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Publication
Boston : Mariner Books, 2009.
Description
Fiction. Literature. Mystery. HTML:A Palestinian P.I. investigates the death of a pregnant Saudi teenager in a mystery that offers "a fascinating glimpse into the workings...of Saudi society" (Publishers Weekly). When sixteen-year-old Nouf ash-Shrawi goes missing, her prominent family calls on desert guide Nayir al-Sharqi to lead a search party. Ten days later, Nouf's body is discovered. The coroner determines that she was several weeks pregnant. But even more unsettling is that she died not of dehydration but from drowning. Though her family is suspiciously uninterested in getting at the truth, Nayir is determined to find out what happened. Now Nayir, a gentle and pious Palestinian living in Saudi Arabia, must delve into Nouf's secret life�no easy task in one of the world's most rigidly gender-segregated societies. Shocked by the idea of a woman baring her face and working in public, Nayir realizes that to gain access to the hidden world of Saudi women, he will have to join forces with Katya Hijazi, a lab worker at the coroner's office. As their partnership leads to surprising revelations, it also challenges Nayir, bringing him face to face with his desire for female companionship and the limitations imposed by his beliefs.… (more)
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LibraryThing member brenzi
A murder takes place in this book but that’s not the main theme, as far as I can see. That title belongs to the subjugation of women in Saudi Arabia which, as I got further and further into the narrative, managed to make me fairly agitated (to say nothing of enlightened). Not surprisingly, the
Nouf ash-Shawri is the sixteen year old daughter in a wealthy Saudi family and it appears that she has run away. After searching the desert area near her home, desert guide Nayir finds that her body has been found and she apparently died, in the desert, by drowning in a wadi filled with rainwater. Why would a girl from the privileged class run away and how did she drown? These are among the many questions that kind, gentle and deeply religious, Nayir feels compelled to find the answers to, even after her family accepts the idea of accidental drowning. To do so he must accept the help of a working woman audacious enough to bare her face in public, coroner’s lab worker Katya Hijazi. Nayir finds himself at a crossroads, highly desirous of female companionship, yet highly cautious in observing his religious beliefs which include never looking directly into a woman’s eyes or being seen in public with a woman who is not his wife, sister or daughter. The religious police are always on the lookout for offenders. A clash of cultures becomes obvious when an American is detected as one of a number of suspects, and Nayir visits his apartment in an American compound:
”Inside the compound, the environment changed. These were mostly Saudi-style homes, bright stucco buildings with ornate shutters and flat roofs, but the gardens were strangely American, bursting with flowers he didn’t recognize. Americans lived here, as well as other Western workers who signed up for two, maybe three years of work in Saudi. Most of them came because the work was lucrative and completely tax-free; some companies even paid for their employees to fly back to America once or twice a year. There was a strong need for imported labor---a good number of Saudis were wealthy enough enough not to work, and, Nayir thought, they believed work was beneath them---but despite the necessity for American workers, he felt a twinge of resentment that they should come here and build their own little worlds, their own private compounds where they lived as if they were still in America.” (Page 136)
As far as a mystery goes, this one is fairly typical in its construction and Ferraris does a good job of building suspense, but I was more impressed with her depiction of a culture with which I was unfamiliar. I think for this reason, it was difficult for her to construct complex characters. They seemed fairly one dimensional to me. But I was impressed by Nayir’s ability to grow and change in his way of adapting to a more independent female like Katya. This is the first in a series. I’m not sure whether I’ll continue but I did appreciate this one.
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author, American Zoe Ferraris, spent only nine months in the country, getting to know her husband’s family, who had never welcomed an American into their home (and lives) before. After nine months she left the country and is now divorced. I honestly don’t see how any woman not raised in Saudi Arabia could ever adjust to the stringent conditions under which women there exist. And unfortunately for these women, they are only too aware of the differences between their lives and those of women living in the West because of illegal (but easily obtainable) DVDs representing ways of life they end up longing for. So I tried to view this book as a glimpse at a culture that I am totally unfamiliar with and a vehicle for learning.Nouf ash-Shawri is the sixteen year old daughter in a wealthy Saudi family and it appears that she has run away. After searching the desert area near her home, desert guide Nayir finds that her body has been found and she apparently died, in the desert, by drowning in a wadi filled with rainwater. Why would a girl from the privileged class run away and how did she drown? These are among the many questions that kind, gentle and deeply religious, Nayir feels compelled to find the answers to, even after her family accepts the idea of accidental drowning. To do so he must accept the help of a working woman audacious enough to bare her face in public, coroner’s lab worker Katya Hijazi. Nayir finds himself at a crossroads, highly desirous of female companionship, yet highly cautious in observing his religious beliefs which include never looking directly into a woman’s eyes or being seen in public with a woman who is not his wife, sister or daughter. The religious police are always on the lookout for offenders. A clash of cultures becomes obvious when an American is detected as one of a number of suspects, and Nayir visits his apartment in an American compound:
”Inside the compound, the environment changed. These were mostly Saudi-style homes, bright stucco buildings with ornate shutters and flat roofs, but the gardens were strangely American, bursting with flowers he didn’t recognize. Americans lived here, as well as other Western workers who signed up for two, maybe three years of work in Saudi. Most of them came because the work was lucrative and completely tax-free; some companies even paid for their employees to fly back to America once or twice a year. There was a strong need for imported labor---a good number of Saudis were wealthy enough enough not to work, and, Nayir thought, they believed work was beneath them---but despite the necessity for American workers, he felt a twinge of resentment that they should come here and build their own little worlds, their own private compounds where they lived as if they were still in America.” (Page 136)
As far as a mystery goes, this one is fairly typical in its construction and Ferraris does a good job of building suspense, but I was more impressed with her depiction of a culture with which I was unfamiliar. I think for this reason, it was difficult for her to construct complex characters. They seemed fairly one dimensional to me. But I was impressed by Nayir’s ability to grow and change in his way of adapting to a more independent female like Katya. This is the first in a series. I’m not sure whether I’ll continue but I did appreciate this one.
