From the streets of Beirut to the prison cells of Cairo, we handpicked a selection of works by Arab women authors that dig deep into personal and collective experiences, capturing the weight of tradition, and the audacity of rebellion. As a new year begins, these books offer an escape to another word, serving as an invitation to step into the unfiltered realities of what it means to be Arab, to be a woman, and to resist and thrive. Read on to discover the 10 books to take with you into 2025.
1. Washes, Prays by Noor Naga
In Toronto, Coocoo, a young immigrant woman, is at war with her faith and her heart. Falling for the perfect-but-married Mohammad sends her spiraling into a poetic haze of longing, obsession, and shame. With her best friend Nouf by her side, Coocoo’s struggles bring to light the contradictions between love and belief in Noor Naga’s part-poem, part-fiction masterpiece.
2. 32 by Sahar Mandour
Set in Beirut, this fast-paced novel follows a 32-year-old narrator and her three vibrant friends—Zumurrud, Zeezee, and Shwikar—as they navigate careers, relationships, and societal expectations. Through witty and intimate conversations, Sahar Mandour paints a vivid picture of the power of female friendships and the challenges of carving out independence in a city buzzing with contradictions.
3. In the Eye of the Sun by Ahdaf Soueif
From 1960s Cairo to London, Asya’s life unfolds against the backdrop of personal and geopolitical upheavals. Ahdaf Soueif masterfully weaves a tale of love, escape, and self-discovery, as Asya grapples with the Arab-Israeli War’s impact on her family and a larger-than-life Englishman who disrupts her pursuit of normality.
4. Salt Journals: Tunisian Women on Political Imprisonment
Born out of workshops held across Tunisia, this collection captures the voices of women who endured or were connected to political imprisonment during the 1980s and ’90s. A profound testament to resilience and healing, the book transcends its origins to become a raw, collective portrait of courage.
5. The Siege by Fawziya Rashid
Fawzia Rashid explores the crushing weight of societal expectations in Bahrain. A metaphorical and literal examination of women’s entrapment, The Siege is a poignant reflection on tradition, identity, and the universal yearning for freedom across the Arab world.
6. The Golden Chariot by Salwa Bakr
Aziza, serving a life sentence for murder, dreams of escape in a “golden chariot” to heaven. Set in an Egyptian prison, Salwa Bakr intertwines the stories of women from all walks of life into a modern Arabian Nights. This feminist tour de force critiques societal pressures that often push women into acts of defiance.
7. I Live by Layla Baalbakki
Decades ahead of its time, this 1958 novel captures the defiance of women challenging gender roles. Its boldness incited controversy, leading to censorship and obscenity charges against Layla Baalbakki, but its legacy endures as a touchstone for feminist literature in the Arab world.
8. The Story of Zahra by Hanan Shaykh
Denied publication multiple times before its 1980 debut, Hanan Shaykh’s masterpiece about survival and the journey of self-discovery remains a haunting exploration of trauma, family, and identity.
9. Four Zero by Raja Alam
This poetic novel captures the struggles of Ahlam, a young Saudi woman seeking connection in a deeply patriarchal society. Raja Alam’s lyrical prose reflects a Saudi Arabia at the crossroads of tradition and modernity, cementing her place among the region’s literary icons.
10. Wasmiyah Leaves the Sea by Laila Al Othman
In this novel, Wasmiyah, a young woman from a privileged Kuwaiti family, battles the societal and gender constraints of her coastal village. Bold and lyrical, Laila Al Othman’s book reshapes the narrative of Gulf women, portraying a protagonist unafraid to push back against patriarchal norms.
