Kingdom of Strangers
Page 34
It seems like a sacrilege to pick a particular song from this album. Gnawa music isn’t supposed to play in five-minute cuts. I’m a huge fan of trance music—both the dance-floor kind and the real I’m-in-a-religious-trance kind. For me, trance music brings on a kind of ideal writing state: relaxed but mindful, my ears open to the whispers of the universe.
“My Love Is” by Little Willie John
This song so vividly evokes a scene in Lone Star when Sheriff Sam is driving alone in the dark, facing a secret he doesn’t really want to know about. I can’t help but want to hear it when I’m writing Nayir—another man trapped in his pursuit of love.
“Alf Leila” by Oum Kalthoum
“A Thousand Nights and a Night” is quintessential Oum Kalthoum. It always sounds to me like a camel caravan jangling through the desert, with an opera singer in the lead, pouring her sixty-minute epic into a moon-filled night. But over time it has come to evoke the hours and hours I’ve spent sipping tea, listening to stories, eating cookies and dates, and generally idling around someone’s living room to escape the intensity of the Saudi heat. This song forms a basic backdrop to my writing when I need to return to the Middle East, if not in body, then at least in soul. It even makes a brief appearance in one of my novels.
This essay originally appeared on the website Largehearted Boy: largeheartedboy.com. Reprinted with permission.
Questions and topics for discussion
1. Ibrahim’s son and daughter-in-law are having a difficult time procuring the divorce they both want, in part because Saffanah’s father refuses to take her back. What do you think is Saffanah’s best option? Was she right to hide her past from her husband? Do you think that even in Western countries divorce still carries a stigma? Are there compelling reasons to stay in an unhappy marriage?
2. Katya is concerned about a new fatwa “saying it was sinful for women to work in public positions where they might come into contact with men.” Why do you think religious leaders in Saudi Arabia are so concerned about this? Can even mundane daily interactions, such as paying a cashier for purchases, take on a sexual tone? Why or why not?
3. The novel’s title refers in part to the role immigrants play in Saudi Arabia’s labor force. How does the Saudi attitude toward immigration compare to that in the United States? What do you see as the advantages and drawbacks of the Saudi policy?
4. Katya worries about how she will balance her professional ambitions with her personal life. She fears that getting married will mean being “boxed in, overworked, dreams slipping through the cracks of a fractured life.” Despite the differences in social and religious environment, do you think American women face any similar concerns? What advice might you give Katya in this situation?
5. Ibrahim and his brother disagree about the effectiveness of Saudi’s penal code. Omar believes that harsh punishments, such as “chopping off a hand” for theft or capital punishment for murder, are successful deterrents to crime. Ibrahim thinks that “honesty came from the impulse to please others.” Who do you think is right? What do you think is the best way to deter criminal acts?
6. Discussions of veils or burqas often focus on the restrictions they impose on women’s lives. Are there any instances in the novel in which Katya or other characters find these garments to be advantageous? Some women choose to wear head coverings even in countries or cultures where they are not required. Can you think of why they might choose to do so?
7. The Jeddah police are “quite proud of not having a specialist in serial killers on hand. It was, in fact, a matter of national pride that they didn’t need one.” Instead, they seem to believe that serial killers are a peculiarly American phenomenon. Do you believe this is the case? Why or why not?
8. Compare Ibrahim’s relationship with Sabria to that with his wife, Jamila. What does each reveal about Ibrahim’s character? Are the differences due entirely to the personalities of the two women, or does their upbringing or station in life contribute as well?
9. Sabria’s activities are eventually revealed to have been both dangerous and illegal. Do you feel her actions were justified by her past history or her positive intentions? Was there any other way for her to accomplish what she set out to do?
10. Ibrahim observes that “any investigation into a missing woman, no matter how earnest, was always going to come down to the woman’s virtue” and Katya later reflects on the difficulties Saudi women face in proving a rape charge. To what extent do you think these obstacles exist in other cultures as well? What steps might a culture or legal system take to ameliorate them?
11. After years of failed medical treatment, Ibrahim’s daughter Farrah visits a religious healer for an extreme ritual that does seem to alleviate her back pain. To what do you attribute the apparent success of this treatment? How does this therapy compare to forms of alternative medicine practiced in the West? Are some more effective or humane than others? Where do you draw the line?
12. On their visit to Kandara, Ibrahim and Katya witness the terrible living conditions of exploited foreign workers. Do you think there is an analogous underclass in the United States? If so, how is their situation better or worse than that of immigrant workers in Saudi Arabia? What are the key differences between the conditions in which these groups find themselves?
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
ZOË FERRARIS moved to Saudi Arabia in the aftermath of the first Gulf War to live with her then husband and his extended family of Saudi-Palestinian Bedouins. She has an MFA from Columbia University and is the author of two previous novels, Finding Nouf and City of Veils. She has been awarded the Los Angeles Times Book Prize for First Fiction and an Alex Award from the American Library Association. Her work has been published in twenty-five territories. She lives in San Francisco.