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LibraryThing member writestuff
Nayir ash-Sharqi, a desert guide, is hired by the Shrawi family to locate a family member who has disappeared. Nouf, only sixteen years old and planning her wedding, appears to have run away into the desert. But when her body is found in a wadi and the coroner reveals her cause of death as
Finding Nouf is at its heart a mystery, but it is also more than this. Set in modern Saudi Arabia, the novel explores the role of women in a gender-segregated society which clings to its history while at the same time must address the changing views of the women it seeks to control and protect. Nayir is a devote man who prays regularly and wishes to follow the laws of Allah; but he is also a bachelor who fantasizes of one day finding a woman with whom he can share his life.
Nayir’s conflicted feelings provide the tension in the book. At first I disliked Nayir, finding him rigidly pious and chauvinistic. Ferraris does a remarkable job turning Nayir from a largely distasteful character to one the reader begins to respect. It is Nayir’s growth as a man (who comes to see women as human beings with dreams, desires and individual strengths) which elevates the novel to more than a simple whodunnit.
Katya represents the modern Saudi woman – a woman who has her own job and dares to speak to men not related to her. It is through her that the reader begins to gain a deeper understanding of Nouf – a teenager from a wealthy family who yearns for freedom.
Zoe Ferraris once lived in Saudi Arabia during the time following the first Gulf War. At that time, she was married to a Saudi-Palestinian Bedouin and was exposed to a culture largely closed to Americans. Knowing this about the author gave me respect for the perspective of this novel which although seen mostly through the eyes of the lead male character, exposes the dreams and desires of women living in a paternalistic society.
Ferraris’ writing is clean and riveting. The core mystery (what actually happened to Nouf) has many twists and turns which kept me guessing right to the end. This is a novel I would classify as “literary mystery” as its focus is as much on its main characters (and their growth) as on the mystery which propels the story.
Readers who enjoy a good mystery, as well as literary fiction, will enjoy this look inside the Saudi culture.
Recommended.
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drowning, disturbing questions arise. Nayir joins forces with Katya Hijazi, a lab worker at the coroner’s office who is like no woman he has ever met. Together they begin to piece together Nouf’s last days and hours to uncover the mystery surrounding her death.Finding Nouf is at its heart a mystery, but it is also more than this. Set in modern Saudi Arabia, the novel explores the role of women in a gender-segregated society which clings to its history while at the same time must address the changing views of the women it seeks to control and protect. Nayir is a devote man who prays regularly and wishes to follow the laws of Allah; but he is also a bachelor who fantasizes of one day finding a woman with whom he can share his life.
Nayir’s conflicted feelings provide the tension in the book. At first I disliked Nayir, finding him rigidly pious and chauvinistic. Ferraris does a remarkable job turning Nayir from a largely distasteful character to one the reader begins to respect. It is Nayir’s growth as a man (who comes to see women as human beings with dreams, desires and individual strengths) which elevates the novel to more than a simple whodunnit.
Katya represents the modern Saudi woman – a woman who has her own job and dares to speak to men not related to her. It is through her that the reader begins to gain a deeper understanding of Nouf – a teenager from a wealthy family who yearns for freedom.
Zoe Ferraris once lived in Saudi Arabia during the time following the first Gulf War. At that time, she was married to a Saudi-Palestinian Bedouin and was exposed to a culture largely closed to Americans. Knowing this about the author gave me respect for the perspective of this novel which although seen mostly through the eyes of the lead male character, exposes the dreams and desires of women living in a paternalistic society.
Ferraris’ writing is clean and riveting. The core mystery (what actually happened to Nouf) has many twists and turns which kept me guessing right to the end. This is a novel I would classify as “literary mystery” as its focus is as much on its main characters (and their growth) as on the mystery which propels the story.
Readers who enjoy a good mystery, as well as literary fiction, will enjoy this look inside the Saudi culture.
Recommended.
