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Desert Royal

Desert Royal

List Price: $15.95
Your Price: $15.95
Product Info Reviews

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Rating: 2 stars
Summary: not as good as its predecessors
Review: after reading "princess" and then "daughters of arabia" , i was really looking forward to read "desert royal" , but was somewhat disappointed .

"princess" was almost magical . it was deeply emotional , and very well written . "daughters of arabia" wasn't as good , but it was still interesting .

"desert royal" , on the other hand , doesn't measure up to either of its predecessors . it seems to be a desperate attempt to recapture the magic of "princess" . it starts off well , but then meanders , and only in the end does it pick up once again . also , in this book , the reader sympathises less with princess sultana .

however , those who want to know how princess sultana's life further unravels , may like (though not enjoy) this book .

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Not quite what I expected but still a fair try !!!!
Review: After reading the other two books princess and daughters of Arabia I was really eager to buy this book. Although I will not say that it was dissapointing I will say that it was not quite what I had been expecting. There are new things to be learnt about the life of women in Saudia Arabia but a lot of the stuff in this book is repeated. It is still none the less a good read and I would encourage you to read it. Like all the other books once you start you can't stop.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: For a different perspective
Review: As a youmg woman I worked in Saudi Arabia and can relate to many of the Princess stories. The treatment of women is truly shocking. A new book called "Single in Saudi" by Genia is a humorous account of a single American woman's experiences in this oppressive society. She dealt with the oppression as a liberated woman and got away with it.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Amazingly Accurate Protrayal of the Kingdom
Review: Before I begin my review, I would like to say that the offer for Desert Royal with Princess Sultana's Circle is not good as they are the SAME book. The Desert Royal is the British edition of the book and the CIRCLE is the American edition. Reader's beware! Amazon: Please pay attention to such situations!

As far as the content of these books: I am a Muslim born in Lebanon but raised in America and I have traveled to the holy city of Mecca three times. I was pleased at the descriptions in this book of the pilgrimage. I disagree wholly with Mr. Jaeger from New York. (September 24.) He appears to be wrong in his judgement of the descriptions. I read the entire book very carefuly (three times, actually) and I could find no wrong doings in the descriptions of the cities or of the Ka'ba. I feel the gentlemen has been mislead by someone, as I have firsthand experiences in the Kingdom of Arabia.

I have noticed various other reviews that appear to attack without basis and I can only assume these are people who wish to discredit these valuable books for some reason or another. It is understandable that this happens for so many people in Saudi Arabia refuse to accept the fact they are backward in their treatment of women and so they react angrily when someone tells the truth.

While I am saddened at many of the descriptions, as a Muslim woman I will say that many of our men believe it is their right to beat a woman or mistreat her in other manners. For this reason, this is a good book to read. It is good that the Princess and the author are helping women in whatever way they can.

I saw how women in Saudi Arabia are treated, and the author has described these situations perfectly. Sadly, nothing seems to be changing in Saudi Arabia--the women are educated but they cannot use their brillant minds in a good way.

It is time for the Muslim world to discontinue mistreatment of females and move forward in a modern world. I say this as a Muslim woman who has lived a good life with a good family, but too many Muslim women do not have this opportunity.

For this reason I believe that every school in the world should have the books about a Princess in Saudi Arabia as required reading. Perhaps if the young are changed, the world can change.

I thank you for your time.

Rating: 3 stars
Summary: Sultana's biased views makes this book a bit hard to believe
Review: Desert Royal is my third book by Ms. Sasson in as many years. I found her earlier two books Princess and Princess Sultana's Daughters well written and informative and to be quite honest a bit on the entertaining side.

I started reading this book expecting to find some new stuff that wasn't documented in the author's previous books. I can't really say that I was disappointed but there was nothing exciting here.

