Strength and helplessness

Author: Monica Ali
Book: brick lane
Method: borrowed (mum)

Reading about weak female characters can be so infuriating. I suppose I have become so accustomed to reading about strong and powerful women that I forget the opposite exists. I forget about women who have no outward strength and who have to find it. I was going so crazy reading the first half of this book because I just wanted nazneem to stand up for herself and to break out of her shell.
In this regard cross cultural novels can be so difficult. Nazneem is a bengaladesh woman who is send to marry a bengaladesh man in London England. I was driven so crazy by both of these characters, he for not standing up for herself or ever disputing anything he said, and him for being the most delusional character. He created this idea of himself that he was so brilliant and modern and wonderful while he was actually oppressive and misguided. He may not have been as aggressive or abusive as other husbands but his delusions make him monstrous in a different way.
I found that when nazneem finally did find her strength I was too far gone. I had been waiting too long for her to grow and was disappointed when she finally did.

xo- ellebee