriguing novel with some spices as a girl peeps at life until she can grab at it!
Sometimes hilarious, others...
A girl fighting to live life but unable, creating a longing that could not be quenched; Hana - The Window Peep - an intriguing novel with some spices as a girl peeps at life until she can grab at it!
Sometimes hilarious, others...
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
July 11, 2021
Sweet then hot, juicy and even the abuse does not lessen the beautiful flow of the book interspersed with those pieces of prose.
July 27, 2021
One nice story covered with some wonderful moments to entertain and keep the readers with the flow of writing. Being a woman myself, I enjoyed the book more as it moves through the eyes of a girl, the main character Hana. I can say the author did a good job and i can recommend this to anyone who likes to have some nice reading sessions.
November 4, 2022
We read books for different reasons, sometimes we want to be educated so we go for historical books and in some cases, we go for books that will entertain us, give us an enticing story that will immerse us into that world and for those brief hours we forget who we are, what we stand for and start rooting for and against the characters given to us. For all this to happen, the author needs to be immaculate in their work, create a world that sucks us in and I believe this is exactly what happens with this book. First, I will declare my utmost admiration and love for this book, it’s always the gems that are somehow hidden. Salwa Michel tells the story of Hana, a young girl in Morocco living a life full of desire, ring any bells? Salwa articulately paints the picture of young women living in such environments, girls filled with desire but faced with challenges that begin at home. With a strict father and even harsher society, it would be difficult for her to stray away from the path that has been set for her. What does she do? Will she be reckless and seek out her desires? What exactly does she want in life? I can’t answer all these but all I can say is be prepared for an intriguing story that takes you from your comfort zone, delivers you into an unfamiliar, unpleasant and uncomfortable setting with just you and this young girl. Some of the decisions may be questionable, but the beauty of this book is that you will overlook them supporting Hana. Kudos to this author for creating such a beautiful story and characters, some of them I could relate with, and some were a pleasant surprise, a clear indication that there is more to the world than I know. The writing for this book is phenomenal, dare I say out of this world, because the author tackles real-life issues in an interesting and incredible way. I loved the book and will definitely recommend it to my friends and family. It is the story of almost every young girl, every African girl, masterfully written by the author.
October 27, 2022
Fantastic Story!
Salwa Michel ’s writing style is intriguing, one of a kind. She started the book by introducing the main character, Hana, a young girl living in Morocco. Hana strives to become an educated woman but unfortunately it’s not so easy for women in her country. Hana’s father was very strict and would verbally and physically abuse her for the slightest things, such as going outside to play. To him, a woman’s role was to be wives, bare children and nothing else.
Hana’s only comfort was her books, and even those that her father didn’t want her to have. Hana longed for the time she would leave her father’s him and it came. However, Hana only jumped out of the frying pot, into the fire because her husband was even worse than her father. There was no love or affection in her marriage. His only reason for marrying her was for her to be an incubator for his children and to have a young beautiful wife. Unfortunately Hana’s marriage was filled with pain and sorrows. It was too much for her bear and so she started making her escape plan.
I really don’t want to get into the story beyond this point, because I want this fascinating piece of art to unfold like magic right before your eyes as it did mine. Just read the book and enjoy the story for yourself. I will add that it was an emotional read.You'll cry, smile, get angry, and fall in love with Hana as she starts her journey.
There was nothing predictable in this book, it had me hanging off its pages. I just finished this book in less than a day, I couldn’t stay away.
This book is a load of emotions as it highlights issues that women in countries all around the world face. Highly Recommend!
Salwa Michel ’s writing style is intriguing, one of a kind. She started the book by introducing the main character, Hana, a young girl living in Morocco. Hana strives to become an educated woman but unfortunately it’s not so easy for women in her country. Hana’s father was very strict and would verbally and physically abuse her for the slightest things, such as going outside to play. To him, a woman’s role was to be wives, bare children and nothing else.
Hana’s only comfort was her books, and even those that her father didn’t want her to have. Hana longed for the time she would leave her father’s him and it came. However, Hana only jumped out of the frying pot, into the fire because her husband was even worse than her father. There was no love or affection in her marriage. His only reason for marrying her was for her to be an incubator for his children and to have a young beautiful wife. Unfortunately Hana’s marriage was filled with pain and sorrows. It was too much for her bear and so she started making her escape plan.
