But I think that Saudi Princesses have tired to escape from the country in fast succession, with various degrees of success, it is safe to say that even reading this book now it still felt relevant. In the end the story has so many dreadful things and sound to Westerners ears as too horrendous extraordinary to happen (though considering the current climate of the world I don’t think that is a thing anymore). The women may be allowed to drive and vote, but all the women activists who had fought for those rights were locked up by the current ruler…the world congratulated on the “progress” made even thought it was barely baby steps, and the crimes committed in the Saud family numerous against their own kin, their people and foreigners who work there. I can’t say one way or the other, because Sasson has spent time in Saudi Arabia and the fact that the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, especially during the time this book is set in the 1960s-1970s things might have been different from what it is today, not that they are any better. I’ve not read the book, but considering both deal with human rights abuses it is possible some overlap might have happened just by the same subject matter. It was taken to court in the 90s but the judge dismissed the charges of plagiarism and made Adsani pay Sasson’s legal fees.
It had been alleged that Jean Sasson copied the story with the help of her publisher from Friederike Monika Adsani who had written a book Cinderella in Arabia or Cinderella in Kuwait and that the publisher passed on the story to Sasson who copied it and used it for her books. So to get this elephant out of the room…let’s talk about the controversy about this book.
0 kommentar(er)
