"Girls of Riyadh" by Rajaa Alsanea

This book has been sitting on my shelf for probably a couple of years. It is not a recent release. I believe the book was published in 2004 or thereabouts when Sex and the City was at its peak of popularity. In fact, the book is advertised as Sex and the City but set in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. I have seen mixed reviews of this book. I think some readers expected more depth in terms of looking at women's rights and female empowerment in the context of Saudi culture. To me, this book really is a Sex and the City type of story set in a different culture. In fact, similar to the TV show where the main narrator writes a relationship column, the book is structured as a series of e-mails that focus on the love life of the author's four friends. I thought the book was fun and I also enjoyed glimpsing the cultural peculiarities introduced by the author. It is a pretty short book and the engaging style and all the relationship drama make for a very fast read. Ultimately the young women in the story just want to be happy and loved. I think you will enjoy this more if you view the book for what it is: a fluffy chick lit story with a bit of a cultural twist to it. Enjoy!