A Woman is No Man

A Woman is No Man 
By Etaf Rum
Harper, 2019. 337 pages.

Spanning two generations of an Arab-American family, this debut novel is a startling look into the lives of women in a male-centered world. The story begins with Isra, a Palestinian Muslim woman who has come to New York for an arranged marriage, then jumps forward many years to the perspective of Deya, Isra’s now teenage daughter. Both women share a tale of isolation, powerlessness, and abuse at the hands of the men in their lives, but both have hopes that they might be able to break free from the repressive traditions of previous generations.

Debut author Etaf Rum gives a voice to the voiceless, exposing the harsh reality that many women face in patriarchal societies. The characters’ struggles with worthlessness, familial and cultural pressure, and domestic violence will strike a chord with many women across all religions, classes, and cultures. This book may make you cry, rage, and curse the inhumanity the characters face, but you will come away from the experience with eyes now opened to the invisible plight of repressed women.

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