Having spent a great deal of her career as a journalist in Islamic countries, Geraldine Brooks has had the opportunity to get to know the cultures intimately, especially from a woman’s perspective. Her accounts of both intriguing and appalling aspects of Muslim women’s lives are frankly presented. Although the reader is at times made to feel an agenda lurking behind, even one to sympathize with, the author does a decent job of simply presenting the facts as she has experienced or observed them. Recommended.

Was inspired to read after seeing Theo Van Gogh’s film.