Jacky Trevane - Fatwa Living with a Death Threat & Invisible Women

Review by Maggie Perkovic 6th August 09
Jacky was 23yrs old when she arrived in Egypt for a holiday with her boyfriend of three years, Dave.
Little did she know that an innocent holiday would result in a horror beyond her imagination. Separated from Dave in a bustling street, Jacky fell and twisted her ankle only to be swept up by a handsome and chivalrous Egyptian called Omar. It was love at first sight for the both of them.
jacky spent her holiday with Omar's family, sharing a bed with Omar's sister and learning all about Egypt from his family. Swept away from her infatuation she marries Omar then returns to England to tell her parents and return to Cairo to make her future with her husband.
Dave meets her on the flight home, says he had a great time with some drinking buddies but is unimpressed with her new status as a married woman. Returning to Cairo against her parents advice but full of hopes and plans Jacky's dream turns into a nightmare. As a blue eyed blonde she was never going to fit in with life in a poor suburb where the women walked at all times with their heads bowed. during the next six years her seemingly gallant husband subjected her to non stop physical and emotional abuse, when he starts on their little girls she knows she has to escape, but how??
This story is quite riveting, as you listen to the way she effects their escape, knowing that if he finds out they will be punished severely. Her life is quite unbearable though she tries to make the best of it. an attack by her brothers in law where her husband blames her instead of them makes her realise just how untenable her situation is.
I think we must judge her as foolish without knowing the culture of the country she marries him, even after living it for 10 days!!!

Invisible Women is rather contrived with several references to The Fatwas, she runs a helpline for women in similar circumstances, ie who are abused and ignored etc. Laura is mentally abused and ostracised by her family, Charlotte has an eating disorder, Shygirl was in same situation as Jacky but continues to live with him.
I found the first book quite absorbing but the second not quite so convincing.
The author still has the Fatwas (death threat) on her life.