ALSO BY ZOË FERRARIS
Finding Nouf
City of Veils
Praise for Zoë Ferraris’s
KINGDOM OF STRANGERS
“Ferraris has honed her skills as a practitioner of crime fiction. Like the best of them, she knows how to hook the reader with a killer opening, spin a plot that seems to unravel with each complex twist, and weave it all together in a satisfying resolution…. She is at once lyrical and precise. She can bring a pile of sand to life so that you can practically see the grains reconfiguring into dunes of different shapes. And she does even better by her people…. There’s something here for everyone: a thrilling mystery; exposure to a country typically shrouded under a veil from the Western gaze; not one but two conflicted love stories. But it’s the characters who drive this remarkable book, products of their foreign culture, but deeply familiar in their humanity. Here’s hoping for another sequel.”
—Malena Watrous, San Francisco Chronicle
“Ferraris is interested in capturing the claustrophobic, charged atmosphere of life in Saudi Arabia, and her ability to do so enlivens the plot…. The professional analysis of the serial killer’s mind and methods, the pathetic details of the victims’ lives, the intuitive breakthroughs, the final confrontation: All have become clichés of the genre, but Ferraris delivers them with skill and expert timing…. In a segregated society, where even a professional encounter between a man and a woman is potentially criminal, Ibrahim and Katya’s hunt for the serial killer crosses treacherous ground…. The pace accelerates smoothly toward a denouement that is swift and satisfying.”
—Anna Mundow, Washington Post
“A first-class police procedural…. Zoë Ferraris continues her impressive run of crime novels set in Saudi Arabia. She knows what she writes about, having lived there…. Terrific atmosphere and a painless lesson in the religious, social, and sexual mores of Saudi Arabia.”
—Marcel Berlins, The Times (UK)
“Ferraris takes mystery lovers back to modern Saudi Arabia, where religion is law and forbidden passion carries a death sentence…. She lifts the veil from a culture where apparent virtue masks violence. Katya’s struggle for professional advancement in the face of societal p
rejudice against women is eye-opening, the lack of female empowerment in Saudi culture clearly exemplified. As the investigation reaches its surprising conclusion, Ibrahim and Katya’s choices change their lives forever. This sensitive and enlightening mystery is sure both to move and to chill its readers.”
—Jaclyn Fulwood, Shelf Awareness
“Ferraris offers another fascinating mystery that provides insight into the lives of women in Saudi Arabia and exposes the plight of migrant workers there…. The combination of an exotic locale with a closed culture and first-rate psychological suspense makes this a compelling page-turner. Recommend Ferraris to readers who enjoyed Rajaa Alsanea’s literary novel Girls of Riyadh.”
—Barbara Bibel, Booklist
“Police inspector Ibrahim Zahrani and forensic scientist Katya Hijazi embark on a harrowing search for a serial killer. Hijazi, an unusual character, is smart, hardworking, and determined to break through her country’s glass ceiling.”
—Georgia Rowe, San Jose Mercury News
“Beautifully crafted…. With intelligence, patience, and meticulous detail, Ferraris evokes a complex culture profoundly ambivalent about female power.”
—Publishers Weekly
“Ferraris works her magic again in Kingdom of Strangers…. She writes brilliantly of the claustrophobia and frustrations, as well as the growing pride of modern, working Saudi women…. Kingdom of Strangers, like Finding Nouf and City of Veils before it, is an excellent, exotic mystery. Well worth the read.”
—Dave Biemann, MysteryOne.com
“Any suspense novel immersed in another culture, particularly a secretive one, is just that much more interesting, and Ferraris, who previously lived in Saudi Arabia, expertly mines her locale for tantalizing details.”
—Sherryl Connelly, New York Daily News
“Accomplished prose, an intricate mystery, and insider Saudi scoop make for an unusual and winning combination.”
—Kirkus Reviews
“A fascinating glimpse into the veiled world of Saudi Arabian crime, justice, and women by the award-winning San Francisco writer, a former resident of the desert kingdom…. Not your average serial-killer hunt, this one rings with pathos and authenticity.”
