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Let me begin by saying I *love* Yousef Al-Mohaimeed's writing style which builds on the lore of his culture to create something contemporary but also mysterious and beautiful. "Munira's Bottle" is the story of one woman's love and heartbreak against the backdrop of the first Gulf War in Iraq, and Munira's story is gathered along with the sad stories of so many other Muslim women who attempt to forge meaningful lives of love and fulfillment in a culture that usually does not allow for it, giving the expression "war of the sexes" a whole different meaning from the way we use it in the West. Here, the motifs of battle and weapons are used to describe romantic relationships throughout. Munira and her clients' (Munira is a social worker) stories are collected in a bottle that her grandmother gave her, a receptacle for sad stories--a symbol for the secrecy at the heart of women's lives and bodies. She is told by her grandmother that sad stories help the grass to grow. There is indeed power in the voices of these women, especially in the gathering of their tales, like a chorus for change. At times, however, Munira's story is broken up a little too much by the others, making this almost read like a collection of stories where I personally would prefer Munira's story to be further developed. I think I would give this one 3.5 stars if that were an option. Al-Mohaimeed's telling of these women's stories is sensitive, thoughtful, and credible, and I enjoyed this empowering but sad book that moved me to tears at times.