Rebel
My Escape from Saudi Arabia to Freedom
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Rebel
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Narrated by:
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Sally Armstrong
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By:
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Rahaf Mohammed
About this listen
‘Through her courageous resistance, she has, for a moment, drawn global attention to the ongoing struggle of Saudi women. The striking image of a young woman, wielding nothing but a cellphone, facing down the force of an oppressive government is an apt metaphor for this fraught moment in Saudi Arabia’s history.’
THE WASHINGTON POST
A gripping true story of bravery and sacrifice by a young woman whose escape from Saudi Arabia captivated the world.
In early 2019, after more than a year of careful planning, Rahaf Mohammed boarded a plane and finally escaped from Saudi Arabia. If caught, she was sure she would be killed, like other rebel women who had tried to flee her country’s oppressive regime.
But the eighteen-year-old only made it as far as Bangkok before her passport was taken away. It was a trick, and soon she found herself trapped, barricaded in a hotel room. As men pounded on her door, the teenager decided to reach out to the world on Twitter – and the world answered. Her account gained forty-five thousand followers overnight and offered her a vital lifeline. This was Rahaf’s chance at a new life, the one she had dreamed of.
Now Rahaf tells her remarkable story for the first time and reveals the dystopian reality of what life is like for women within Saudi Arabia. From the guardianship system, which places unmarried women under the full control of their male relatives, to the secretive online underground network of Saudi runaways plotting their escape, Rebel is a gripping memoir of resistance and bravery by a woman determined to tell the truth about life in the closed kingdom.
©2022 Rahaf Mohammed (P)2022 HarperCollins Publishers LimitedListeners also enjoyed...
Critic reviews
‘Rebel is an eye-opening look into a closed kingdom, and a grim reminder of a place where women’s rights are still far from recognised.’ Daily Mail
‘Mohammed brings alive her austere classrooms, the rages of her domineering brothers, the desires of girls like her and the sorrow of such oppression. Her story is that of many more without a voice who cannot rise above their circumstances. She speaks for them in a dignified, raw manner.’ Observer, Book of the Day
‘Mohammed, who garnered international headlines as a teenager in 2019 when she fled Saudi Arabia and was detained by authorities in Thailand, recounts her daring path to liberation in this potent debut. . . . Her scorching indictment serves as a beacon for women worldwide yearning for freedom.’—Publishers Weekly
‘A harrowing account of a Saudi woman’s triumph over oppression. . . . Mohammed creates a tense narrative of her desperate flight, the efforts of her powerful father to stop her, and the determined journalist who came to her aid. An absorbing chronicle of courage.’—Kirkus Reviews
'Rebel makes it clear that the cultural honor/shame dynamic and the male guardianship system continue to weigh heavily on the daily lives of Saudi women and their moral universe, through a complex mixture of psychological, cultural and religious elements. Rahaf ultimately fled the Kingdom, under cover of darkness by the skin of her teeth, in order to spread her wings. Saudi women deserve better, safer options for their future.'
AYAAN HIRSI ALI, author of Infidel and Prey
‘An inspiring read that will leave you shaking with fury, and then cheering in solidarity’
SOPHIE MCNEILL, Human Rights Watch, author of We Can’t Say We Didn’t Know
What listeners say about Rebel
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Lightrhino
- 14-03-22
Incredible story. Truly shocking but even more inspiring
This is the best audiobook I’ve listened to in at least a year (and I listen to books every day). If you think you know the position of women in Saudi Arabia, think again. Rahaf’s story is chilling. And for every one who manages to escape, hundreds more are murdered in so-called “Honour Killings. And thousands, maybe tens of thousands are too fearful to even try. As a U.K. citizen I’m now even more appalled by our governments cosying up to the Saudi’s misogynistic Stone Age theocracy. If you’re a US citizen, you’ll feel the same way. The publishers should produce an Arab-language version. It will give Saudi women hope. Essential reading if you care about the fight for human rights or wish to be be inspired by the bravery of an ordinary individual.
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1 person found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- Judine
- 07-09-22
A good book
What a story good on you Rahaf A very inspiring story I hope now you live a better life
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- Mel
- 10-04-22
Excellent
Devastating tale of Saudi Arabia and the amount of abuse inflicted on women but brilliantly written and narrated. I cannot recommend this book enough. The narration and story combined meant that I couldn’t put this down. I didn’t know of Rahaf’s sorry before this - I listened to this at every opportunity I got.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- P
- 06-04-24
Greatly read and an amazing story
This story is heartbreaking, but I’m glad it was written. Those problems and issues definitely need to be talked about. I recommend reading/listening!
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance3 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Jane W
- 04-05-22
Words are not enough
Amazing. Shocking. Awesome. Inspiring. What an incredible, brave woman.
What a dreadful regime to live under.
Could not stop listening.
The only thing that let it down was the narration.
BUT don’t let that put you off listening to this. Very, very thought provoking and educational to be honest. All of us in the West should listen to this.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- Lila S
- 09-03-22
Utterly Captivating and deeply inspirational
Highly recommended, this book is not just a memoir but a tool, a mental weapon and armour for all women who are facing oppression and seek freedom and justice. I listened to this book in just one day, I simply couldn’t stop listening. I was completely drawn in. This memoir by a brave woman has inspired me to write my own. I resonate on so many levels with Rahaf. I to was brought up by a family who were bound by cultural and Islamic expectations. I was very isolated as most of my childhood was in the UK were I was forced to live in “village Iraq”. I fled Honor based violence and abuse at the age of 17. I felt so alone and isolated in my experience. Rahafs book has shown me that I am not alone, that so many women and girls suffer the same inhumane treatment that I experienced. Rahafs story has given me momentum to seek to reopen a closed case with the police here in the UK regarding the abuse I was subjected to (I have spoken to solicitors and they believe it was closed far to soon despite evidence of the abuse). As a result of closing the case my father remained and still remains a paediatric doctor in the UK registered on the General Medical Council register, He was initially arrested for “cruelty, neglect and actual bodily harm”. My mother lied for him and told the police I was mentally ill just like Rahafs family did. I finally have the strength to shed light on this systemic failing. I hope that I can archive justice and expose them. He should not be allowed to continue working with children. Never underestimate the contagious power of a strong woman. Thank you Rahaf for using your voice and showing me that I can go public with mine in my own way.
Lila x
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4 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- Jo Shap
- 24-06-22
An essential read
Outrageous to hear this first hand account of the monstrous treatment of woman and girls in Saudi Arabia.
Beautifully written and beautifully narrated. So glad I came across this incredible book. Rahaf’s courage is inspiring. Such an important story that merits being heard by all.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- As Beel
- 10-04-24
Captivating story of a young woman that wants nothing else but the essential rights that we all take for granted.
It is astonishing that in 2023 there are still countries that mistreat women like that. The story of a very brave woman who managed to escape the imposed doctrine and realizes by herself that this can’t be right what Saudi Arabia teaches its citizens. I finished this book in two days.. couldn’t stop,
Great performance also of the narrator.
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- Mervyn T.
- 07-04-22
An amazing book - everyone should read it!!
This book was a complete revelation to me in respect of how women are treated in Saudi. Rahaf is an absolute inspiration to all young women living under such oppression with life threatening rules. It has exposed the evil of life for young girls & women under such an abhorrent male dominance. Congratulations Rahaf on such a wonderful book and your brave escape and I hope many more will follow you safely into a new & free lifestyle.
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- Anonymous User
- 07-09-22
religion of peace ,lol.
brave woman escapes from controlling men who have an islamic mandate for their behavior.
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