Finding Nouf Reading Guide & Discussion Questions

Book Club Discussion Questions

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For supplemental discussion material see our Beyond the Book article, The Bedouin of Saudi Arabia and our BookBrowse Review of Finding Nouf.

Please be aware that this discussion guide will contain spoilers!

Introduction
When sixteen-year-old Nouf ash-Shrawi goes missing in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, her wealthy family suspects that she's run away to the desert to escape her imminent marriage. Her brother Othman calls on his good friend Nayir to help find her. However, after ten futile days of searching, it is not Nayir but some anonymous desert travelers who find her body. Unable to let go of his failure to help Othman, Nayir determines that he must at least try to find out what really happened to Nouf—for despite the official coroner's report and the family's desire for privacy, foul play seems likely and the many unanswered questions refuse to leave him in peace. The search will force religiously conservative Nayir to face his dearth of knowledge of women and unfulfilled desire for a wife as he joins forces with Katya, a forward-thinking forensic lab technician who challenges his opinions, and attempts to discover the secrets of rich, coddled Nouf.


Discussion Points

1. Nayir feels obligated to find Nouf as a favor to his friend Othman, and to the Shrawi family, which has been very good to him. What deeper meaning does the search for Nouf have for Nayir? Discuss the relevance of the title, Finding Nouf.
2. Finding Nouf tells a moving and mysterious story, but also gives readers a peek into the world of conservative Muslims in Saudi Arabia. How do Muslim customs hinder Nayir and Katya in their investigation? How do these customs help the investigators?
3. Nayir's identity is almost entirely contingent on his modesty and righteousness. Do you think he overdoes it? If so, what might Nayir be compensating for? How do other Muslims in the novel, both men and women, seem to feel about his religious conservatism? What do their perspectives tell you about modern Saudi Arabia?

Unless otherwise stated, this discussion guide is reprinted with the permission of Mariner Books. Any page references refer to a USA edition of the book, usually the trade paperback version, and may vary in other editions.