Huda-Character Analysis; dealing with family abuse and neglect
I'll admit when I first read This Woven Kingdom, it was easy to overlook Miss Huda--considering that fact I found her character to be too overwhelming and childish. Literally everyone else around her—Kamran, Cyrus, Alizeh, and Hazan are all risking their lives for the throne and/or dealing with torture from the Iblees--and yet she seems to be obsessed with dresses and concerned with much frivolous matters.
However after reading All This Twisted Glory, my impression of her has changed from thinking of her as this shallow, air headed girl to one that is secretly suffering with depression and loneliness that is evidently shown through her mannerisms.
To really get a good picture and understanding of Huda, we have to go back to This Woven Kingdom when she first commissioned Alizeh to make a gown she can wear to the ball. At first, I simply had thought she just wanted to wear a pretty gown and marry the prince (Kamran). The question however, is why did she want to meet him so badly?
Here we have discovered two things about Huda. The first matter is that she is an illegitimate child of a prostitute. Seeing that her father is an ambassador, this certainly was huge societal scandal that already placed a dent on Huda's reputation of being a bastard child. On top of that, we have come to know that Huda's step mother hates her greatly. Her step mother did not even plan for her to go to the ball in the first place! She had commissioned Alizeh in secret to make the ballgown. Her mother's resentment of Huda being a bastard child runs so far deep that Huda was not even sure if her mother would truly kill her had she found it about going to the ball behind her back. But is the idea of Huda's mother literally murdering her and cutting off her limbs so farfetched when Huda mentioned that she and her half sisters would put rat entrails multiple times in her pillowcases?
When Huda admits to Alizeh why she wanted to meet Kamran-it's very much clear: she wanted to escape the hell from living with her family and she genuinely wanted to be with someone kind and empathetic--and unfortunately Kamran to her disappointment, did not live up to her expectations (more to be discussed about their dynamic >.<). Huda wasn't just looking for a life of splendor, she simply was looking for a life of happiness-one where she can experience love and compassion from others. Even when she first told Alizeh of her true lineage she was scared that Alizeh would judge her harshly--despite the fact she was just a "snooda" at that time of this revelation. If anything, Huda's desperation stems from wanting to experience true freedom and wanting to be loved for who she is.
Furthermore, it is interesting to note that Huda is really not the best communicator-she has a hard time reading the room, often talks too fast, speaks in tangents and most notably always appears anxious and nervous. Kamran also notes her nervousness when she speaks with Sarra.
It seems that Huda had been frequently physically abused and berated by her mother to the point she always appears anxious/distraught when she is confronted/asked a question. Her nervousness and fidgety movements may have to do with the fact that she had to walk on constant eggshells around her mother/sisters not to get hit or beaten. Huda has been berated to the point to where she struggles to find self worth within herself which in turn affects her communication. For many outsiders her poor communication style may come across as daft or airheaded when in reality she is struggling with anxiety.
I think the reason why Huda came along with the others to retrieve Alizeh from Cyrus wasn't just rescuing her friend, but to also have a journey on her own and for her to escape her own living hell . As evidenced by Alizeh's POV:
Her friendships with Alizeh, Deen, and Omar are so special to her and I feel that she genuinely feels loved.
I love that despite Huda facing such neglect in her life, she is so humble and kind. I love how she immediately provides Alizeh with comfort once she wakes up from her coma and plays a role as a care taker to Omar-making sure he is fed properly and looking out for him since he is a child.
I hope as this story progresses, Huda too finds her happy ending with that special someone who can truly appreciate her for who she is. I also hope that she can gain confidence and grow into a mature young woman while also keeping that cute bubbly side of hers.
I love how we see some of Huda's confidence in All This Twisted Glory where she is 100% unapologetically calling Kamran out for his hypocrisy. I love seeing her fiery and protective side for Alizeh's well being which is such a stark contrast from her being embarrassed/ashamed most of the time. I do hope somewhere down the line she is able to change Kamran's entitlement/stereotypical arrogant noble behavior and be the one to teach him humility. Likewise, I hope Kamran also sees Huda as her own person and that she shows everyone--especially to him that she not shallow or idiotic.
There is so much to be expected TWK #4, I hope that the book delivers *fingers crossed*
