This women-only book club is obsessed with literature’s most unhinged

Alaa Ayman, a 26-year-old woman, has searched for a community where she can bluntly share her thoughts and unapologetically express her feelings. Being a voracious reader with a book always in hand, who is well aware of the usual dynamics of mixed-gender settings where women are frequently misunderstood, judged, or dismissed, she decided to look for a book club that is for women and women only. And when she couldn't find one, she built one: 'The Unreliable Narrators'.

Once a month, a group of women meet in one of Cairo’s serene cafes, where they would gather around a large table with coffee cups scattered among notebooks and pens, and discuss fiction, life, and everything in between.

The meeting starts with members taking turns reading aloud their favourite quotes from the month’s book, one that has to be written by a female author, particularly those that history has labelled as “problematic” or mentally unstable—think Sylvia Plath, Virginia Woolf, or Eve Babitz—and sharing their experience reading it.Inevitably, the conversation drifts, moving from literature to relationships, politics, womanhood, or anything that might be remotely related to the book being discussed. And sometimes, the discussions turn deeply personal.

One woman shares a recent accomplishment, another opens up about a struggle she’s navigating. These moments are often reassuring and sometimes even healing. You find yourself reflecting the same emotions, doubts, and hopes just like all these women who are coming from entirely different walks of life. There’s a shared sense of solidarity, an understanding that makes you feel seen and heard. And by the end of each meeting, phone numbers are exchanged, Instagram handles are shared, and friendships begin to take shape.

“Women are constantly asked to justify their behaviour, apologise for their feelings, and ‘rationalise’ their emotions,” Ayman explains. “Men don’t face that same scrutiny. We are often framed as the unreliable narrators, and that’s what inspired the name.”

The Unreliable Narrators kicked off in September 2025, and over the past few months, it has grown into a space for more than 30 women to share stories they can’t share elsewhere. The meetings are usually held in open cafés, often with gardens, around a large table that always seems to have room for one more curious woman to join. But to officially become a member of the club, you can reach out via Instagram at @tun_bookclub or on TikTok at @the.unreliable.na.

“I didn’t expect the book club to become a whole thing,” Ayman says. “I didn’t expect to make friends with so many incredible women, and for that, I’m really grateful.”