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LibraryThing member DubaiReader
Fascinating.
This was a fascinating read, particularly from the point of view of the interactions between Saudi Arabian men and women. Although based around a murder within the community, the who-done-it side of the narrative seemed secondary to the insights into such a closed society.
Nayir is a
Katya, the fianceé of the victim's brother, is also working in the District Examiner's Office and she brings her professional expertise into solving the murder.
Working together proves especially problematic for Nayir, as he is extremely devout and finds any contact with women, particularly unveiled, supremely uncomfortable. It is a wonder that anything is solved at all, when both parties withold information due to embarassment and the family is rich enough to persuade the District Govenor's Office that it was all an accident.
A most unusual crime mystery that I would highly recommend. I have already borrowed the second book in the series (City of Veils) from the library and can't wait to get stuck in.
This was a fascinating read, particularly from the point of view of the interactions between Saudi Arabian men and women. Although based around a murder within the community, the who-done-it side of the narrative seemed secondary to the insights into such a closed society.
Nayir is a
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desert guide, often mistaken as a Bedouin. He is asked by the family of the victim to escort a private detective into the area of the desert where the body of 16yr old Nouf was found.Katya, the fianceé of the victim's brother, is also working in the District Examiner's Office and she brings her professional expertise into solving the murder.
Working together proves especially problematic for Nayir, as he is extremely devout and finds any contact with women, particularly unveiled, supremely uncomfortable. It is a wonder that anything is solved at all, when both parties withold information due to embarassment and the family is rich enough to persuade the District Govenor's Office that it was all an accident.
A most unusual crime mystery that I would highly recommend. I have already borrowed the second book in the series (City of Veils) from the library and can't wait to get stuck in.
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LibraryThing member dianaleez
Insights into life in Saudi Arabia are more interesting than the mystery elements. But I'm the first to admit that this time I guess wrong on who-done-it. Characters and setting are intriguing. And my family is probably tired by now of hearing, "Did you know that in Saudi Arabia.....?"
LibraryThing member Welshwoman
I was not aware of this book until I read a review of Zoe Ferraris's second novel in the newspaper a couple of weeks ago. I was intrigued and sent for the first novel. This is a really good and absorbing story which gives a fascinating insight into the lives of women in Saudi Arabia (and the lives
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of men for that matter). I'll look forward to reading her next novel. Show Less
LibraryThing member bsquaredinoz
This is a difficult book to review because I had mixed reactions to different aspects of it. As pure storytelling I have one response but this is underpinned by a some doubts about the authenticity of the setting Ferraris has depicted and as these doubts, which might be unfounded, grew I think they
When 16-year old Nouf ash-Shrawi disappears from the home of her wealthy Saudi Arabian family her brother Othman asks his friend, Palestinian born Nayir ash-Sharqi, to look for her. Nayir, often mistaken for a Bedouin, is a desert guide and is only too willing to assist his friend. Unfortunately though Nouf is found dead in a desert Wadi and the autopsy reveals she has drowned. What remains to uncover then is whether she ran away or was kidnapped. Nayir takes on the role of the family’s investigator but when Othman’s fiancée Katya Hijazi, a lab technician who assisted with the autopsy, also becomes involved in the investigation Nayir struggles because, being a conservative Muslim, he is not allowed to talk to a single woman.
From a pure storytelling standpoint this is an entertaining, if somewhat slow-moving novel, though probably not one for die hard crime fiction fans as it’s really not much of a mystery. However I think Ferraris’ intent is to paint a picture of the exotic location and society and the plot device of solving a possible murder was simply the most convenient way to achieve that end. It is hard to imagine for example too many circumstances other than the unexpected death of his friend’s young sister that would have prompted someone as conservative as Nayir to interact with a single woman in the way he ultimately interacts with Katya.
Nayir, Katya, Othman and even Nouf to the extent we learn about her after her death are thoughtfully depicted character studies. The competing desire to conform to their society’s strict rules and their frustration at having to do so is shown from both a female and male perspective which is unusual and worth exploring. The kind of claustrophobia that some people, women in particular, must feel in these surroundings especially when they have had some exposure to different cultures including less strict Muslim ones, was very well shown and the highlight of the novel for me. In particular the sad resolution to the mystery was very fitting in that it demonstrated what people will do when there are such limited opportunities for them to change their circumstances.
But on to my qualms about this book. Let me first state I am no expert on either Saudi Arabia or Islamic life but as I read the book I kept picking up on little details that didn’t sound right to me from my limited knowledge of the country and culture. Not only did this make me wonder what else might I be missing, but I couldn’t help but ponder if the book was doing less ‘lifting the veil on a culture we know little about’ and more reflecting back some entrenched stereotypes about that culture that westerners are largely comfortable with. If this is what’s happening I have no idea how much is to do with the author’s mistakes and how much might be due to publishers asking for changes that fit in better with the target audience’s existing knowledge but either way I didn’t fully buy into the story because of my perception of inaccuracy about some fairly fundamental details.
