4.5 stars. This was a fascinating peek into the lives of women in several different Arab countries in the Middle East. It was a lot of ground to cover since the stories are compiled from several years when the author lived and worked in the Middle East. It's a look at the cultures and young women in Syria, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Lebanon, the UAE, and more. I learned a lot and yet there's so much more. The stories on honor killings, courtship, gender segregation, and women's rights activism were so interesting and eye opening. This book will spark great conversations.