Pleasing and appeasing our master and God at the same time was impossible.

Love’s absence ailed me. I could not imagine loving my husband. He was a superior and I did not know how to love and be subservient together. Nor had he ever thought of me as a human being, let alone a woman. For no reason had he ever softened towards me, I had stirred him that little.

Looking back, I realized that we were being raised to be schizophrenic; an appearance of perfection was more important than genuine feelings.

Love's absence ailed me. I could not imagine loving my husband. He was a superior and I did not know how to love and be subservient together. Nor had he ever thought of me as a human being, let alone a woman. For no reason had he ever softened towards me, I had stirred him that little.

I obeyed, but my crime was that I did not look obedient.

...my mind was consumed with the idea of purdah. From behind it no call for help could be heard. An abandoned species was trapped in a forbidden world. Everything corrupt happened under the shroud, when it was off a faceless and nameless woman appeared.

The lesson was clear and I learned it well: blind acquiescence was necessary to gain approval; being yourself only earned condemnation.

There will be a great imbalance in our strengths if we fight, because I am prepared to die and you are desperate to live.

Looking back, I realized that we were being raised to be schizophrenic; an appearance of perfection was more important than genuine feelings

I found an inner strength to fight for myself. It was clear that nobody else would.