Shedding light on a dark subject, honor killing

“Honor killing” is described in the Merriam-Webster dictionary as the traditional practice in some countries of killing a family member who is believed to have brought shame on the family. “Light of the Desert,” by Alexandria-born Lucette Walters is a story of survival, self-discovery and family betrayal that highlights the acts of honor killing still taking place within some wealthy families in the Middle East today. Walters’ own personal ties to the Middle East, as well as her determination to bring awareness to this harsh tradition, aided in her writing of this exciting new novel. “What would happen when a young woman loses everything except the will to survive? And what about her father who attempted to kill her?” Walters says. “I felt a tremendous commitment to get this message out, the message of honor killing and survival.” In “Light of the Desert,” the main character, Noora, survives her father’s brutal attempt to end her life. Unbeknownst to her family, she escapes her life in the Middle East and ends up in California in the United States. The reader experiences both the internal turmoil of Noora as a fugitive as well as that of her father, her attempted murderer. The contrast between the circumstances Noora escaped in the Middle East and her experiences in Hollywood encourages readers to consider the cultural differences between these two worlds. “I felt a deep sense of compassion and the need to write about this subject matter, “ Walters says. “I decided to write an adventure story while bringing light to such a dark subject.” Source: PRWEB