Princess Sultana's Daughters

Princess Sultana's Daughters

By: Jean Sasson  

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Average Customer Rating: 4.5 out of 5

As second-generation members of the royal family who have benefited from Saudi oil wealth, Maha and Amani have never known the poverty which their grandparents experienced as children. Surrounded by untold opulence and luxury from the day they were born and which they take for granted, but stifled by the unbearably restrictive lifestyle imposed on them, they have reacted in equally desperate ways.

Their dramatic and shocking stories, together with many more which concern other members of Princess Sultana's huge family, are set against a rich backcloth of Saudi Arabian culture and social mores which are depicted with equal color and authenticity. We learn, for example, of the fascinating ritual of the world-famous annual pirlgrimage to Makkah as we accompany the princess and her family to this holiest of cities.

Throughout, however, Sultana never tires of her quest to expose the injustices which her society levels against women. In her couragewious campaign to improve the lot of her own daughters of Arabia, Princess Sultana once more strikes a chord amongst all women who are lucky enough to have the freedom to speak out for themselves.

Publisher: Windsor-Brooke Books

Customer Review: 5 out of 5
Unspeakable horrors - "Princess Sultana's Daughters" is the second installment of Jean Sasson's trilogy about life as a woman in Saudi Arabia, as told to the author by Princess Sultana, a member of the royal family. This true story picks up shortly after the first book in the series, "Princess," left off. Although Sultana's husband, Kareem, is much more modern-thinking as far as the role of women in the Middle East is concerned, Sultana and her female family members still suffer greatly at the hands of the abuse and restrictions placed upon them by their male relatives. Now that Sultana's three children are older, her concern shifts from her own misfortunes to those of her daughters, Maha and Amani, who react to their oppressive situations in different disturbing ways. Even Sultana's son, Abdullah, is forced to make difficult decisions as a result of women's status in the country. Despite the many horrors that the women in Sultana's country face, most of the men in Saudi Arabia don't seem to care enough to speak out in an attempt to change the status quo.

I enjoyed this book very much. Sasson is an excellent writer and storyteller who vividly brings Sultana's world to life for the reader. Unfortunately, despite Sultana's wealth and apparent life of luxury, there is nothing glamorous or envious about the lives Saudi Arabian women lead. The women of the royal family may be rich, but their money is not their own, and they live each and every day at the will of their husbands or fathers, with absolutely no personal freedom. It's a horrific thing to imagine, and unfortunately, it's all true.

Customer Review: 4 out of 5
Not as good as the first book.. - I enjoyed the first book from Jean Sasson titled 'Princess' that detailed the childhood and adulthood of Princess Sultana in Saudi Arabia. Sasson's second book 'Princess Sultana's Daughters' while still an interesting and quick read, was not as impressive but if the reader is wanting to know more about the shameful treatment of women in Islamic culture and/or enjoys reading about life in the Kingdom's royal family, then this book is for you.

The endless and inordinate wealth from oil production has led to the spoiling and pampering of the Saudi Arabian elite . To hear Sultana describe so casually the uncontrolled spending and outrageous lifestyle of her family was almost sickening (and not from a jealousy standpoint!) Imagine multiple private jets for each family; huge palaces all over the world with silly features like solid silver doorknobs and silver coated stairways. Or how about having multiple servants at your beck and call who are treated and viewed as slaves. Imagine having a million dollars cash kept in the house for "just-in-case money" and each family members room safe for all their jewels (small children included!) It is just too much to take in one sitting.
You will be amazed at the arrogant and condescending attitudes and the sense of entitlement felt by members of the royal family-people who have contributed absolutely nothing positive to society but merely born into wealth.

Alas, even with all that money, one must never forget that Saudi Arabia is home to Islam and adheres to the strict interpretation of the Koran and Shari'a Law. Human rights for women, including the royal women, are non-existent. This book explains just a few of the ways women are not treated equally, for example: women must cover entirely; never be without a male family member; cannot travel without written permission and then only with an escort; cannot drive; cannot choose their marriage partner; can not divorce (but can easily be divorced); always at the mercy of the morals police who are constantly on the lookout with red spray paint and whips in hand to punish women for not being modest enough.

