The Butterfly Mosque

I am winding down on the final three books for this year’s RA Favorite Books.  #3 in the list is The Butterfly Mosque by G. Willow Wilson, who tells her true-life story of leaving Colorado after graduating from Boston University to teach English at an American school in Cairo, Egypt post 9/11, a tumultuous time for Muslim/American relations.  Wilson provides the preface to her life journey to Egypt when she was very ill earlier in her life and has an “awakening for religion” when she is at a crossroads for recovery.  Her ‘epiphany’ begins the process of being open to religion after being an atheist. When the opportunity to embrace religion occurs, while preparing to teach in Cairo, it surprises her friend Jo and Ben.  Ben was an impetus for her travel to Cairo as he had taught the year before and sets the stage for her to meet one of his friends, Omar.  When Wilson arrives to Cairo, Omar serves as a host and tour guide, within a month the two are inseparable.  Wilson finally states her feelings for Omar and he immediately holds out his hand, a sign for engagement between man and woman in the Muslim culture, at least that’s how Wilson shares the connection.  The remainder of the book covers the months and year ahead where the couple has to break the news to their families and friends.  The book also captures the wedding and all of the challenges that both Omar and Wilson, who changes her name to Zeinoba, face.  Wilson shares her challenges of being American in a country that does not understand the western way of living, where men and women are very open and visible with relationships and physical contact.  The laws in the Muslim country restrict men and women from the same physicality (especially in public) permissible in our culture.  The desire to embrace and immerse herself in the culture was accepted by her family, much to her surprise.  Overall the entire immersion process of Wilson is described with all of the pains that she experienced along the way. Wilson was able to have stories of her experience published in the New Yorker and she was employed by an Egyptian magazine during her time there.  The story ends as the couple is about to embark on Omar’s first trip to the United States, does this mean a second book?  I learned a good deal through the eyes of an American writer who lives the life of a native Egyptian. The challenge of post 9/11 life makes for some dangerous times for the couple.  The story reads quickly and presents more of a love story, may I say, “chick-let” story.  I was ok with it.  I enjoyed the lessons on Egypt, much more than the quaint “leave my heritage for love” aspects, for sure.