‘Though expatriates have lived in Arab lands for decades in pursuit of livelihood, meaningful cultural exchanges between them and the local people remain rare. Communication often happens from opposite sides of an invisible wall shaped by historical, social, and linguistic barriers. Consequently, Malayalam literature has only a handful of works authentically exploring Arab lives.

‘Sonia Rafeek’s novel bridges this cultural gap with remarkable sensitivity and depth. Through precise and unique observations, the novel vividly focuses on Emirati life, offering a rare and intimate portrayal. Infused with Arab folklore, astute life reflections, and a keen appreciation of nature, this novel stands out as a significant literary achievement. It not only narrates a story but also opens a window into a world seldom explored in Malayalam literature.’
—Benyamin, winner of JCB Prize for Literature, 2018, Vayalar Award, 2021, and Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award, 2009

‘The stories of love, loss, suffering, helplessness and courage of three Arab girls shape this novel, which stands apart due to its striking theme and narrative style. It surprises us that in 1950 Arab world, along with the Emirati women, parallel narratives of Indians and Zanzibarians existed. This novel by Sonia Rafeek speaks about the agonies of women and the enslaved in a patriarchal society, which rings true beyond the divisions of tribes, languages and national borders. Along with the history and culture of the Arab world, the stories of women across the world have been seamlessly merged in the script. Undoubtedly, The House of Girls is one of the most powerful novels created in diasporic literature.’
—S. Hareesh, winner of JCB Prize for Literature, 2020, and Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award, 2019

Sonia Rafeek is a UAE-based Malayalam short-story writer, novelist and translator. Her debut novel Herbarium secured the 2016 DC Books Literature Award and the Nooranad Haneefa Award in 2018. Herbarium is also a part of the Bachelor of Arts in Malayalam Literature curriculum at Kerala University.

Sonia’s latest novel Penkuttikalude veedu (‘House of Girls’) narrates the fascinating life stories of Emirati women in the early 1950s. She also authored the novel (53) (2019). Her translations include short stories of Kate Chopin and of Clarice Lispector, and Elif Shafak’s The Architect’s Apprentice and The Island of Missing Trees.

Sonia is a native of Thiruvananthapuram district in Kerala. She has a post-graduate degree in plant pathology from Kerala Agricultural University.

Ministhy S. is an IAS officer in the Uttar Pradesh cadre. In her civil services career, she has received various awards for excellence in governance including the Hindustan Times Woman of the Year Award, 2014, and The Sunday Standard Devi Award, 2016. XLRI Jamshedpur gave her the distinguished alumnus award in 2014. She translates between three languages: Malayalam, English and Hindi.