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The Viking's Kurdish Love #2
Females of Valor
Love in crisis. When life gives you lemons, what do you do?
Vesta has learned the hard way how to make lemonade. The beautiful and willful medieval doctor bears the unbearable. Her sufferings are innumerable. Intimidation, humiliation, gang-rapes, loss of loved ones, enforced miscarriage, psychological and emotional abuse, multiple surgeries, purificatory bathes, self-quarantine and isolation – this Kurdish woman has seen it all. The bloodthirsty fanatics who ruthlessly attacked her home seems to disappear without trace or sufficient evidence to aid in her search for justice. Her relative and employer, King Saaid, sides with the attackers rather than the victim.
Reality is too painful for her husband to handle. Ivar drowns himself in infidelity and alcohol which alters his physical and mental state. Will her marriage fail? Can she leave the past behind and give her brutally murdered children a legacy beyond her grief?
Told in a poetic narrative, Females of Valor is a compelling account of suffering and survival, with captivating characters, stunning plot twists and thought-provoking themes, most notably what it means to be loyal to those we love.
Vesta has learned the hard way how to make lemonade. The beautiful and willful medieval doctor bears the unbearable. Her sufferings are innumerable. Intimidation, humiliation, gang-rapes, loss of loved ones, enforced miscarriage, psychological and emotional abuse, multiple surgeries, purificatory bathes, self-quarantine and isolation – this Kurdish woman has seen it all. The bloodthirsty fanatics who ruthlessly attacked her home seems to disappear without trace or sufficient evidence to aid in her search for justice. Her relative and employer, King Saaid, sides with the attackers rather than the victim.
Reality is too painful for her husband to handle. Ivar drowns himself in infidelity and alcohol which alters his physical and mental state. Will her marriage fail? Can she leave the past behind and give her brutally murdered children a legacy beyond her grief?
Told in a poetic narrative, Females of Valor is a compelling account of suffering and survival, with captivating characters, stunning plot twists and thought-provoking themes, most notably what it means to be loyal to those we love.
Paperback
Published March 1, 2021
About the author
Widad Akreyi
30 books133 followersMultiple award-winner Widad Akreyi is the author of a number of books. Her series, “THE VIKING'S KURDISH LOVE,” chronicles an original story which may make you view our shared history with new eyes. Her memoir, “THE DAUGHTER OF KURDLAND,” weaves together the personal and political events that have shaped her, while exploring what makes us the people we are. “ANATOMY OF COVID CALAMITY,” combines recent pandemic research with critical reflection.
Her awards include Pacem in Terris Peace and Freedom Award, International Woman Harmony Award, Davenport Mayor Medal, International Pfeffer Peace Award, and Prize for bridging gaps between cultures.
Born Kurdish, her heart resides in several western cities scattered across vast continents.
Widad has donated her manuscripts to charity and receives no royalties for any books published. All proceeds from the sale of her books go to charitable causes.
You can reach her:
http://www.widad.org
https://twitter.com/DrWidad_A
https://www.facebook.com/DrWidadAkreyi/
Her awards include Pacem in Terris Peace and Freedom Award, International Woman Harmony Award, Davenport Mayor Medal, International Pfeffer Peace Award, and Prize for bridging gaps between cultures.
Born Kurdish, her heart resides in several western cities scattered across vast continents.
Widad has donated her manuscripts to charity and receives no royalties for any books published. All proceeds from the sale of her books go to charitable causes.
You can reach her:
http://www.widad.org
https://twitter.com/DrWidad_A
https://www.facebook.com/DrWidadAkreyi/
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
April 13, 2021
Females of Valor is another triumph for its creator, the internationally acclaimed human rights icon Dr. Widad Akreyi.
The author vividly portrays a family shattered by man-caused tragedy. It is the story of a brave woman's quest to save her people from barbaric atrocities. In this volume Adol, who is Aron's wife, emerges as a co-protagonist. Widad applies layers of psychological complexity to the characters, adding emotional resonance to the scenes. She captures fully the feelings of unworthiness caused by acts of sexual violence.
The story contains heightened dramatic passages. The argument between Vesta and Ivar when they talk about his unfaithfulness to his wife was very interesting. It deepens the debate on mental and sexual health.
Females of Valor is about real people with whom the reader can identify. The author introduces us to a variety of traditions, Zoroastrians, Jewish, Christian, Kurdish, Norse etc. Her books are on my must-reads.
The author vividly portrays a family shattered by man-caused tragedy. It is the story of a brave woman's quest to save her people from barbaric atrocities. In this volume Adol, who is Aron's wife, emerges as a co-protagonist. Widad applies layers of psychological complexity to the characters, adding emotional resonance to the scenes. She captures fully the feelings of unworthiness caused by acts of sexual violence.
The story contains heightened dramatic passages. The argument between Vesta and Ivar when they talk about his unfaithfulness to his wife was very interesting. It deepens the debate on mental and sexual health.
Females of Valor is about real people with whom the reader can identify. The author introduces us to a variety of traditions, Zoroastrians, Jewish, Christian, Kurdish, Norse etc. Her books are on my must-reads.
