Originally released in Lebanon in Arabic in 2005, "Girls of Riyadh" was not officially banned in Saudi Arabia but its publishing was met with resistance due to perceived controversial and non-conservative content by a female author. Rajaa Alsanea faced criticism and speculation on whether she had the help and influence of a man in the novels writing, given its success. Alsanea carried out many interviews in Lebanon proving her authorship in response. Some critics accused the novel of pandering to western ideals while others applauded "Girls of Riyadh" for its refreshing stance on the Middle East that pushes back against inaccurate stereotypes while also condemning the existence of others in Saudi culture e.g. forced marriages. Alsanea faced legal action over the novel's publication which was later dismissed in court. She commented in 2007 that people would buy all the copies of the book from bookshops in order to stop its circulation. This happened at Riyadh Book Fair, which is Saudi Arabia's largest book fair.