The horrors women endured from other women was something I haven't read much about. It seems that instead of lifting each other up, for the most part they are tearing each other down to gain even the smallest bit of power I've always been equally fascinated and horrified by the struggles and lives of afghan women and how they continue on as bravely as they can in the face of horrible injustices.
I really enjoyed the story I took my time reading it because it's a lot to take in. I'd definitely recommend this book but know that the violence and sadness is real, it will get to you. Jun 26, Connie G rated it really liked it Shelves: historical-fiction , afghanistan , family , book-club.
Set in Afghanistan, the book interweaves the stories of a contemporary young woman and her great-great-grandmother who were both "bacha posh". This is an Afghan custom where families without sons can cut their daughter's hair short and dress her like a boy.
She will be treated as a son, enabling her to run errands, do shopping, attend school, and escort her sisters. When she reaches marriageable age, she will go back to being dressed as a girl. Rachima came from a family of five daughters. She fo Set in Afghanistan, the book interweaves the stories of a contemporary young woman and her great-great-grandmother who were both "bacha posh". She found freedom and was educated as a "bacha posh" until she caught the eye of a warlord when she was Her opium-addicted father sold off Rachima and her two older sisters to be additional wives for the warlord and his cousins.
At her husband's home, Rachima was at the mercy of her husband and her mother-in-law who were physically and emotionally abusive. His wives were only valued when they gave birth to sons. Rachima emotionally had to deal with ever-changing transformations and expectations.
She says, "I was a little girl and then I wasn't. I was 'bacha posh' and then I wasn't. Just as soon as I could adjust, things changed.
Shekiba had also been abused, but eventually found her destiny in a better situation. Rachima drew courage from these stories and from her own years of independence as a "bacha posh". She bravely takes a step to find a better future like "the pearl that broke its shell". The depictions of the roles of women in Afghan society were very interesting--and often heartbreaking.
Reading about Rachima and Shekiba, their family dynamics, the patriarchal society, and the Afghan traditions kept my interest all through the book. Jul 07, Maria rated it it was ok. This book is meaningful in that it traces the history of two women in Afghanistan, years apart.
Their plight indicates how nothing much has changed in their struggle: they are still subjugated to the whims of their fathers and husbands, misogynistic men who are afraid of women becoming liberated. It highlights clearly how men use force and fear to keep women under their control in abusive relationships and that some women are complicit in this arrangement because they know no other way and a This book is meaningful in that it traces the history of two women in Afghanistan, years apart.
It highlights clearly how men use force and fear to keep women under their control in abusive relationships and that some women are complicit in this arrangement because they know no other way and are so abused that they simply want to please the men so they can avoid abuse.
The writing is clear and coherent, but not particularly poetic or outstanding. Much of it simply relays the story in simple language: this happened and I felt this and then this happened and I did this Given all of the glowing reviews, I expected more.
Some described the writing as beautiful, but to me it was plain and simple. There's nothing wrong with that, but I expected more than expository prose. It isn't written as a novel but more as a report of what happened. I wanted poetic language and in depth characterization that drew me in and made me feel empathy rather than sympathy. I wanted to care about these women on a personal level rather than on a global level.
And it never quite got there. I won this in a Goodreads Firstreads giveaway. I don't remember entering but that's neither here nor there. The story goes back and forth between the two. They both lived sad, horrible lives. I think Shekiba got the worst because she was disfigured on her face as a toddler.
Shekiba's brothers and sister died of cholera, her mother went mad and died, and she I won this in a Goodreads Firstreads giveaway. Shekiba's brothers and sister died of cholera, her mother went mad and died, and she lived alone with her father working like a man. They were shunned because of this. After her father died, Shekiba lived with horrible relatives until she was given away to another home. Rahima had to pretend she was a boy since her family only had 5 girls but she was a strong character like Shekiba.
I liked it okay. I'm sure there will be plenty to love it In The Pearl that Broke Its Shell two separate plots are told side by side and demonstrate how little has improved in a century for the daily life of women in Afghanistan.
Rahima and Shekiba's stories and the issues they face are tragically similar, no matter that they were born about years apart. Sadly, I don't really understand why the average rating for this is so high, as I found myself becoming consistently bored not with either of the stories, but with the writing itself, which seemed In The Pearl that Broke Its Shell two separate plots are told side by side and demonstrate how little has improved in a century for the daily life of women in Afghanistan.
Sadly, I don't really understand why the average rating for this is so high, as I found myself becoming consistently bored not with either of the stories, but with the writing itself, which seemed rather flat and plain. The characterisation was also very one-dimensional. It's written less like a novel, and more like a report, listing off the tragedies that were faced by both protagonists.
Even worse, there were some points in Shekiba's storyline where I noticed that the person changed from first to third person within a paragraph. This was jarring and seemed like a mistake on the editor's part. This is a story that must be told, but I don't think this novel did a particularly good job in telling it. Mar 01, Andrea rated it it was amazing Shelves: asia , world-fiction. The story, set in Afghanistan of the early 20th century and the present, tells the story of two women, Shekiba and Rahima.
