Girls of Riyadh: A Novel

Originally banned in Saudi Arabia, the tale of four young women university students from Riyadh follows their struggles to navigate the precarious paths between desire, fulfillment, and Islamic tradition while witnessing the ways in which the Arab world is being changed by new economic and political realities. A first novel.

Rajaa Alsanea grew up in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, the daughter of a family of doctors. She currently lives in Chicago, where she is pursuing a degree in endodontics. Rajaa intends to return to Saudi Arabia after attaining her degree. She is twenty-five years old, and this is her first novel.