Book Report

Eren Gurel
H4A
Information:

The title of the book is ‘Verboden Liefde’ the book is written by Norma Khouri
Albqaeen.
The original language was Arabic but it is translated in Dutch by Wim
Scherpnisse from Amsterdam Arena.
Richard van Leeuwen helped to translate the pages from the Koran.
The first print was in 2002.
The category is drama. The writer wants to say that the honor murders must
stop. In Jordanian there are to much murders and the women in Arabic countries
have the right to have more rights.

Content of the book:

There are two friends named Dalia and Norma. They have their own barber
called D&N. Dalia is Muslim and Norma christen. One day they are working and
Dalia spitted out one of her secrets, she likes a man. Norma was surprised,
because they are 20 but they never fall in love. During time they discover he is
Catholic. So Dalia wasn’t able to meet him, Dalia and Norma made plans to see
each other. One day her brother sees them kissing and he told her father about
it. That day a honor murder was committed on the best friend of Norma.
This kind of you don’t see in my life. I have a religion that doesn’t matter with
who or what you have. Still in the Netherlands there are Honor murders, but the
family doesn’t know anything so this kind of cases can’t be solved.
The most interesting personage is Norma I can place myself in her life. I also
want to change the society and I also lost a friend by Honor murder. She sees
the world different then other. She sees the right of the women in Arabic
countries. She and Dalia had a vision, both are strong personages.
After reading this book I have a different view on thing, especially Muslim
countries. That really that kind of things can happen. Also I came more to know
about the Islam, some rules and words I never heard or saw before. It also
happen in the real world only people doesn’t know it. For example in august
2009 a Turkish girl jumped of the roof. The papers say but in reality the girl was
seen by her brother flirting with boys, and the girl was pushed from a flat of 7
high. It was a honor murder, but nobody knew her after that murder.
I think that this book would be recalled, because it’s a story based on a true
honor murder. So people can see and read how the world really is. How hard the
world is for women in Jordanian and that they need more right. That is what will
always recall.
Summary:

There are 2 girls they are each other best friend. They have a hair salon called
D&N. Dalia and Norma. They both live in Jordanian and are 20 years old. They
put this hair salon to escape from the rules of society. And so they wouldn’t get
arranged.
One moment Dalia said to Norma that a cute handsome man comes al the time
to the hair salon. He has cut his hair twice in three weeks. Dalia also spoke to
hi9m, his name is Michael and travels a lot he used to be in army.
When the to find out that he was catholic, they have to be careful. Dalia’s elder
brother always watches the shop, so it was hard to make real contact with mans.
Sometimes her brother left to clean or pimp his truck, then Dalia and Norma
went to the back room to smoke a cigarette and to talk about Michael.
Norma saw that Dalia was in love, but they both never fall in love so they don’t
really know how to handle the situation. No0rma and Dalia made plans from
here till there, but they didn’t seen him for a couple of months. After those
months he came with his sister to the salon. Dalia was a little shocked she
thought it was his girlfriend or something. But Norma knew he only toke her so
he can see Dalia, because her brother may find it suspicious .
Dalia and Michael came in contact with each other and wanted to make an
appointment to see each other again. But that was really difficult, because
Dalia’s elder brother always were on the streets. So Norma and the sister of
Michael, Jehan set up a plan so the all of them could meet. The first time was in
a Greek restaurant and so it continue.
One day they were going to picnic with the four of them. But Dalia and Norma
felt something before but the let it go. Dalia kissed Michael and her brother saw
it. When she came home her brother acted weird and really angry. The next day
Norma came by Dalia and they were going to wash the car of Mohammed when
he suddenly threw pine needles on the shoes of Norma.
The place where they picnicked had a lot of pine booms. When that happened
Dalia and Norma were so shocked. Dalia couldn’t sleep anymore and Norma
neither. The next day the father of Dalia said to her you don’t have to make
breakfast, however that was her job. Dalia was in the bathroom and her father
stabbed her 23 times in her chest. And she died.
Norma heard ambulance and ran to Dalia’s house and see didn’t saw Dalia and
she got angry. The father of Dalia said I have cleaned the dirty in my house. In
other words I have killed my daughter for the name of honor. Norma was so
angry and shocked. She had to tell Michael. She told him via Jehan and he had to
cry. Now Dalia has to leave the country, because she’s a witness.
Unlike Dalia’s dream that they leave with the three of them. Norma and Michael
leave the country without her.
Opinion:

When I bought this book I already thought that is was a drama, because of the
title. When I read it I didn’t expect this. I thought it was about a girl who may
not see her love, but in the end it was even worse that what I thought. I was
really interested if there was a second part but there isn’t one.
What was difficult to understand were the words, in the book you have Arabic
words they’re translated but only once and those words came back every
chapter.I should recommend people who loves drama or reality stories to read
this book. It has everything, friendship, religion, passion, love and murder.
I choose this book, when I was in the book store, I really love books so I was
searching for a thriller and I found this I asked the lady who works there what
kind of book it was. She said to me that it is about a honor murder and I was
really interested.When I finished the book I gave it to a friend of mine, he began
to read and he didn’t want to stop. He never reads and this book really had his
attention, he told me that he loved the book and would give to other friends.
If you buy this book in the internet it will cost you about twenty euros.