Throughout the book Sultana maintains Islam is NOT the cause of all the suffering and backwardness in her country. Even as she describes her fear of one daughters obsession with and literal application of Islam; or the death of a childhood friend, locked away as a young woman without any human contact for 15 yrs for allegdedly bringing "shame" on her family she asserts Islam is NOT the reason for the cruel oppressive treatment. The author defends her religion and puts the fault on Islamic men who interpret it incorrectly. It doesn't take much to see the irony of that statement. (see all other Middle Eastern countries!)
In no other culture/religion in the world do women suffer as much as Muslim women. I cannot agree with the political correct versions of Islam as peaceful and giving of equal rights, in fact it would be laughable if it weren't so sad.
Overall this was good book and should satisfy the readers curiousity of the wealthy lifestyle in Saudi Arabia.

Customer Review: 4 out of 5
Life in a gilded cage - I re-read this book after recently finishing a book titled 'Girls of Riyadh' that focussed on four young privileged women in Saudi society, their lives, loves and disappointments. In my opinion, Daughters of Arabia is still a better read as it gives one a more in-depth look at Saudi society, in particular the oppressed lives of its women.

For readers new to the series, I would recommend reading "Princess' first as its a more gripping account of the life on one Princess Sultana in the kingdom of Saudi Arabia, whose life of untold wealth and privilege doesn't make up for the extreme strictures placed upon her and her female counterparts in the kingdom. In Daughters of Arabia, Sultana's story continues, and do do her problems - her husband Kareem decides he wnats to remarry, and in Saudi society it is hard for a woman to say no, esp with the Islamic ruling that men may have up to four wives [though Sultana does stand her ground and refuse him]. It is mostly the story about Sultana and Kareem's two daughters, Maha and Amani, who react to their strict life and oppressive customs in opposing ways - one becomes a full-blown fanatic and the other suffers a mental breakdown.

This is an insightful read for those curious to know more about the lives of women in Saudi Arabia, especially the women in the upper crust of society [though there is some coverage of the abuses suffered by the poor].

Customer Review: 3 out of 5
Interesting, but not as good as the other two in the series - I read Princess years ago and purchased Daughters in the airport in Oman. I found it a quick read and finished it by the time I had returned to the U.S. While I enjoyed hearing more about Princess Sultana and her family, I found this book seemed to lack the continuity and narrative flow of Princess. I have since read Princess Sultana's Circle (aka Desert Royal) and found it also possesses a stronger sense of narrative than Daughters does. Daughters felt disjointed and incomplete to me. Subsequent chapters did not necessarily have much relation to previous chapters, whereas in Princess and Circle the book felt more continuous. I found the description on the back cover innacurate as each of Sultana's daughters only receives a single chapter (and Sultana's son receives one as well, so you can hardly say the book is only about daughters.) Other chapters focus on the lives of other women in Sultana's family of of her aquaintance. I also found it frustrating that there was little follow-up as far as how Maha and Amani (Sultana's daughters) were progressing with their struggles, even in Desert Royal. But if you enjoy learning about Sultana, her family, and her life this book will give you some more information. It just isn't of the same quality as the other two in the series. For those interested in the lives of women in the Middle East, I would also recommend reading about the lives of women in some less conservative countries, such as Oman, Kuwait, and the UAE. Sasson states that she isn't interested in Arab bashing and that she met many lovely Saudis in KSA, but in the U.S. people often have a very misguided sense of what Arabs are like and it is important to remember that the Princess series depicts the extremes.

Customer Review: 5 out of 5
Princess Series - I have read all the books in this series and I would recommmend that they all should be read. I think that these books should be required reading for all high school students. They are an eye opener to the way that part of world thinks and their beliefs. The books are very well written and a fast read.

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