At one point for example there is mention made of a pious young girl who came to visit the family for a short time but has stayed for 2 years and repeated the Haj (or Hajj)12 times. The Haj is an annual event that happens during specific dates on the Islamic calendar and I think that even if the young girl had visited Mecca at other times (unlikely in itself) it would be called an Umrah. Another language discrepancy that I picked up was that the women were referred to as wearing burqas whereas the face covering in Saudi Arabia is of a different kind and is known as a nikab. Even more troubling though than these kinds of inaccuracies were things that I felt served no purpose other than to perpetuate some good old-fashioned stereotypes. The one that immediately springs to mind is when Nayir is pondering whether two particular men might be gay which serves no purpose whatsoever other than an opportunity for readers to be told what horrible things happen to gay people in Saudi Arabia.
I’m not for one moment suggesting that everything in the book is wrong or that I don’t have severe misgivings about the way women can be treated when the strictest interpretation of Islamic law is applied. I’m just not entirely convinced that this book, regardless of how good the story might be, adds much to the western understanding of the culture it is depicting.
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affected my enjoyment of the story itself. As always though these are one person’s thoughts and if you don’t like them there are plenty of other opinions to be had.When 16-year old Nouf ash-Shrawi disappears from the home of her wealthy Saudi Arabian family her brother Othman asks his friend, Palestinian born Nayir ash-Sharqi, to look for her. Nayir, often mistaken for a Bedouin, is a desert guide and is only too willing to assist his friend. Unfortunately though Nouf is found dead in a desert Wadi and the autopsy reveals she has drowned. What remains to uncover then is whether she ran away or was kidnapped. Nayir takes on the role of the family’s investigator but when Othman’s fiancée Katya Hijazi, a lab technician who assisted with the autopsy, also becomes involved in the investigation Nayir struggles because, being a conservative Muslim, he is not allowed to talk to a single woman.
From a pure storytelling standpoint this is an entertaining, if somewhat slow-moving novel, though probably not one for die hard crime fiction fans as it’s really not much of a mystery. However I think Ferraris’ intent is to paint a picture of the exotic location and society and the plot device of solving a possible murder was simply the most convenient way to achieve that end. It is hard to imagine for example too many circumstances other than the unexpected death of his friend’s young sister that would have prompted someone as conservative as Nayir to interact with a single woman in the way he ultimately interacts with Katya.
Nayir, Katya, Othman and even Nouf to the extent we learn about her after her death are thoughtfully depicted character studies. The competing desire to conform to their society’s strict rules and their frustration at having to do so is shown from both a female and male perspective which is unusual and worth exploring. The kind of claustrophobia that some people, women in particular, must feel in these surroundings especially when they have had some exposure to different cultures including less strict Muslim ones, was very well shown and the highlight of the novel for me. In particular the sad resolution to the mystery was very fitting in that it demonstrated what people will do when there are such limited opportunities for them to change their circumstances.
But on to my qualms about this book. Let me first state I am no expert on either Saudi Arabia or Islamic life but as I read the book I kept picking up on little details that didn’t sound right to me from my limited knowledge of the country and culture. Not only did this make me wonder what else might I be missing, but I couldn’t help but ponder if the book was doing less ‘lifting the veil on a culture we know little about’ and more reflecting back some entrenched stereotypes about that culture that westerners are largely comfortable with. If this is what’s happening I have no idea how much is to do with the author’s mistakes and how much might be due to publishers asking for changes that fit in better with the target audience’s existing knowledge but either way I didn’t fully buy into the story because of my perception of inaccuracy about some fairly fundamental details.
At one point for example there is mention made of a pious young girl who came to visit the family for a short time but has stayed for 2 years and repeated the Haj (or Hajj)12 times. The Haj is an annual event that happens during specific dates on the Islamic calendar and I think that even if the young girl had visited Mecca at other times (unlikely in itself) it would be called an Umrah. Another language discrepancy that I picked up was that the women were referred to as wearing burqas whereas the face covering in Saudi Arabia is of a different kind and is known as a nikab. Even more troubling though than these kinds of inaccuracies were things that I felt served no purpose other than to perpetuate some good old-fashioned stereotypes. The one that immediately springs to mind is when Nayir is pondering whether two particular men might be gay which serves no purpose whatsoever other than an opportunity for readers to be told what horrible things happen to gay people in Saudi Arabia.
I’m not for one moment suggesting that everything in the book is wrong or that I don’t have severe misgivings about the way women can be treated when the strictest interpretation of Islamic law is applied. I’m just not entirely convinced that this book, regardless of how good the story might be, adds much to the western understanding of the culture it is depicting.
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LibraryThing member cathyskye
I read the second of Zoë Ferraris's Saudi mysteries, City of Veils, first and was completely transported. So much so that I felt the need to get my hands on this-- the first-- book. I'm glad I did. In three novels (Kingdom of Strangers is the third), Ferraris has opened the door and shed light on
Finding Nouf is a wonderful introduction to life in a Muslim country-- from dealing with the climate to many of its customs. One of the things I appreciated most from reading this book is being shown how the practice of Islam differs from country to country.
