If I could give negative stars I would ( )

Interesting book. I am not sure all of it is believable. If true, it offers a rare look into Arab society. If untrue, well, still makes for some nice reading. ( )

The followup to 'Princess' by the same author. The Sultana now has two daughters whom she tries to protect and shield from the male-ruled country of Saudi Arabia, a 'rule' which extends into homes and families, and royalty are not exempt.

After reading and watching so much of English monarchy in last few days, a book about a Saudi princess, a Middle East sob story enticingly chided me as it lay on top of pile of book I bought from the flea market.

This books is sequel of a book called 'Princess' by Jean Sasson that was based on true life of Saudi Princess Sultana. Long back I have mentioned 'Princess' on my blog here where author herself had commented - http://alchemistpoonam.wordpress.com/2008/07/02/feminist-reader/

'Princess' was so full of painful, gut-wrenching details/stories of treatment of women in Saudi Arabia that effectively put a stop to my read of any books about women in Middle East and other repressive Islamic countries like our neighbour (Remember 'My Feudal Lord'?).

Years later, I have again picked up a Jean Sasson. In this, princess Sultana goes on to speak the life of her children in Saudi. Her husband it seems is restored to the loving, protective husband she craved and deserved. However, her gentlest daughter takes to religious fanaticism after an innocent trip to Hajj. Her other ferocious daughter briefly turns lesbian out of her hatred of cruel Saudi men (except her father of course.) And her son Abdullah, to her husband's dismay remains uninterested in business investments yet remains the pride of his mother for his gentle heart. It, also seems, he is one of the few men in Saudi to allow a woman the right to choose her husband.

Previous characters from 'Princess' are sometimes recalled. I was relieved to note that in this book, other than agonizing subject of female circumcision there are no other as gut-wrenching details as in the last book.

That said, now that book has been read, anyone is welcome to have my copy or it goes to flea market. I can not keep a book as this as keepsake. To be fair, I have rated this books a star less than usual sorely due to the painful content it bravely chooses to address. Hey, much as I may care about the cause (and to the credit of author), I can't be expected to rate a sort of book that traumatizes me as 'like' it. ( )

This book is a lot like a Chinese meal: thoroughly enjoyable at the time, you can't put your chopsticks down until its finished, but later you don't feel full and wonder at the insubstantiality of it all.

This book has been called a fake. Lots of books about women in Arab countries have that accusation leveled against them, far too many for it to be true all the time. This book doesn't read like a fake anyway. In a work of fiction, arguably, the enormous wealth would have been less taken for granted and phrases like, "one of my husband's Lear Jets" is unlikely to have appeared so casually. I did like the descriptions of the practice of Islam by this Saudi family and their friends. They weren't terribly strict in its practice and when one had stepped outside the fold to the point of endangering their lives, the family did rally round and help them. Love was more evident than the harsh fundamentalism of many books set in Saudia Arabia.

Its a real page-turner and a fast read, good for a plane ride of about three or four hours. I would recommend this to anyone who is looking for something light but not fiction and who enjoys memoirs, especially of women. ( )