The Broken Half by Sahar Abdulaziz
Review by Charlie M. (bookaddicted)
I will start by admitting that this book is outside my normal genre but a friend suggested I read it because of how solid the writing was and that they felt it was a story that needed to meet as wide an audience as possible. Ms. Abdulaziz writes with such strength and feeling that I read this book in just about one sitting. Her narrative is descriptive and, yes, sometimes painful to read. But, given the subject matter presenting it in any other way would have diminished the importance of what she is telling – a story of domestic abuse and one woman’s struggle to escape it. Set within the confines of a small Muslim community where from the outside everything is seen as normal and the way life should be, the novel slams you into the hidden world of domestic abuse…not only by telling Zahra’s story but giving sharp insight into the ways that this is usually not something that begins in one house, one marriage but if investigated usually a trail of abuse in some way, shape or form is found within a family. I found the information presented about this community and their religious beliefs to be just as fascinating as the narrative was powerful. Yet, as indicated in her foreword we should not take this as a representation of the Muslim community as a whole, as we should not with any religious or ethnic group. Without presenting any spoilers I will say that there is a shocking event that I did not expect. I thought X was going to happen and BOOM a twist is thrown at you. It should also be noted that per information in the book the author does not come by her information by sitting in front of a computer Googling domestic violence statistics and causes. Ms. Abdulaziz has worked as a domestic abuse and sexual assault counselor. She writes by gleaning information she has witnessed first hand. I would encourage men to read this book. It is not a “women’s novel”. It is an important window into something many people, women, men, victims and abusers would rather stay swept under the carpet or whispered about behind closed doors.