The two main characters-- Katya Hijazi and Nayir al-Sharqi-- are interesting in and of themselves, but also as examples of traditional and non-traditional views. Nayir is very traditional in his beliefs, so when he first begins working with the non-traditional unmarried Katya, he spends most of his time being shocked and not knowing where to look. It's refreshing to watch him slowly-- very slowly-- begin to relax a bit around her.
It's unusual for women to work in Saudi Arabia, and there are all sorts of restrictions on what types of jobs women may have and where they're able to work. Watching Katya navigate all these rules and regulations shows us how strong she is. How determined she is to succeed. She's just the sort of person who should be the coroner, but in order for that to happen, Katya is going to have to leave the country of her birth. Any Western woman who reads this book will have an eye-opening experience. She's undoubtedly going to feel incredulous and frustrated as well, especially when Katya's life is put in contrast to the lives of the extremely wealthy women of Nouf's family. (A large parking lot paved in marble? And that's before you enter the house!)
I was blindsided by the identity of Nouf's killer, and that doesn't happen often. I loved this book, and recommend it highly. I also have good news: Ferraris is a writer who starts with a winner and just keeps improving. As much as I love Finding Nouf, City of Veils is even better. My advice? Read all three of Zoë Ferraris's excellent Saudi mysteries!
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a landscape, a people, and a culture that are almost totally alien to Westerners. She does it with firsthand knowledge, psychological insight, tightly woven plots, and a writing style that can be downright poetic.Finding Nouf is a wonderful introduction to life in a Muslim country-- from dealing with the climate to many of its customs. One of the things I appreciated most from reading this book is being shown how the practice of Islam differs from country to country.
The two main characters-- Katya Hijazi and Nayir al-Sharqi-- are interesting in and of themselves, but also as examples of traditional and non-traditional views. Nayir is very traditional in his beliefs, so when he first begins working with the non-traditional unmarried Katya, he spends most of his time being shocked and not knowing where to look. It's refreshing to watch him slowly-- very slowly-- begin to relax a bit around her.
It's unusual for women to work in Saudi Arabia, and there are all sorts of restrictions on what types of jobs women may have and where they're able to work. Watching Katya navigate all these rules and regulations shows us how strong she is. How determined she is to succeed. She's just the sort of person who should be the coroner, but in order for that to happen, Katya is going to have to leave the country of her birth. Any Western woman who reads this book will have an eye-opening experience. She's undoubtedly going to feel incredulous and frustrated as well, especially when Katya's life is put in contrast to the lives of the extremely wealthy women of Nouf's family. (A large parking lot paved in marble? And that's before you enter the house!)
I was blindsided by the identity of Nouf's killer, and that doesn't happen often. I loved this book, and recommend it highly. I also have good news: Ferraris is a writer who starts with a winner and just keeps improving. As much as I love Finding Nouf, City of Veils is even better. My advice? Read all three of Zoë Ferraris's excellent Saudi mysteries!
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LibraryThing member janeajones
Mysteries generally appeal to me because of their locales and cultures. Finding Nouf, set in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, opens up a world with which I have practically no familiarity and which I shall probably never visit. Zoe Ferraris is an American, but according to the book cover, she was married to a
The plot involves the disappearance of Nouf Shrawi, the sixteen year old daughter of a wealthy family -- with a truck and a camel. A desert guide, the pious Nayir ash-Shariq, is hired to find out what happened to her. When she is found drowned in the desert, the body is turned over to the coroner, and a lab assistant in the women's division, Katya Hijazi, discovers information crucial to Nayir's investigation.
Ferraris guides us through the labyrinths of modern Saudi life -- bounded and veiled in tradition and religion -- and the elaborate gender struggles it entails. Her descriptions of the desert, the dusty streets of Jeddah clogged with traffic, and the enclosed quarters of the Shawri women are highly evocative. This is the first in a series, and I've already ordered the second.
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Saudi and moved to Saudi Arabia to become a part of an extended Saudi-Bedouin-Palestinian family (she now lives in the US).The plot involves the disappearance of Nouf Shrawi, the sixteen year old daughter of a wealthy family -- with a truck and a camel. A desert guide, the pious Nayir ash-Shariq, is hired to find out what happened to her. When she is found drowned in the desert, the body is turned over to the coroner, and a lab assistant in the women's division, Katya Hijazi, discovers information crucial to Nayir's investigation.
Ferraris guides us through the labyrinths of modern Saudi life -- bounded and veiled in tradition and religion -- and the elaborate gender struggles it entails. Her descriptions of the desert, the dusty streets of Jeddah clogged with traffic, and the enclosed quarters of the Shawri women are highly evocative. This is the first in a series, and I've already ordered the second.
