Becky Ginther's Reviews > Shabanu: Daughter of the Wind

I will admit that I had a really hard time getting into it. The pace was extremely slow until about page 150, when the action started. I also wonder if American teenagers would really be able to relate in any way to this book. Though some might be able to make the connection of Shabanu's desire for freedom to their own lives, so many of the details seemed a little difficult to relate to. After all, we're talking about a culture where girls get married as soon as they get their first period and are expected to bear children as teenagers. It's a culture where fathers beat their daughters and it's considered normal, and children have no say in their own lives. It certainly is eye-opening to read about this sort of culture. I'm just not sure if teenagers would really appreciate it. As far as whether it is authentic or realistic - I personally don't know this culture very well, so that's a very hard thing for me to judge.

I suppose the thing that bothers me a little is that I’m not sure how we are supposed to interpret the culture based on this book. Are we supposed to like and appreciate it? Or are we supposed to dislike the culture because of how it robs Shabanu of her freedom and most of her happiness? There were certain, maybe I'd say stereotypes, that were unsettling to read. Many people do have the idea that Muslims are very strict, the women are obedient, and the men cruel. While we saw some great men in this story, I'm not so sure about some of the other implications for other characters. Phulan is portrayed as a girl that is stupid and empty headed, but she is also the obedient one that does what her culture wants of her. Auntie is portrayed as a mean character, and she is also the one who is described as fat - and people are cruel to her because of it. I worry that this book almost puts this culture in a bad light. I'm not sure. I just know that it really had me thinking about this way of life.