Synopses & Reviews
HONOR LOST is a contemporary Romeo & Juliet story. In many ways, Norma and Dalia were no different from any other girls living in Jordan. They lived under the watchful eye of their fathers and brothers and were expected to help their mothers cook and clean. One day, they were expected to marry men of honor, not unlike their male relatives. What set them apart was a plan: to open a hair salon that would allow them to work outside the house and give them respite from the heavy burdens placed upon them by their ancient culture. Working together, they fulfill their dream and soon they are able to revel in the shop's success. That is until Michael, a young Catholic man in the Royal Guard, walks into the salon. From the moment he lays eyes on Dalia, their lives are changed forever in ways none of them could have anticipated. What follows is a heart-wrenching account of Dalia's romance with Michael, and its devastating consequences to them both. Ultimately, a farewell tribute to Dalia, who died at the hands of her own father, HONOR LOST is both a stirring plea against the practice of honor killing and modern-day look at the tragic consequences of star-crossed romance.
Synopsis
In many ways, Norma and Dalia were no different from any other girls living in Jordan. They lived under the watchful eye of their fathers and brothers, helped their mothers cook and clean, and were expected to one day marry men of honor. What set them apart was their plan to open a hair salon that would allow them to work outside the house and provide respite from the burdens of their ancient culture. Together they achieved their dream, and for a few years they reveled in their success and in the cocoon they created around each other. Then one day, Michael, a Catholic in the Royal Guard, walked into their salon and caught sight of the beautiful Dalia, a Muslim. Their romance led to devastating consequences for them all. Norma's account of her friend's star-crossed romance is also a heart-wrenching farewell tribute--Dalia died at her father's hands according to the Jordanian custom of honor killing. "Honor Lost is a stirring plea against this senseless practice, and a beautifully told, absolutely unforgettable love story.
Synopsis
Author Norma Khouri and her friend Dalia were like sisters. Since the age of three they were inseparable, sharing in all the childhood joys that a modern, middle-class life in Amman, Jordan, had to offer. By all appearances, they seemed very much alike: Like most Arab daughters they lived under the jurisdiction of their male brethren, and each was expected to enter a marriage based on family honor -- not love. But Norma's family was Christian, Dalia's was Muslim, and each of the girls was bound to age-old religious customs and traditions that would someday tear them apart.
Dalia is twenty-five when she falls in love with Michael, a Catholic. Their relationship is more than just a crime in the name of Islam: It is grounds for an "honor killing," a practice that remains legal in Jordan today. Still, Dalia would have sacrificed everything -- her relations, her beliefs, even her homeland -- to be with Michael...until Dalia's family finds out about her "haraam," or forbidden, love.
As tragic as it is true, "Honor Lost" is by turns a heartwarming romance, a eulogy, and a cry for freedom for women across the globe.
About the Author
Norma Khouri is a poet and author of short fiction. As a result of the events recounted in Honor Lost, she was forced to leave Jordan. She lives in Australia.