BT on Books: Girls of Riyadh

When Rajaa Alsanea released her book, Girls of Riyadh, in Saudi Arabia, it was banned almost immediately. The book became an underground success, with copies coming in from Lebanon and the United States.

Sometimes referred to as a “Sex and the City” for Saudi Arabia, the book delves into the social, and romantic lives of its four female characters. Alsanea follows these four friends, all smart, successful, and upper-class Sunni Muslims living in Riyadh, as they make their way through romance, careers, families, and life.

And though this book is the not the first piece of literature to delve into the world of young Arab women, the style is unique. Do read this. Seriously.