I really don’t want to get into the story beyond this point, because I want this fascinating piece of art to unfold like magic right before your eyes as it did mine. Just read the book and enjoy the story for yourself. I will add that it was an emotional read.You'll cry, smile, get angry, and fall in love with Hana as she starts her journey.
There was nothing predictable in this book, it had me hanging off its pages. I just finished this book in less than a day, I couldn’t stay away.
This book is a load of emotions as it highlights issues that women in countries all around the world face. Highly Recommend!
November 6, 2022
The book was very sad initially because Hana was so oppressed even in the house that she was born in. She wasn’t allowed education, makeup, clothes, allowance money, playing outside, books etc. It was interesting to see her discover and learn things on her own. It was heart-breaking to read about Hana’s married life – an old man nearing 70 as a husband to this teenage girl, the constant physical abuse, marital rape, deprived of seeing her children, the death of her children due to the negligence of their paternal grandparents etc. It was finally really liberating to read about Hana or Mila’s escape from her marital home to a nearby city and then to the capital of Morocco and then to the US. Mila went from having no freedom to complete freedom. It was satisfying to see Mila finally get everything in life that she wanted – freedom, pleasure, good food, education, makeup, style, a lover etc. The book overall went from having a sad tone to a happy tone. The book opened my eyes to how in certain parts of the world women are still deprived of the most basic of necessities. Many people seem to think that there is no need for concepts like feminism in the current world because gender equality is the norm everywhere, but this book proved them all wrong. This book touched on many topics that are crucial such as the right to education, illegal female genital mutilation, marital rape, illegal underage marriage, etc. I would recommend this book to anyone who wants to learn more about other cultures in a non-boring way.
October 28, 2022
The title of this book drew me to it in the beginning because it seemed like it might be the title of a thriller. However, this book is so much more profound, eloquent, and deep than a thriller could ever hope to be. The Window Peep is a book about the freedom that so many women yearn for whether their chains be societal or self-inflicted. It tells the story of young Hana who lives in a culture where even opening a window on a hot day requires permission. It is a beautiful story that will resonate with women from every culture and background.
The author is a fantastic writer and has chosen to take on the issues of inequality for women in such an eloquent and poignant way with Hana’s story. The writing is phenomenal and I felt like it was the thing that really made this book stand out. Michel’s imagery, in particular, is fabulous. One woman’s story is the tale of many women’s stories in this poignant, well written literary gem! It is an excellent read that you don’t want to miss out on!
The author is a fantastic writer and has chosen to take on the issues of inequality for women in such an eloquent and poignant way with Hana’s story. The writing is phenomenal and I felt like it was the thing that really made this book stand out. Michel’s imagery, in particular, is fabulous. One woman’s story is the tale of many women’s stories in this poignant, well written literary gem! It is an excellent read that you don’t want to miss out on!
October 28, 2022
Beautiful description, brilliant message. I felt uncomfortable while reading quite a few times, but I think that’s the point. To live in such a repressive society would be uncomfortable, and it would definitely be difficult to deal with. Having to repress the desire of freedom is impossible for anyone who has to live such a restricting life, and I think that it’s portrayed beautifully- it’s certainly eye-opening. I’d give this book a shot if you’re interested in seeing more about this side of society; maybe it can make you appreciate the small things a little more.
However, I do have some criticism: it’s long. It’s very long. I think that the message of the book can be portrayed within about half of the length- and while length isn’t something inherently negative, I just felt that it dragged-on a little. That’s just my opinion, though. I definitely recommend the book, but just be aware that it’s a decent commitment to finish it.
However, I do have some criticism: it’s long. It’s very long. I think that the message of the book can be portrayed within about half of the length- and while length isn’t something inherently negative, I just felt that it dragged-on a little. That’s just my opinion, though. I definitely recommend the book, but just be aware that it’s a decent commitment to finish it.
January 8, 2022
Salwa Michel has melded the secrets of a women in to a condensed structural formula. This is truly skilled, focused, and proficient. I have never experienced a book that has matched this informative release and opening up. I highly recommend this book and will say to all the males reading this to really learn cause using this book will help you retain and maintain respect, peace, and a long fruitful relationship.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews