Not Without — My Daughter Qartulad

Since the release of the Georgian translation, Not Without My Daughter has sparked debates in Tbilisi’s literary salons, women’s shelters, and even law schools. Here is how the "qartulad" version changed the conversation:

It would be irresponsible to write about Not Without My Daughter without acknowledging the backlash. The Mahmoody family (specifically Mahtob, now an adult) has stated that while the core events happened, the book and film dramatized certain elements. Iranians, in particular, have criticized the work for orientalism and blanket stereotyping. not without my daughter qartulad

The Georgian translation, however, sidesteps some of this criticism by reframing the story as a mother-rights narrative rather than an East-vs-West narrative. In Georgia, the enemy is not Iran – it is any legal system that separates a willing mother from her child. Since the release of the Georgian translation, Not

"ჩემი ქალიშვილის გარეშე არ წავალ" (Chemi kalishvilis gareshe ar caval) – When American homemaker Betty Mahmoody’s memoir, Not Without My Daughter, was translated into Georgian (Qartulad), it did not just become another foreign bestseller. It became a cultural reference point for parental determination, captivity, and the unbreakable bond between mother and child. Iranians, in particular, have criticized the work for

For Georgian readers, the phrase "not without my daughter qartulad" represents more than a book title. It encapsulates a universal nightmare: being trapped in a foreign country with your child, facing a legal system that sides with the local parent, and the impossible choice between escape or abandonment.