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A Critical Book Review of Infidel by Ayaan Hirsi Ali
Student’s Name
Institutional Affiliation
Course Code: Course Name
Instructor’s Name
Date of Submission
, 2
A Critical Book Review of ‘Infidel’ by Ayaan Hirsi Ali
The book Infidel by Ayaan Hirsi Ali-a Somali-born author and Islamic critic- is a
thought-provoking and extraordinary auto-ethnography that presents the experiences of a girl
born in a Muslim family and how her struggles with the dogmas of her religion transform her
into its fiercest critic, a situation that attracts serious reprisals from the Muslim fraternity. While
the author attempts to present the book as a biographical narrative, where personal experiences
shaped and informed her writing, it is evidently clear that her ideas and life’s experiences were a
function of the tenets of neo-conservatism and Sunni Islamic fundamentalism, as this critical
review will illustrate. Thus, as a child and teenager, Hirsi Ali subscribed to Islamic
fundamentalism; however close interactions with individuals harboring neo-conservatism ideals
in Western countries, particularly the Netherlands eventually influenced her position and aroused
her vigor to consciously initiate and inculcate her school-of-thought into other people in addition
to transposing her Islamic fundamentalism unto Islam.
The author presents the book in two parts, namely ‘My Childhood’ and ‘My Freedom’.
The parts explicitly delve into the personal story of a courageous and highly intelligent Somalia-
born woman who grapples with the intricacies of her Islamic faith, which serve as the impetus to
move to a foreign country in search of a better life (Ali, 2007). From the onset, Ali’s parents and
relatives inducted her into Islam; however, she would coolly affirm her reality and perception of
everything around her despite the power her religious belief and grandmother wielded. Because
of the political ambitions of her father, Ali and her family constantly moved to other countries
such as Saudi Arabia, Kenya, and Ethiopia. At a tender age, Hirsi undergoes female genital
mutilation (FGM) and experiences firsthand, the frequent mistreatment of her mother by her
father. While Hirsi Ali was a bright student, frequent movement from one country to another and
A Critical Book Review of Infidel by Ayaan Hirsi Ali
Student’s Name
Institutional Affiliation
Course Code: Course Name
Instructor’s Name
Date of Submission
, 2
A Critical Book Review of ‘Infidel’ by Ayaan Hirsi Ali
The book Infidel by Ayaan Hirsi Ali-a Somali-born author and Islamic critic- is a
thought-provoking and extraordinary auto-ethnography that presents the experiences of a girl
born in a Muslim family and how her struggles with the dogmas of her religion transform her
into its fiercest critic, a situation that attracts serious reprisals from the Muslim fraternity. While
the author attempts to present the book as a biographical narrative, where personal experiences
shaped and informed her writing, it is evidently clear that her ideas and life’s experiences were a
function of the tenets of neo-conservatism and Sunni Islamic fundamentalism, as this critical
review will illustrate. Thus, as a child and teenager, Hirsi Ali subscribed to Islamic
fundamentalism; however close interactions with individuals harboring neo-conservatism ideals
in Western countries, particularly the Netherlands eventually influenced her position and aroused
her vigor to consciously initiate and inculcate her school-of-thought into other people in addition
to transposing her Islamic fundamentalism unto Islam.
The author presents the book in two parts, namely ‘My Childhood’ and ‘My Freedom’.
The parts explicitly delve into the personal story of a courageous and highly intelligent Somalia-
born woman who grapples with the intricacies of her Islamic faith, which serve as the impetus to
move to a foreign country in search of a better life (Ali, 2007). From the onset, Ali’s parents and
relatives inducted her into Islam; however, she would coolly affirm her reality and perception of
everything around her despite the power her religious belief and grandmother wielded. Because
of the political ambitions of her father, Ali and her family constantly moved to other countries
such as Saudi Arabia, Kenya, and Ethiopia. At a tender age, Hirsi undergoes female genital
mutilation (FGM) and experiences firsthand, the frequent mistreatment of her mother by her
father. While Hirsi Ali was a bright student, frequent movement from one country to another and
