Book Review -- An Unproductive Woman - Khaalidah Muhammad-Ali

Title:- An Unproductive Woman

Author:- Khaalidah Muhammad-Ali

Publisher:- Xlibris

Format:- Kindle version

This was just my kind of book. I have a love of books relating to other cultures like "A Thousand Splendid Suns", "Snow Flower and the Secret Fan". Although these books are possibly still in a different league to this and I gave them a 5* rating being my favourite books, I still gave this a 5* rating because I loved it.

The story is about the marriage of Asabe and Adam and his hidden secret. They have been married for 10 years but have not been able to have children. Although Adam loves Asabe and said he would never take another wife, he really wants a son and heir. He therefore takes a second wife Fatima, who is just a mere child. Fatima and Asabe actually become good friends and develop a good relationship. Fatima does eventually give birth to twins, but both her and her son die and Asabe willingly brings up the daughter as her own. Still wanting a son and heir, Adam takes another wife, who he doesn't really love but comes to an "arrangement" with her father. Asabe and this wife definately do not get on, despite being friends in their childhood. I won't tell more, for fear of leaving spoilers.

I really liked Asabe, and although I found Adam somewhat weak I did feel for him. Asabe to me, was written as a strong character and I really admired her. Despite not liking the character Sauda, the third wife, I had such an amusing picture of her in my head. For those who watch the soap Eastenders in the UK, I pictured her as Kim Fox, brassy and over the top with lots of cleavage and heavily made up. That may not be how the author portrayed her but that is the image I got of her. I love a book when you can form a real picture of the characters in your head. I enjoyed reading about the culture of the polygamous wedding which is alien to a westerner.

All in all the book was descriptive, fun, full of content and well written.

This book was provided to me free of charge by the author, but this did in no way affect my opinion when reviewing the book.

For an interview with the author and a free e-book international giveaway please see my upcoming post.