We were treated to the daily life of an alcoholic Saudi royal princess whose idea of shopping is loading trunks with designer clothes paid for by a Platinum American Express card presented to her as a gift by her husband who felt that his wife needed something to cheer her up on a trip to New York. A pampered, well-kept woman who has experienced nothing in her life but wealth beyond any imagination. A woman whose every whim is catered for by the huge army of servants who are at her beck and call 24 hours a day. That is exactly why I feel that this Sultana cannot be depicted as the standard-bearer for the rights of the abused and the underprivileged. Sultana gives us a biased opinion about everything in the kingdom of Saudi. One also must keep in mind that this woman's world consists only of royal gossip she hears while in the enclosure of her royal palaces in the company of royal cousins. This is a woman bored with everything she's surrounded with. She's like a well-fed bird held captive in a gilded cage. She wants some excitement in her life. What could be more fun and exciting than taking the cause of helping those in need? Sultana is not qualified to lend a velvet-gloved helping hand. She may have the material qualifications but certainly she lacks in every other aspect of life.

After reading this book I kept wondering if the main character really exists and she's not only the imagination of the author.

This book makes a light read suitable for a long flight. It would give you a biased royal insight. If you know nothing about Saudi Arabia, don't expect to learn much from this book.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Outstanding...
Review: Excellent piece of work. I enjoyed it almost as much as the first two and that is saying a lot.

Rating: 1 stars
Summary: What A total Piece Of Fiction.
Review: Having Read This Book, Over & Over & over Again, I have come to the conclusion that it's all Fiction, That I have never Heard of A prince Kareem Or a prince Asad Or Even a prince Ali, In saudi arabia! & I live Near The Place !(UAE). Jean Sasson Takes Us on A fictional view of Women ,along with some true events, that I am perfectly sure is Taken from Stories & other Books About The Hell Known As Saudi Arabia. Being that the Royal Family In Saudi Is way Over 5,000 Strong (or Thereabouts), I have No clue what the Male/Female ratio is, but I'm sure it must be 60/40 or there abouts. Trully a very weak book, & Totally a waste of good Money.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: I know it is!
Review: Hi there! I've been here before and thanks to this site I've learnt more about life! I haven't red this last book, I'm a swedish citicens but I canimagine what it's like. Jean if you read this I just want to thank youfor writing Sultanas books. I'm admigering you! Melanie

Ps. Margret knows me Ds

Rating: 1 stars
Summary: nothing great about this book
Review: I actually read all the 3 books in a span of about 2 weeks. I was so impressed with "Princess" that I purchased the "Daughters of Arabia" and "Desert Royal" at the same time. If book no. 1 was gripping and extremely sad, book 2 was interesting. But "Desert Royal" I found was absolutely hopeless as compared to the earlier books.Too much of repetition has been made form the the earlier books. Also I fail to understand a very elementary oversight. If Sultana was caught by her family for writing the book "princess", no mention is made in "desert royal" for anyone from the so called royal family having found out "daughters of arabia" also written. If Ali (Sultana's brother) can get a copy of "princess" while in germany, (as a matter of fact "daughters of arabia" starts off with sultana being caught)how come no one found about "daughters of arabia". Desert Royal is completely silent about this. Hence I wonder if it is really a true story or a fiction.

After reading this book, I feel one gets a negative impression about sultana's alcoholic, smoking, etc. In fact Karim/Asad/Ahmed come out well.

In the final analysis, Desert Royal is a waste.

Rating: 3 stars
Summary: Nice to see Princess Sultana again
Review: I agree the book is not as strong as the first two. The mood is despondent, the structure is episodic, the direction, like that of Sultana herself, is aimless until near the end, when Sultana forms her "Circle of Support" to help out any woman in trouble. The book is a reflection of Sultana; the once firey feminist drowning in a sea of alcoholism and helpless despair as she has no idea how to combat the cruelties against women in her country; but she finds her feet when she founds "Sultana's Circle." The book ends on a spark of hope and, we hope, the end of her alcoholism as well. I look forward to the fourth book which, I presume, will be called "Sultana's Circle."


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