The text is designed such that the stories of the Egyptian women the author interviewed are central and portrayed as being outside the scope of essentialist conceptions. The author begins most chapters with photos of the women and their stories, then proceeds to make broader points that are grounded in the stories. Psychosocial and feminist theory is outlined in the beginning of the text, serving as the base for the stories to rest on. By using less theory and focusing more on stories and how they fit within the historical context of Egypt and patriarchy in the Middle East, she humanizes those whom she worked with.
