Rajaa Alsanea’s powerful novel, Girls of Riyadh, offers an insightful portrayal of the lives of Khaleeji women, through the lens of four Saudi women, who struggle with their love lives while carrying the burden of societal expectations. In a society that views love between unmarried individuals as a sin, the book explores the themes of sinful love, the fear of social isolation, freedom and the clash between traditional norms in society and the modern world.

One of the most powerful aspects of Girls of Riyadh is its unapologetic honesty, as Alsanea fearlessly explores the challenges women face in conservative societies. The writer critiques the unrealistic social standards that define the perfect Khaleeji woman through her unique email-style text format, where she crafts narratives of the characters’ yearning for emotional fulfillment and their desire for love, provoking readers to question the moral context by which love is judged.

Moreover, the novel challenges the stereotype that portrays women as enemies of one another, as it emphasizes women’s solidarity by showcasing their willingness to seek advice, listen to each other and face societal pressures together.

Girls of Riyadh was released in 2005 in Arabic and was translated into English by the author herself alongside Marilyn Booth, an author and a translator of Arabic literature, in 2007. The book sparked a controversary and was initially banned in Saudi Arabia. However, the ban was lifted a few years later and is now legally published, sold and read in the kingdom.