The Ruins of Us by Keija Parssinen is a novel of many things – family, love, and discontent. Rosalie is American born but spent her childhood in Saudi Arabia. Even at a young age she developed a love for the country and always knew she wanted to go back after going to college in America. Meeting Abdullah in America and then falling in love, marrying, and building a life in Saudi Arabia was exactly what she had always wanted and for more than twenty years she was happy and fulfilled. That is until she discovered that her husband had taken a second wife and even more than that, he had been hiding it for two years.
This discovery totally uproots her life in so many ways. Everything she knew and believed in when it came to her life and love with Abdullah now seemed so wrong and she couldn’t fathom ever feeling and knowing that love again. For the most part Abdullah believes in living more of a modern life. He doesn’t hold his wife or children strictly to the customs that had once plagued the country. They have the freedom to live their lives quite normally. None of the rest of his family – his brothers – believe in taking second wives. Abdullah is the first to do so and in this he refuses to change his mind. He is entitled, according to the law, to have another wife and that is how he goes about justifying what he’s done to Rosalie. Rosalie refuses to have much to do with him and tells him he has ruined their family forever.
On the sidelines are their children Mariam and Faisal. Mariam is pretty level headed although, even at fourteen, she believes strongly in equality for women. Faisal though is a young boy about to take a path that can lead him nowhere good. Faisal is growing ever resentful of his family’s lifestyle. He believes they don’t spend the amount of time in prayer that they should and that the women in the family are allowed more freedom than they should have. In short, they do not follow the customs in which he is becoming more and more obsessed with. This is what will ultimately lead Faisal to do the unthinkable to his family. Will they survive? Will love ever again blossom where it has died?
I enjoyed The Ruins of Us. I am always interested in novels that deal in any way with other cultures. The culture in a country like Saudi Arabia fascinates me simply because of the customs they live by. Granted many live much freer lives now than in the past but the old customs are still alive. I do know I wouldn’t want to be a woman living there. To not even be able to look at a man without someone thinking something was going on or always having to watch what I say would likely kill me. I liked the characters well enough although I can’t really say I connected to any of them on any great level and that’s probably because this lifestyle – even the freer one that Rosalie led – is still too constrictive to me. Ultimately this novel really shows us what happens when one takes the commitment to a certain way of life a little too far and breaks the bonds of family and love.
I read The Ruins of Us by Keija Parssinen for her book tour with TLC Book Tours. You can find the author on her website, Facebook, and Twitter. Be sure to pop in and see what others thought of the book here. You can purchase your own copy of The Ruins of Us by Keija Parssinen here in the US and here in Canada.
Source: Review copy provided by TLC Book Tours and the Publisher via NetGalley. No compensation was received for this review and all opinions are solely my own.
This sounds like an interesting book. I’ll have to check it out at the library. Thanks for the review.
Jayme, I did find the story interesting. I hope you get a chance to read it. Thanks for stopping by!
Sounds like an informative novel, Dar. I can understand why it would be difficult to connect to the characters.
Mary, it was informative in that I learned a bit more about life in that culture but yes, since it’s so hard to imagine living like that it’s hard to connect.
I don’t think I would do well in that type of culture either. It amazes me how little women are respected in some countries. It’s hard to imagine, isn’t it? Great review!
Beth(bookaholicmom), it is hard to imagine how little respect women get in some countries and more than that it’s really sad. I guess if they grow up in it and are happy in that culture, then that’s ok but what about all those that aren’t. Those are the ones I feel for.
I’m glad you were able to enjoy the story without really connecting with the characters. It does sound like it was be especially hard to be a woman in that culture.
Anna, I find you don’t always need that connection with characters to enjoy a story. Sometimes the story carries itself.
*would be* oops!
I wouldn’t want to live in Saudi Arabia either, so I’m surprised Rosalie chose to live there. This book sounds good to me and I just love the cover.
Kathy, I think because she pretty much grew up there in a compound she was already pretty well acquainted with the country and that’s why she wanted to go back after college. I agree, it is a nice cover.
Wow, this sounds heartbreaking and powerful. I’d like to read this and I don’t know a whole lot about this region of the world. Thanks for the awesome review.
Serena, it was heart breaking in that a woman’s heart was broken that shouldn’t have been. Of course there were other reasons too. Anyhow, I just know what I’ve read about regarding this culture but I do know I wouldn’t want to live there.
I’ve seen some mixed reviews on this one. I do enjoy reading about the role of women in other cultures, though, so I think I will add this to my TBR (but not right now) list 🙂
Beth(bookgirl), I’ve seen mixed reviews as well but I did like it. I hope you get a chance to read it one day.
Hm..her name is so Finnish, I must google her
Linda, did you learn anything interesting about her name?
I am reading this one right now for my tour stop, so I only skimmed your review, but I will be back to read it in full when I am done. It is a very interesting book so far, and I can totally get why Rosalie is so upset. I would be too!
Heather(zibilee), I’m anxious to hear your thoughts on this book. I too would be very upset to be put in Rosalie’s position especially when it isn’t something you were expecting to happen.
I’m glad you enjoyed this book, Dar. I’m reading it now for my tour stop so I didn’t read your full review. I will be back to read more of it next week!
Amy, I’ll be watching for your review. I’m anxious to hear Ypur thoughts on this one.
I can’t imagine living in a country where I had so few rights. It’s a heartbreaking story, but it sounds like a very good read.
Lisa, I feel the same. It’s hard for us to imagine it because it isn’t like that for us thankfully. Thanks for stopping by!
I can’t imagine not being able to simply be myself on a daily basis, though I do thinks books like this are valuable because they MAKE me imagine it.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts on this one for the tour!
I think that’s why I read these books Heather. They never fail to make me realize how lucky I am to live in my country.
It was easy for me to leave Canada-I was not yet 30 and had not started a career. Twenty years later I feel it is a much better place than the US-just a whole lot colder.
Esme, no matter how much I complain about the cold and such Canada is still home to me and it’s unlikely I would leave although a warmer climate would be nice. lol.
This sounds very interesting. I like stories about other cultures too. I wouldn’t want to be a to be a woman living there myself. A few years back a read a memoir called In the Land of Invisible Women, and it was really interesting yet also shocking.
I am totally drawn to books that involve the Middle East and women!! May have to pick up a copy of this one.
This sounds wonderful!
It is fascinating to learn how other cultures live — especially in the Middle East. It is so very different from our lives in the West.
I love to read books about women’s lives in other cultures. This one sounds like something I’d really be able to learn a lot from.
I love the cover to this book. Your review has made me want to read it as well so I’m off to add it to my Goodreads TBR list 🙂
Wow everything about this book sounds interesting. I love reading about different cultures as well. I try to be careful because I want to avoid a take that is too Western and judgmental.