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LibraryThing member Britt1075
A great book. The author does a great job describing the culture and differences in how men and women are treated. I fell in love with the main characters. I was even able to imagine the scenery of this are of Saudi Arabia. Well written, a book that will keep you turning the pages well into the
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night. Show Less
LibraryThing member LaBibliophille
I chose this first novel by Zoe Ferraris as part of the Book Awards Reading Challenge. It is a winner of the Alex Award, which is given by the American Library Association to books that are written for adults but have some special appeal to young adults.
Finding Nouf is set in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
Nouf’s brother, Othman, contacts his old friend and desert guide, Nayir ash-Sharqi, to find Nouf. After the body is found, Nayir begins to investigate Nouf’s disappearance and death with the help of Katya, Othman’s fiancee who, conveniently, works for the medical examiner.
This quest for the truth is complicated by the simple facts of life in Saudi society. How could a young woman disappear, when women are not allowed to appear unescorted in public? This is especially true for young women in wealthy families, who have full-time escorts/drivers. How could Nouf have taken a family’s truck, when women are forbidden by law to drive? And how can Katya and Nayir work together on this case, when they are not allowed to be seen together?
Finding Nouf gives us a glimpse of Saudi life, and how the structure of society and the laws of the land keep women undereducated, housebound and, often, miserable. This book was very well written. It is a good mystery, with plenty of red herrings. It will take you a while to figure out who done it. I highly recommend this book.
Finding Nouf is set in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
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It is an unusual detective story. A 16 year old woman from a wealthy family disappears, and her body is found in the desert. Did she run away, or was she abducted? There was no ransom demand, and the official cause of death was drowning. Nouf was found in a wadi by Bedouins after an infrequent desert rainstorm. But why would Nouf run away? She was planning her upcoming wedding, and seemed happy.Nouf’s brother, Othman, contacts his old friend and desert guide, Nayir ash-Sharqi, to find Nouf. After the body is found, Nayir begins to investigate Nouf’s disappearance and death with the help of Katya, Othman’s fiancee who, conveniently, works for the medical examiner.
This quest for the truth is complicated by the simple facts of life in Saudi society. How could a young woman disappear, when women are not allowed to appear unescorted in public? This is especially true for young women in wealthy families, who have full-time escorts/drivers. How could Nouf have taken a family’s truck, when women are forbidden by law to drive? And how can Katya and Nayir work together on this case, when they are not allowed to be seen together?
Finding Nouf gives us a glimpse of Saudi life, and how the structure of society and the laws of the land keep women undereducated, housebound and, often, miserable. This book was very well written. It is a good mystery, with plenty of red herrings. It will take you a while to figure out who done it. I highly recommend this book.
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LibraryThing member jgoitein
Finding Nouf is an Alex Award winning title for 2009. What appeal does this book written for adults hold for a young adult reader? First, it is a mystery, a who done it, that sends students on a quest to find the killer. Second, the victim, Nouf, is a privileged sixteen year old Saudi girl from a
All these questions are left to Nayir, a Palestinian desert guide, and Katya, a lab technician at the coroner's office, to gather and piece together evidence and theorize a motive for Nouf''s death. It is with the two characters, Nayir and Katya, that first time author Zoe Ferraris developes unique multidimensional protagonists. It is through their eyes and thougths that the reader gets an exacting look at the culture of the wealthy and religious of Saudi Arabia of today.
It helps that the American Ferrais was married to a Bedouni from a large extended family and lived for a while in Saudi Arabia. She conveys with great detail the desert guide Nayir, a religious Muslum, who comes to terms with his loneliness and his thoughts, often unpure, of women and their role in modern Saudi society, and how he can best interact with them without bringing out the religious police. Katya is that modern young Saudi woman, who still wears her burqa when necessary, but prefers to go without it. She is the voice of educated women who are defining a new place for women in a very patriachical society. As the fiance of Nouf's brother Oshman, she is asked by him to work with Nayir to test DNA samples found at the crime scene. As a mystery genre, much attention is paid to going over the clues over and over again. Ferrais seems to use this as a device to end a chapter at what seems like a dead end, but then pick up new clues and meaning in a following chapter. It works well as the reader is entralled in this strange world of men and women, even of the same family , leading very different lives in a society few Westerns have privy to.
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wealthy Bedouin family who was about to be married. Her personality and secret desires are unraveled as the clues about her death are revealed. Her longing for love, education and independence are universal qualities young girls can identify with. Third, it takes place in an exotic locale where the sands shift and camels roam to the seaside marinas to hear jet skis hum in the distance. Nouf is first believed to be kidnapped, then found dead in the desert. Her death is called an accidentenial drowning by the coroner's office. No ramson note was sent to the family. Why does she have a head injury? Why is she buried so she is facing away from Mecca? I s this a sign she was expecting a child at the time of her death? Who would want to harm her?All these questions are left to Nayir, a Palestinian desert guide, and Katya, a lab technician at the coroner's office, to gather and piece together evidence and theorize a motive for Nouf''s death. It is with the two characters, Nayir and Katya, that first time author Zoe Ferraris developes unique multidimensional protagonists. It is through their eyes and thougths that the reader gets an exacting look at the culture of the wealthy and religious of Saudi Arabia of today.
