Book Review: Nine Parts of Desire

Nine Parts of Desire: The Hidden World of Islamic Women by Geraldine Brooks

My rating: 4 of 5 stars
An interesting and fair-handed account of the ways that Islam oppresses women. What makes this book different from others like it is that the author attempts to show where Islam has been distorted in order to perpetuate these wrongs against Muslim women. She writes that if Islam could be separated from the prejudice and social baggage of its various cultures, it would be much easier to appreciate its strengths as a religion. As someone who has written about the Middle East for over 20 years, Brooks is an ideal guide through the maze of modern-day Islam, especially in its dealings with women.

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