Shekiba, born at the end of the 19th century,suffers a deforming injury, is orphaned, and eventually becomes a guard in the king's harem. Unprotected and alone, she uses both her wits and her physical strength to survive in a place and time when many women suffered violent lives and deaths.
At the end of the 20th century, Shekiba's great, great granddaughter, Rahima is born The story, set in Afghanistan of the early 20th century and the present, tells the story of two women, Shekiba and Rahima. At the end of the 20th century, Shekiba's great, great granddaughter, Rahima is born to a father fighting for a local warlord.
Overwhelmed with the burden of five daughters, Rahima's father marries the oldest three away into the warlord's family. Rahima's life, never easy, becomes nearly unbearable in the warlord's tumultuous household.
But, she remembers the words of an aunt who tells her, "everyone must have an escape" and watches for the chance to free herself. The stories of the two women not only echo their common heritage, but press home how little Afghani society has changed in it's view and treatment of women. The same rebellions and battles are fought over and over in different places and times by different women.
Through the bravery and intelligence of the two protagonists, Hashimi creates a story that grips the reader's attention. The twists and turns of the plot kept me wondering, cheering and sometimes shedding a tear right down to the final page. View 1 comment. It is still on my Nook before I possessed a kindle but somehow never got around to reading it. Both the audio CD and the audiobook were narrated by Gin Hammond.
Nadia Hashimi proved again that she is a gifted storyteller. One was the great, great granddaughter and the other was the great, great grandmother.
There were many similarities between the two women. They were both strong and determined but oppressed by their circumstances and the times in which they lived. Rahima was the great, great granddaughter.
The presence and influence of the Taliban was felt by all. Women were considered inferior to men and often treated with cruelty and offered little to no opportunities. Rahima was one of five daughters. Her father was badly addicted to opium and treated her mother with little respect. One day, it was decided that Rahima would reinvent herself as a bachata posh or a boy son.
Her name was changed to Rahim, she cut her hair short like a boy and began to wear boy clothes. Rahim was able to attend school and given the opportunity to learn and he began to play sports with some of the boys and formed friendships. Soon her life would change drastically.
Her father arranged marriages for her and her two older sisters. The cruelties, brutality and disgrace she was about to endure would shape her but would eventually give her the courage to pursue her dreams. Her father and her siblings succumbed to cholera and died leaving Shakiba alone to tend their farm. Shakiba would have been happy to tend the land and crops of her family farm but that would not be her destiny.
Her uncles and grandmother intervened and Shakiba was shown nothing but loathing, cruelties and abuse. Her family farm was confiscated by her uncles for their use and they sold Shakiba as a servant to repay a debt.
Shakiba, like Rahima, was made to cut her hair short and wear clothes of a boy. She was removed from the castle and became a second wife. Advanced embedding details, examples, and help! Their only hope lies in the ancient custom of bacha posh, which allows young Rahima to dress and be treated as a boy until she is of marriageable age. As a son, she can attend school, go to the market, and chaperone her older sisters.
But Rahima is not the first in her family to adopt this unusual custom. A century earlier, her great-aunt, Shekiba, left orphaned by an epidemic, saved herself and built a new life the same way. DMCA and Copyright : The book is not hosted on our servers, to remove the file please contact the source url.
If you see a Google Drive link instead of source url, means that the file witch you will get after approval is just a summary of original book or the file has been already removed. Loved each and every part of this book. Exploring themes of gender norms, family, mortality, and the ability of young people to adapt and overcome hardship, The Pearl That Broke Its Shell was an international bestseller and was translated into multiple languages.
It was a Goodreads finalist in both the Debut Author and Fiction categories. Rahima loves being able to wear pants and interact with boys her age, although she feels uncomfortable when approached by older men, including warlord Abdul Khaliq , who has his eye on her.
She chooses to stay a bacha posh longer than expected, which angers her father. The women of the family are devastated when he arranges the triple wedding. As the wedding day approaches, Khala Shaima tells the girls about their great-great-grandmother Shekiba: She was scarred by hot oil when she was only two, leading her to be rejected by those outside her family. She lost her family to cholera and her father to a broken heart soon after, and she continued to tend the family land.
The hard labor gave her a mannish appearance, and she was kept on as a servant when her extended family took over the land. To avoid beatings from him and his ruthless mother, Rahima obeys his every demand. Shekiba finds herself in the custody of Azizullah and his wife Marjan , who work her hard and try to keep her from reclaiming her rightful land. She befriends the lead guard, Ghafoor , but is hesitant to trust anyone. Afghan-American Nadia Hashimi's literary debut novel, The Pearl that Broke Its Shell is a searing tale of powerlessness, fate, and the freedom to control one's own fate that combines the cultural flavor and emotional resonance of the works of Khaled Hosseini, Jhumpa Lahiri, and Lisa See.
Download Free PDF. Set in Kabul in , it centers on a girl named Rahima and her sisters, who struggle in a family run by their drug-addicted father, Arif.
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