It helps that the American Ferrais was married to a Bedouni from a large extended family and lived for a while in Saudi Arabia. She conveys with great detail the desert guide Nayir, a religious Muslum, who comes to terms with his loneliness and his thoughts, often unpure, of women and their role in modern Saudi society, and how he can best interact with them without bringing out the religious police. Katya is that modern young Saudi woman, who still wears her burqa when necessary, but prefers to go without it. She is the voice of educated women who are defining a new place for women in a very patriachical society. As the fiance of Nouf's brother Oshman, she is asked by him to work with Nayir to test DNA samples found at the crime scene. As a mystery genre, much attention is paid to going over the clues over and over again. Ferrais seems to use this as a device to end a chapter at what seems like a dead end, but then pick up new clues and meaning in a following chapter. It works well as the reader is entralled in this strange world of men and women, even of the same family , leading very different lives in a society few Westerns have privy to.
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LibraryThing member Lillian3
An intriguing look into the complex relationships between men and women in Saudi Arabia. Solving the mystery behind the death of a teenage girl in the desert hooked me as a reader, but watching the bond develop between Nayir and Katya (he's a conservative, Palestinian desert guide/sleuth; she has a
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PHD and works in the womens' section of the state examiner's office) kept me up all night. Show Less
LibraryThing member camelliacorner
This book is called :The night of the Mi'raj", must be the title for Australian audiences. Learnt much about Saudi Arabian culture and the inequality of women that exits in this country. A story that got better as you read into it
LibraryThing member DeltaQueen50
Set in Saudi Arabia, Finding Nouf by Zoë Ferraris is a wonderful tale about the mystery surrounding the disappearance and death of a young Saudi girl. I loved every aspect of this book. The mystery was engrossing, the twist of the victim being drowned out in the desert was intriguing, and as the
The two central characters are themselves a wonderful contrast. The non-detective that the family hired to investigate is a pious Muslim that tries to live his life by embracing the strict religious laws, yet is a lonely man who yearns for romance. The woman who assists him in the investigation, medical examiner Katya is a more modern woman who lives under the strict rules but often finds ways to circumvent them.
As with all good mysteries I found my suspicions being turned on one character after another following with the twists of the story. All in all, a great read and I highly recommend it.
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plot develops and the life of this young sixteen year old is slowly revealed, the story spreads in many directions. The author, who has lived in the Arab world, writes about this extremely mysterious country in a realistic and eye-opening way. The two central characters are themselves a wonderful contrast. The non-detective that the family hired to investigate is a pious Muslim that tries to live his life by embracing the strict religious laws, yet is a lonely man who yearns for romance. The woman who assists him in the investigation, medical examiner Katya is a more modern woman who lives under the strict rules but often finds ways to circumvent them.
As with all good mysteries I found my suspicions being turned on one character after another following with the twists of the story. All in all, a great read and I highly recommend it.
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LibraryThing member ellenr
This is a mystery that also delves into the roles and relationships between men and women in an Islamic culture. It can be appreciated on many levels. The plotting is complex and pulls the reader into the story. The characters are very well-developed, with foibles and integrity both shown in ways
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that make the reader feel empathy for them. The reader can come to better understand and appreciate the culture and people of Saudi Arabia through this book. Show Less
LibraryThing member pamdierickx
good mystery takes place in Saudia Arabia. Wonderful cultural study of men and women.
LibraryThing member smik
It is not often that crime fiction readers get the chance to get right inside the skin of another society, but this is what I feel Zoe Ferraris does for us in THE NIGHT OF THE MI'RAJ.
My guess is that I already have some understanding from practical experience of how Islamic society works, but the
The characters of Nayir and Katya are so well drawn. Nayir is a Palestinian often mistaken for a Bedouin. He has been employed by the family in the past as a desert guide, and this time to find out the truth about Nouf's disappearance. So he is not a policeman, not even a detective. Katya on the other hand is well qualified in forensic medicine but is a woman, trying to be "modern" in an Islamic world. The picture of each of them trying to bide by convention, Nayir because he wants to, Katya because she must, is carefully drawn.
I've included the author's note about the novel's title because in this case I think I actually concur with its renaming to FINDING NOUF. The title THE NIGHT OF THE MI'RAJ really has little meaning for the non-Islamic reader unless you are prepared to do some research, although it would obviously be charged with significance for the Islamic one. So I think the Islamic reader would explore the meaning of that title in a way that I never would.
On the other side of the coin though I have noted what the publisher says about this being a literary novel and coupled that with what the author says about Nayir's journey. I think I understand that Ferraris didn't see herself as primarily writing crime fiction. The investigation into the death of Nouf is really just a back drop to Nayir and Katya showing what it is like to be Islamic in the modern world. From that point of view alone the novel, whatever its title, is fascinating.
