close
Girls of Riyadh: A Novel Audiobook, by Rajaa Alsanea Play Audiobook Sample

Girls of Riyadh: A Novel Audiobook

Girls of Riyadh: A Novel Audiobook, by Rajaa Alsanea Play Audiobook Sample
FlexPass™ Price: $17.95
$9.95 for new members!
(Includes UNLIMITED podcast listening)
  • Love your audiobook or we'll exchange it
  • No credits to manage, just big savings
  • Unlimited podcast listening
Add to Cart
$9.95/m - cancel anytime - 
learn more
OR
Regular Price: $20.95 Add to Cart
Read By: Kate Reading Publisher: Penguin Audio Listen Time: at 1.0x Speed 5.67 hours at 1.5x Speed 4.25 hours at 2.0x Speed Release Date: July 2007 Format: Unabridged Audiobook ISBN: 9781429585859

Quick Stats About this Audiobook

Total Audiobook Chapters:

96

Longest Chapter Length:

09:25 minutes

Shortest Chapter Length:

02:24 minutes

Average Chapter Length:

05:21 minutes

Audiobooks by this Author:

1

Publisher Description

When Rajaa Alsanea boldly chose to open up the hidden world of Saudi women—their private lives and their conflicts with the traditions of their culture—she caused a sensation across the Arab world. Now in English, Alsanea’s tale of the personal struggles of four young upper-class women offers Westerners an unprecedented glimpse into a society often veiled from view. Living in restrictive Riyadh but traveling all over the globe, these modern Saudi women literally and figuratively shed traditional garb as they search for love, fulfillment, and their place somewhere in between Western society and their Islamic home.

Download and start listening now!

"Girls in Riyadh, is a fascinating story that revolves around the lives of young upper-class women. What caught my attention at first was the style of writing. The story was written in a way that said that every chapter is an email sent to various readers (and they claimed in the story that the reader is one of the girls but her identity was a secret). The four girls Gamrah that married a man father of her son that never loved her (they got a divorce. he left her for a foreign women) Michelle (American mother) best friend with lames. Unlike lames Michelle had no luck with love. Sadeem who fell deeply in love with a man that thought of her unworthy and fell even deeper in love with another man that loved her yet married another. After a while he missed her since he as well loved her (he left her as well because he was afraid she would harm his image) and asked her to be his second wife. Her response was one of my favorite parts in the book; although she loved him she did not accept and married a man that truly loved her all his life. The girls struggled with their professional life and their love lives………"

— Nour (4 out of 5 stars)

Girls of Riyadh Listener Reviews

Overall Performance: 2.6666666666666665 out of 52.6666666666666665 out of 52.6666666666666665 out of 52.6666666666666665 out of 52.6666666666666665 out of 5 (2.67)
5 Stars: 0
4 Stars: 1
3 Stars: 7
2 Stars: 3
1 Stars: 1
Narration: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5 (0.00)
5 Stars: 0
4 Stars: 0
3 Stars: 0
2 Stars: 0
1 Stars: 0
Story: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5 (0.00)
5 Stars: 0
4 Stars: 0
3 Stars: 0
2 Stars: 0
1 Stars: 0
Write a Review
  • Overall Performance: 3 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 5 Narration Rating: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5 Story Rating: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5

    " OK book. Nothing I didn't really know about the region it takes place in. "

    — Hillary, 12/25/2013
  • Overall Performance: 2 out of 52 out of 52 out of 52 out of 52 out of 5 Narration Rating: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5 Story Rating: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5

    " This book is the story of the trials and tribulations of a group of upper-crust girls in Saudi Arabia. While it was interesting taking a peek into the culture, overall it wasn't that intriguing. It is Saudi chick lit basically. "

    — Tisha, 12/23/2013
  • Overall Performance: 3 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 5 Narration Rating: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5 Story Rating: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5

    " 2.5 parts really annoying, 2.5 parts really intriguing. The 'Times' described it as "Sex in the City, if the city in question were Riyadh", and whether that statement is accurate or not, the book is worth reading just to find out. "

    — Nadine, 12/8/2013
  • Overall Performance: 2 out of 52 out of 52 out of 52 out of 52 out of 5 Narration Rating: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5 Story Rating: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5

    " This was just OK. I'm glad I read it, but it was honestly pretty boring. I didn't feel much connection to any of the characters. It was interesting to get a glimpse into their lives. It was sad to me that women still have no freedom in other parts of the world. "

    — Mary, 12/1/2013
  • Overall Performance: 3 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 5 Narration Rating: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5 Story Rating: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5

    " sort of like a saudi sex & the city- the tv show, not the book. the reader was great, so it was fun to listen to in the car. but i didn't really get that much out of it. "

    — Kricket, 3/27/2013
  • Overall Performance: 3 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 5 Narration Rating: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5 Story Rating: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5

    " Entertaining and gives an idea on how Saudi girls cope with their culture, religion and society. "

    — Kalthoum, 5/15/2012
  • Overall Performance: 4 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 5 Narration Rating: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5 Story Rating: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5

    " I can definitely see why this was banned in Saudi. Overall, a quick read about four girls and love, arranged marriages, and the occasional run in with the religious police. "

    — Yasmine, 10/4/2011
  • Overall Performance: 3 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 5 Narration Rating: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5 Story Rating: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5

    " a pretty enjoyable read ... a weird & sudden ending though :) .. & a pretty weak English :) ! but overall i was amused :) ... "

    — Ola, 8/13/2010
  • Overall Performance: 1 out of 51 out of 51 out of 51 out of 51 out of 5 Narration Rating: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5 Story Rating: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5

    " I wish I had the energy to actually write a review about this book. So bad on so many levels. Honestly, I'm just glad to be done with it. "

    — Mary, 2/18/2010
  • Overall Performance: 2 out of 52 out of 52 out of 52 out of 52 out of 5 Narration Rating: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5 Story Rating: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5

    " It was interesting from a cultural standpoint, but the writing style detracted from the book, in my opinion. The narrator was annoying, and for me, it really broke up the flow of the book. "

    — Carleen, 8/7/2009
  • Overall Performance: 3 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 5 Narration Rating: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5 Story Rating: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5

    " Interesting insights into Saudi culture. I wonder if things are really changing as much as this author would have you thing? In fact, even with her book it made you think the more things changed the more they stayed the say. "

    — Edi, 6/12/2009
  • Overall Performance: 3 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 5 Narration Rating: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5 Story Rating: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5

    " Just like Steph said - Sex and the City of Saudi Arabia! It's an engaging story, fun to read, and I wouldn't take it for too much other than just a story about women and love in Riyadh. "

    — Katie, 12/24/2008

About Kate Reading

Kate Reading, named an AudioFile Golden Voice, has recorded hundreds of audiobooks across many genres, over a thirty–year plus career and won the prestigious Audie Award for Best Narration. Among other awards, she has been recognized as an AudioFile Magazine Voice of the Century, Narrator of the Year, Best Voice in Science Fiction and Fantasy, and winner of an Publisher’s Weekly’s Listen-Up Award. She records at her home studio, Madison Productions, Inc., in Maryland.