Woman At Point Zero is a classic novella by Egyptian doctor and feminist writer, Nawal El Saadawi. She tells the story of an Egyptian prostitute, Firdaus, sitting on death row for murder. Firdaus endures a cruel childhood and sexual abuse by an uncle. She desperately wants to do something with her secondary education, but the prospects for women are few. When her uncle and his wife try to marry her off, she runs away and here begins her journey of self discovery. Firdaus' life remains mired by an abusive relationship and then, prostitution. She's your typical woman scorned one too many times and driven to the ultimate vindication. The story focuses on how she arrived at death row and why she chooses not to appeal her sentence. She views her actions as truth, "and truth is savage and dangerous."

Woman At Point Zero is well written in accessible language and sometimes gut punching truths: "That men force women to sell their bodies at a price, and the lowest paid body is that of a wife. All women are prostitutes of one kind or another." Nawal El Saadawi paints a vivid picture of the marginalization of women and how the legal system can often perpetuate violence against women.

I was so glad to finally read this book. At once I felt disgusted and angry then, empowered to, like Firdaus, raise my hand to smash against the face of those who brutalize women.

Challenges:
November Novella
Women Unbound
Reading Africa