My guess is that I already have some understanding from practical experience of how Islamic society works, but the
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novel showed me much greater depth.The characters of Nayir and Katya are so well drawn. Nayir is a Palestinian often mistaken for a Bedouin. He has been employed by the family in the past as a desert guide, and this time to find out the truth about Nouf's disappearance. So he is not a policeman, not even a detective. Katya on the other hand is well qualified in forensic medicine but is a woman, trying to be "modern" in an Islamic world. The picture of each of them trying to bide by convention, Nayir because he wants to, Katya because she must, is carefully drawn.
I've included the author's note about the novel's title because in this case I think I actually concur with its renaming to FINDING NOUF. The title THE NIGHT OF THE MI'RAJ really has little meaning for the non-Islamic reader unless you are prepared to do some research, although it would obviously be charged with significance for the Islamic one. So I think the Islamic reader would explore the meaning of that title in a way that I never would.
On the other side of the coin though I have noted what the publisher says about this being a literary novel and coupled that with what the author says about Nayir's journey. I think I understand that Ferraris didn't see herself as primarily writing crime fiction. The investigation into the death of Nouf is really just a back drop to Nayir and Katya showing what it is like to be Islamic in the modern world. From that point of view alone the novel, whatever its title, is fascinating.
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LibraryThing member Smiley
So-so mystery but excellent feel for characters and place. The characters Ferraris draws are life-like and behave with humanity. Her descriptions and details of Saudi and the desert ring true. I hope she writes more, maybe not confined by they mystery genre. If she does write another mystery with
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this duo, much like Dorothy L. Sayers, I will read it. Show Less
LibraryThing member Asperula
Good read combing a murder mystery and cultural issues.
LibraryThing member BookishDame
Fantastic novel of a missing girl who is betrothed to a young man in an arranged marriage, then found murdered. One of the best things about this novel is the wonderful detail having to do with the culture and contrast of Muslim traditions with the slow progression of modern thinking. I would love
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to read anything else by this author. Her writing style is superb. Show Less
LibraryThing member fordbarbara
A young girl is dead and a desert guide trys to find out why when her family seems oddly disinterested. The book investigates the layers of a society that is so stifled by religious traditions and rules, that neither men or women are free to express their feelings or even acknowledge them. Instead,
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everyone is squeezed into a tiny box of their own, with the walls of tradition, religion, religious police, informers, family and fear boxing them in. Small rays of hope are expressed through a woman who works, yet would like to marry and have children - options she says, is what she wants. A clear picture of a country kept in the dark ages by patriarchal, and deadly, control. Show Less
LibraryThing member RobinDawson
Night of the Mi'raj is quite a gripping murder mystery, and the bonus is it paints quite a vivid picture of Muslim culture and the tensions between families and genders as the traditional ways are forced to change by modern/Western values.
It reminded me of Sweetness in the Belly by Camilla Gibb -
It reminded me of Sweetness in the Belly by Camilla Gibb -
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another excellent book about Muslim culture, although this one is set in Ethiopia. Having lived in these countries both authors are able to really bring the culture alive. Show Less
LibraryThing member Fernandame
E-book - WOW - I love this book!! The mystery part of it was really great but I enjoyed delving into a culture that I know very little about.
LibraryThing member chinquapin
A sixteen year old girl from a wealthy family in Saudi Arabia goes missing in the desert and Nayir ash-Sharqui, a Palestinian desert guide and close friend of the family, is asked to try and find her. All that is found is her dead body, which points to murder. Nayir then begins to investigate why
An interesting part of this story was the depiction and seeming discussion about the role of women and their extreme segregation in Saudi Arabia. Nayir is a religious conservative who believes that the laws for wearing the burqa protect women, but he is also a thoughtful, kind man and is conflicted when he meets Katya who is working in the criminal investigation laboratory who feels very stifled by these laws. He is also aware of how these laws make it nearly impossible for a man like himself with no family ties in Saudi Arabia to meet a respectable young lady and marry.
As a reader, the view into this very closed Islamic society was very intriguing to me, and I found myself drawn into the mystery and sympathetic towards the main characters. Reading this book was a highly rewarding experience, and it is one whose story and characters will stay with me for a long time.
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Nouf had run away and, in the process, uncovers many hidden secrets and a troubled family. An interesting part of this story was the depiction and seeming discussion about the role of women and their extreme segregation in Saudi Arabia. Nayir is a religious conservative who believes that the laws for wearing the burqa protect women, but he is also a thoughtful, kind man and is conflicted when he meets Katya who is working in the criminal investigation laboratory who feels very stifled by these laws. He is also aware of how these laws make it nearly impossible for a man like himself with no family ties in Saudi Arabia to meet a respectable young lady and marry.
As a reader, the view into this very closed Islamic society was very intriguing to me, and I found myself drawn into the mystery and sympathetic towards the main characters. Reading this book was a highly rewarding experience, and it is one whose story and characters will stay with me for a long time.
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LibraryThing member DowntownLibrarian
Well written detective novel with sensitive observations of life in Saudi Arabia.