Dubai
If you could pick one novel that would be perfect if set in Dubai, which would it be? Many titles might be coming to your mind. Would you focus on the architecture or the shopping culture? After a survey of the members of #GNBookClub, the book most voted for was Sophie Kinsella’s ‘Confessions of a Shopaholic’.
In the novel, the protagonist, Becky Bloomwood, is a 25-year-old single woman who is said to have a big heart, but one weakness — shopping. She can’t afford the items she is buying, but unable to resist the latest designer blouses or shoes, she ends up with massive credit card bills that she is unable to settle.
Hanah Nasar, a student based in Abu Dhabi, believes that Dubai is the perfect destination to a “grand shopping experience”.
She said: “If you ask people who have travelled around the world about the one place that they would love to visit over and over again, just one city would come to mind: Dubai. This emirate offers everyone an exquisite experience. It is like a well-designed menu, from the appetizing starters to the delicious desserts. And in our case, the main course is shopping.”
In 2015, more than 24 million travellers visited the emirate, with more than 19 million of the total number being tourists and visitors, as stated by the statistics released by General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs (GDRFA).
Zarnish Javed, a student based in Sharjah, agrees that the emirate is a “great tourist spot” and so the book would work just fine.
She said: “So many people come here for a visit and spend so much on shopping. I would love to see how the fictional character Becky Bloomwood would try to curb her addiction to shopping when surrounded by so many great outlets here.”
Sanjna Manoj, a student based in Dubai, is also convinced that the tourism and shopping culture of Dubai makes it the ideal location for this book.
She said: “It would be perfect for Dubai because of the wide array of shops and malls all around the city. And since there are places from Meena Bazar to multiple malls, and outlets selling clothes, shoes and accessories and a wide array of items with different price ranges, it would be extremely believable for one to become a shopaholic living here.”
Fatima Saeed, a student based in Dubai, also gives credit to the variety of malls and stores in Dubai for being the perfect location for this novel. “Dubai is known for its shopping, and so Becky Bloomwood’s character can perfectly fit in this environment,” she said.
Gerallene Mae Alcarde, a resident of Dubai, refers to the emirate as a “fashion haven” and compares it to other Metropolitan cities like New York, London and Paris. “The city caters from street style to luxury high-end fashion, which makes it perfect for all shopaholics and fashionistas out there,” she said.
Despite her shopaholic ways, Bloomwood finds her happy ending with an assignment that will forever change her life, and that of others around her.
If you would like to discuss and share all things books, them #GNBookClub is the answer. You can register on gulfnews.com/your-say/gn-book-club or post on our Facebook page. We have regular debates, quizzes, book giveaways and conversations.