April 18, 2021
Narrated with a touchable imagery, Females of Valor by Dr. Widad Akreyi is genius. The main story centers around a female survivor of violence and the devastating consequences of religious fanaticism. Like many abuse victims, Vesta has to deal with what happened to her and her children.
Real, raw and passionate, the second volume of The Viking’s Kurdish Love helps the reader forge a personal relationship with some of the characters. The great strength of the book is that it covers the pages of history that haven't been written yet. The plot and characters are given new layers of complexity, realism, subtlety. This book can be read as a stand-alone since the author has cleverly woven flashbacks into the pages to provide context for current events.
Widad Akreyi has succeeded in making Females of Valor a compelling read. A definite 5 star read!
Real, raw and passionate, the second volume of The Viking’s Kurdish Love helps the reader forge a personal relationship with some of the characters. The great strength of the book is that it covers the pages of history that haven't been written yet. The plot and characters are given new layers of complexity, realism, subtlety. This book can be read as a stand-alone since the author has cleverly woven flashbacks into the pages to provide context for current events.
Widad Akreyi has succeeded in making Females of Valor a compelling read. A definite 5 star read!
April 7, 2021
Widad Akreyi consistently delivers stories readers won't find anywhere else. Charming and enchanting, Females of Valor tells the story of Vesta and the violence she, her children and her community suffered in 1003.
Vesta was a medieval Kurdish healer who lived in Miafarqin city with her two children Widad and Sigurd. One night she faced the wrath of el-Barr, a religious fanatic, a tyrant known for being involved in acts of annihilation. I read the book nonstop cover-to-cover. My heart was in my throat from the beginning. Vesta serves as a voice of hope for other rape survivors whose healing may be delayed or sometimes difficult to achieve.
Females of Valor allowed me to better place the Me-too movement in the historical context of gender discrimination and sexual abuse. I now understand the challenges women went through to preserve a degree of freedom to shape their professional lives.
Vesta was a medieval Kurdish healer who lived in Miafarqin city with her two children Widad and Sigurd. One night she faced the wrath of el-Barr, a religious fanatic, a tyrant known for being involved in acts of annihilation. I read the book nonstop cover-to-cover. My heart was in my throat from the beginning. Vesta serves as a voice of hope for other rape survivors whose healing may be delayed or sometimes difficult to achieve.
Females of Valor allowed me to better place the Me-too movement in the historical context of gender discrimination and sexual abuse. I now understand the challenges women went through to preserve a degree of freedom to shape their professional lives.
October 30, 2022
Females of Valor is the second book in The Viking's Kurdish Love trilogy. I had hoped that it would be a little better than the first book, but I think it is very similar to The Viking's Kurdish Love: A True Story of Zoroastrians' Fight for Survival. The narrative is good, but the language is uneven and doesn't fit the characters. This book follows the healing of Dr. Vesta and her quest for justice following her rape and the murder of her children. Vesta's husband Ivar descends into alcoholism as Vesta follows Zoroastrian practices to cleanse her spirit, removing the darkness from her body and spirit.
The book starts when Vesta is found after being left for dead in her home with the dead bodies of her children, which is where the first book ended. The last part of that book was difficult to read and there are flashbacks to that part of the first book throughout Females of Valor. I had to skip those because they are so disturbing. At the end of Females of Valor, Adol and her female art students are kidnapped, raped, and murdered. But, their bodies are hidden, until the jihadists causing all the violence leave Adol's body in a stream on a Zoroastrian festival day blessing the stream. It is not clear what happens to Adol's unborn son. The book ends with Adol's last thought to her son, but she has two other sons. I think it was meant for the oldest son and she asked him to find the son that died with her. But, it really isn't clear which son is supposed to find his brother.
I am going to read the third book: Roots of To-Be Templars to find out how the story ends. The way that the books are written seem to indicate that the story is based on Kurdish history, but it isn't clear how many of the characters are based on real people and how much of the story actually happened. Hopefully, that will be more clear at the end of the book.
The book starts when Vesta is found after being left for dead in her home with the dead bodies of her children, which is where the first book ended. The last part of that book was difficult to read and there are flashbacks to that part of the first book throughout Females of Valor. I had to skip those because they are so disturbing. At the end of Females of Valor, Adol and her female art students are kidnapped, raped, and murdered. But, their bodies are hidden, until the jihadists causing all the violence leave Adol's body in a stream on a Zoroastrian festival day blessing the stream. It is not clear what happens to Adol's unborn son. The book ends with Adol's last thought to her son, but she has two other sons. I think it was meant for the oldest son and she asked him to find the son that died with her. But, it really isn't clear which son is supposed to find his brother.
I am going to read the third book: Roots of To-Be Templars to find out how the story ends. The way that the books are written seem to indicate that the story is based on Kurdish history, but it isn't clear how many of the characters are based on real people and how much of the story actually happened. Hopefully, that will be more clear at the end of the book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 16, 2021
This Booker is absolutely amazing
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews