Set against the dramatic and often maddening backdrop of Saudi Arabia – a land of opulence and opportunity, frustrations and limitations – The Ruins of Us is epic, tragic, and sometimes overwrought. This first novel by Keija Parssinen is a purposeful introduction for Western readers to the complicated terrain of Saudi society that grapples with religious extremism and polygamy amid the dangerous allure of the desert. Despite the occasional swerve towards melodrama, Parssinen accomplishes her difficult task through an honest and emotionally resonant narrative.
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