Girls of Riyadh
About the book
Emails tell the stories of four young women negotiating love and social restrictions in Riyadh.
Original title: بنات الرياض (Banat al-Riyadh)
Asia · A READING GUIDE
Saudi Arabia
Rajaa Alsanea grew up in Saudi Arabia. Her novel follows privileged young women between family expectations and personal desires. Munif's biography connects him with several countries in the region; here his novels open a route into transformations of the Arabian Peninsula. Raja Alem, Abdo Khal and Yousef Al-Mohaimeed extend the selection through Mecca, social hierarchy and exclusion.
WHERE TO START
- Girls of RiyadhRajaa Alsanea
- Cities of SaltAbdelrahman Munif
- EndingsAbdul Rahman Munif
Books to begin with
An editorial selection · not rankedNo matches. Try another language or search term.
Cities of Salt
About the book
The discovery of oil transforms a desert community through violent social and political change.
Original title: مدن الملح
Endings
About the book
Drought and a hunter’s death lead a desert village’s inhabitants to tell stories together.
Original title: النهايات
The Dove’s Necklace
About the book
The discovery of a woman’s body in Mecca reveals hidden histories of the city, its inhabitants and changing spaces.
Original title: طوق الحمام
Throwing Sparks
About the book
A wealthy master’s servant becomes trapped in a brutal world of power, humiliation and moral corruption.
Original title: ترمي بشرر
Wolves of the Crescent Moon
About the book
Three men’s violence-scarred lives intertwine to reveal Saudi Arabia’s social hierarchies.
Original title: فخاخ الرائحة
Where Pigeons Don’t Fly
About the book
Artist Fahd finds his personal and creative choices colliding with repressive social norms.
Munira’s Bottle
About the book
A Saudi novel explores a woman’s experience and secrets concealed from society.
Context and sources
Sources on authors and their connections to this country. Specific edition details appear beside each book. Polish and English originals are not labelled as translations.
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