Reviews

“This honest debut novel … could have been the story of any woman living in any patriarchal community anywhere in the world.  … Is Amal insane, or is her insanity feigned as a survival mechanism in an insane world? The author subtly raises this questions, hinting at a parallel between Amal’s mental breakdown and the breakdown of a whole nation.”
- Herizons Magazine, Winter 2010

“A good novel makes a reader feel like they know a character… Despite the fact that Amal’s story takes place fifty years ago or that she grew up in a culture completely different than mine, I felt a connection with her. She was not a Middle Eastern woman; she was a woman. And I became not only a woman, but a Middle Eastern woman, in a way. I felt her anger and entrapment; I understood her bitterness.”
- The New Pages, 2009
 
“Amal … is me and you when we learn to stand up to abuse against women and children. Whether you’re looking for a bit of inspiration or simply a good page-turner, you’ll find it in The Madwoman of Bethlehem. I didn’t want to put the book down. It is an emotional trip, from tears to laughter and back again.”
- The Feminist Review blog, 2009