Virgins of Paradise

By: Barbara Wood

Narrated by: Joyce Bean

Virgins of Paradise is a magnificent saga about the women in a rich, aristocratic Egyptian family, by the author of Green City in the Sun and The Dreaming.

This is a sensuous, romantic, exciting novel of women in search of identity amid historic change, and a fascinating portrait of an ancient nation mired in superstition, magic, and mythology as it emerges into the modern era.

Jasmine and Camelia Rasheed grow to womanhood under the watchful eye of their grandmother inside the walls surrounding a beautiful house on Virgins of Paradise Street in exotic Cairo. They come of age in society in which the subjugation of women is assumed - they must wear veils, are forbidden to leave the house, have no independent rights, and are circumcised to ensure purity and obedience. Each embarks on turbulent personal and professional voyages of discovery: Jasmine, cast out of the family, comes to America; and Camilia sets out to become one of the most famous dancers in the Middle East.

©2008 Barbara Wood (P)2008 Brilliance Audio

Critic reviews

"A warmly gossipy family tale in an exotic setting - and, like most of Wood's novels...spun off with ease and apparent pleasure in the telling." (Kirkus Reviews)
"The story is a 'good read' and translates into a 'good listen' with this production." (AudioFile)

eye opening

I enjoyed this book - it kept me intertained on a 4 day road trip. The different cultural perspectives were interesting and scary at the same time.

Highly recommend!!

This was beautifully written and beautifully narrated. It was recommended to me by a friend from Spain, and I recommend it to you. Not only is the story heartfelt, it does a great job tracing the metamorphoses of a country and a culture during a tumultuous time in history.

Excellent story!!

I read this book 22 years ago, still have it. Having lived in Israel for ten years, I am very familiar with their tradition (what happens is very accurate with the truth). The story will captivate you from the very beginning. It is very well narrated. I give it 7 stars!!

El Matriarcado de Egipto

Would you try another book from Barbara Wood and/or Joyce Bean?

Si. Aprendi en este libro que el ultimo rey de Egipto Faruq, el cual reino hasta el año 1952 y fue a vivir a Italia. El matriarcado de las mujeres musulmanas, y la cortada del clitoris con el fin de que la mujer sea fiel a su hombre. Esta parte no es nueva aunque Wood le pone mucha atencion como si fuera un tema nuevo o como si ella lo hubiera descubierto en sus estudio. Wood repite muchas frases y muchas partes del libro, sin embargo momentos que son mas importantes los ignora. Cambia de escenas cuando se ponen peligrosas como si el libro fuera una pelicula con el fin quizas de darle misterio al libro. Wood tiene una forma de escribir normal, nada realmente especial. Hasta el titulo es simpatico, ya que es el nombre de una calle.

How would you have changed the story to make it more enjoyable?

Contaria la historia de la bajada el Rey en una forma mas detallada y haria referencia a la mutilacion de las mujeres en una forma normal, esto es algo que el Musulman esta haciando de toda la vida y no es nuevo.

What does Joyce Bean bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

Bean esta bien, a veces lee muy rapido, pero bien aceptable

If this book were a movie would you go see it?

Si el director se esfuerza un poco mas en la caida del rey, en el derrocho de esta clase.