—John Sullivan, Winnipeg Free Press
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GLOSSARY
abaaya—a long, loose black cloak worn by women in Saudi Arabia
adhan—the Islamic call to prayer recited by a muezzin
ahlan biik—“and welcome to you”
ahlan wa’sahlan—“welcome” (hard to translate—loosely it’s something like “family and familiar comforts”)
al-Balad—a historic neighborhood in downtown Jeddah
alhamdulillah—“thanks be to God”
ar-ruqyah ash-shar’eeya—a type of spiritual healing, similar to exorcism (“an incantation of Sharia”)
Bism’allah, ar-rahman, ar-rahim—“In the name of Allah, most gracious, most merciful,” the opening phrase of a Muslim prayer
boofiya—a small café and bodega
burqa (also niqab)—in the Gulf countries, burqa or niqab refers to a veil that covers a woman’s face; not to be confused with the enveloping outer garment, also called a burqa, worn by women in other Muslim countries
dhuhr—the second of the five daily Muslim prayers, occurring just after noon
djinn—plural genies
djinni—a single genie
du’a—an invocation or prayer to express submission to God or to ask for assistance
efreet—a supernatural creature similar to a djinni, usually malicious
fajr—the first of the five daily Muslim prayers, occurring just before sunrise
fatwa—a religious opinion or edict issued by a Muslim cleric
ghutra—a cotton headscarf made of a large square of fabric and worn by men
Hadith—the collected narratives about the prophet Mohammed
Hajj—the pilgrimage to Mecca
halal—kosher, permissible by Islamic law
halala—a small unit of currency in Saudi Arabia, one-hundredth of a Saudi riyal
halawa (also halva)—various types of confections, commonly a tahini-based, crumbly paste made with pistachios
hookah (also shisha)—a water pipe used for smoking tobacco
insha’allah—“God willing”
‘iqal—a loop of black cord used to fix the male headscarf (ghutra) onto the head
isha’—the fifth of the five daily Muslim prayers
istiqara—a type of prayer that asks for guidance in difficult matters
Jahannam—the Islamic concept of hell
jihad—a war or battle waged in the name of religious duty, also a personal struggle in the name of spiritual development
Kaaba—the black monument in the center of the holy mosque, the Masjid al-Haram, in Mecca
karkadé—dried hibiscus flower, used for dyeing things a bright purplish red
la hawla walla kuwata illa billa—“there is no strength or power but Allah”
Mabahith—the secret police of Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of the Interior
maghrib—the fourth of the five Muslim daily prayers, occurring just after sunset
majlis—literally “a place of sitting”; any gathering place, typically a living room or an assembly hall
masa’ al-khayr—“good evening”
mash’allah—a phrase that serves to express praise or happiness for someone or something (“God has willed it”)
mehram—a man with whom a woman is allowed to associate in strict interpretations of Islam, i.e., her father, brother, husband, or son
misyar—a marriage institution in Islam whereby a man can have a wife without financial responsibility
muezzin—a man who leads the call to prayer at a mosque
mujahideen—freedom fighters
Mukhabarat—the primary intelligence agency of Saudi Arabia
mutaween—plural of mutawwa, religious policemen from the Committee for the Promotion of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice in Saudi Arabia (also called hay’ah, or the “commission”)
na’uzhu bi Allah—“we seek refuge in God”
niqab—(see burqa) a black veil that covers the face, worn by women
sabah al-khayr—“good morning”
sa’eeda—madame
salaam aleikum—a greeting, literally “peace be with you”
salaam aleikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatu—“may the peace, mercy, and blessings of God be with you”
Sambooli—a type of sandwich usually consisting of eggs and shrimp
shaytan—a kind of evil genie (plural shayateen)
shisha—can refer to a hookah pipe or to the molasses-based tobacco that is smoked in it
souq—an outdoor market, any commercial marketplace
subhan’allah—“glory be to God”
zakat—the practice of giving a donation to charity based on a portion of your wealth
Contents
Title Page
Welcome
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Cha
pter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Chapter 31
Chapter 32
Chapter 33
Chapter 34
Chapter 35
Chapter 36
Chapter 37
Chapter 38
Chapter 39
Chapter 40
Chapter 41
Chapter 42
Chapter 43
Chapter 44
Chapter 45
Chapter 46
Reading Group Guide
Zoë Ferraris’s playlist for Kingdom of Strangers
Questions and topics for discussion
About the Author
Also By Zoë Ferraris
Praise for Zoë Ferraris’s Kingdom of Strangers
Glossary
Newsletters
Copyright
Copyright
The characters and events in this book are fictitious. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead, is coincidental and not intended by the author.
Copyright © 2012 by Zoë Ferraris
Cover design by Kapo Ng
Cover photograph by Matilde Gattoni / Getty Images
Cover copyright © 2013 by Hachette Book Group, Inc.
Reading group guide copyright © 2013 by Zoë Ferraris and Little, Brown and Company
All rights reserved. In accordance with the U.S. Copyright Act of 1976, the scanning, uploading, and electronic sharing of any part of this book without the permission of the publisher constitute unlawful piracy and theft of the author’s intellectual property. If you would like to use material from the book (other than for review purposes), prior written permission must be obtained by contacting the publisher at permissions@hbgusa.com. Thank you for your support of the author’s rights.
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