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megha_ks's review against another edition
dark
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
zachnachazel's review against another edition
2.0
If this weren’t part of a book club, I honestly don’t know if I would have kept reading past page 50. I found the opening dry and difficult to engage with as a reader. But I pushed through at the recommendation of others and for the most part, I am glad I did.
The book very much challenged me as a reader knowing that while this is a work of fiction, there are women being treated like this around the world. Fearful of many of the men in their lives, treated as workers and not given the basic opportunities of an education.
With that said, I found both of the interweaving stories to be a bit boring. I just didn’t feel a sense of need to understand what came next.
The book very much challenged me as a reader knowing that while this is a work of fiction, there are women being treated like this around the world. Fearful of many of the men in their lives, treated as workers and not given the basic opportunities of an education.
With that said, I found both of the interweaving stories to be a bit boring. I just didn’t feel a sense of need to understand what came next.
mariahistryingtoread's review against another edition
3.0
I'm really behind on the Asian-Read-A-Thon, but I don't care. The books I chose are interesting any month, and I still want to participate so here I am. I chose this one as the most basic requirement - Read a book by an asian author.
The book tells the story of Rahima, a young Afghan woman who uses the custom of bacha posh - dressing like a boy until puberty makes it impossible to keep up the facade - in order to make money and run errands for her family because her father is a drug addicted soldier indebted to the reining warlord. It is interspersed with a story her aunt tells her about her great-aunt Shekiba who posed as a man as part of the King's guard for his harem.
First off, this book is not split narrative as the summary suggests. It's mostly Rahima's story with Shekiba underlying it. It's just a framing device instead of a fully realized part of the book. The only thing they have in common is the fact that both had to act like boys for a period of their life to get by. The theme seems to be that women have to suffer within their society for a variety of reasons and that's it? Originally I believed Shekiba would provide insight into Rahima's struggles, but there was a distinct lack of a real thematic purpose. Both were interesting, however, Rahima being largely the focal point it would have functioned better overall if Shekiba was a one chapter affair or not included at all. Rahima could have still been inspired by Shekiba without the attempt to flesh Shekiba's story out unnecessarily.
The point of the book overall seemed to be to shed some light on the plight of Afghan women spanning generations. To a point, Nadia Hashimi did succeed. I've read books in a similar vein before so I wasn't shocked by some of the unfortunate realities presented, but there was some additional aspects I hadn't considered that I appreciated reading about. Yet, it also lacked a lot of depth.
For something that is supposed to be central to the entire book, it totally glosses over the years Rahima and Shekiba spend as boys. There is barely any discussion of everyday life and in Rahima's case the threat of being found out or the social ramifications are downplayed immensely. It's like one chapter her aunt gets the idea, and then the next one it's suddenly been four years and everything goes down the drain. It undermines a lot of the contrast between the freedom of being a boy vs being a girl when there is so little detail about what being a boy entails. This continues throughout the entire book. Concepts are touched on only to never go deeper than the surface. And the characters suffer for it. None of the characters are treated as 3 dimensional people. They serve a specific purpose within the story and there motivations or backstories are relative to that functionality.
The last third of the book is severely underwhelming. I was super invested because it felt like we were building to something and then it stalls right before the good part. I didn't expect some sweeping change, but it was so rushed. I know that Rahima is young, and her situation was mostly inescapable anyways, but she didn't have any motivation or fire to really get me on her side. It was mostly just sympathy for her circumstances. In this way Shekiba was a lot stronger. And without any character development for the supporting cast it felt really anti-climactic. It was an ambiguous ending which definitely can work. it just didn't work in this case.
This book is bittersweet. I spent most of it desperately racing through it, hoping it would have an ending I could live with, and while it was okay the journey there, in hindsight, was disappointing.
It's like a toss up between 3 to 3.5 stars.
The book tells the story of Rahima, a young Afghan woman who uses the custom of bacha posh - dressing like a boy until puberty makes it impossible to keep up the facade - in order to make money and run errands for her family because her father is a drug addicted soldier indebted to the reining warlord. It is interspersed with a story her aunt tells her about her great-aunt Shekiba who posed as a man as part of the King's guard for his harem.
First off, this book is not split narrative as the summary suggests. It's mostly Rahima's story with Shekiba underlying it. It's just a framing device instead of a fully realized part of the book. The only thing they have in common is the fact that both had to act like boys for a period of their life to get by. The theme seems to be that women have to suffer within their society for a variety of reasons and that's it? Originally I believed Shekiba would provide insight into Rahima's struggles, but there was a distinct lack of a real thematic purpose. Both were interesting, however, Rahima being largely the focal point it would have functioned better overall if Shekiba was a one chapter affair or not included at all. Rahima could have still been inspired by Shekiba without the attempt to flesh Shekiba's story out unnecessarily.
The point of the book overall seemed to be to shed some light on the plight of Afghan women spanning generations. To a point, Nadia Hashimi did succeed. I've read books in a similar vein before so I wasn't shocked by some of the unfortunate realities presented, but there was some additional aspects I hadn't considered that I appreciated reading about. Yet, it also lacked a lot of depth.
For something that is supposed to be central to the entire book, it totally glosses over the years Rahima and Shekiba spend as boys. There is barely any discussion of everyday life and in Rahima's case the threat of being found out or the social ramifications are downplayed immensely. It's like one chapter her aunt gets the idea, and then the next one it's suddenly been four years and everything goes down the drain. It undermines a lot of the contrast between the freedom of being a boy vs being a girl when there is so little detail about what being a boy entails. This continues throughout the entire book. Concepts are touched on only to never go deeper than the surface. And the characters suffer for it. None of the characters are treated as 3 dimensional people. They serve a specific purpose within the story and there motivations or backstories are relative to that functionality.
The last third of the book is severely underwhelming. I was super invested because it felt like we were building to something and then it stalls right before the good part. I didn't expect some sweeping change, but it was so rushed. I know that Rahima is young, and her situation was mostly inescapable anyways, but she didn't have any motivation or fire to really get me on her side. It was mostly just sympathy for her circumstances. In this way Shekiba was a lot stronger. And without any character development for the supporting cast it felt really anti-climactic. It was an ambiguous ending which definitely can work. it just didn't work in this case.
This book is bittersweet. I spent most of it desperately racing through it, hoping it would have an ending I could live with, and while it was okay the journey there, in hindsight, was disappointing.
It's like a toss up between 3 to 3.5 stars.
jcaballero0725's review against another edition
4.0
Such an eye opening book on how fortunate the women of first world countries really are. I recommend this to anyone who likes to learn of other cultures.
mishsreads's review against another edition
5.0
I still think about Rahima. My grade 10 English teacher recommended this book for my end of semester assignment, and it was one my favourite projects of my entire school career.
I analyzed this book through the lens of how gender roles permeate generations, most of the times intentionally and sometimes times not.
I learned so much from Rahima’s bravery and remind myself how much I owe to my parents for actively refusing to perpetuate the same ideas that surrounded them in their youth and breaking the cycle.
“I didn't know what my naseeb was, much less that of my son. But I decided that night I would do whatever I could to make it the best naseeb possible. For both of us. I was not going to miss any opportunities”
I think about this quite often, I vowed to myself that I am not going to miss any opportunities either <3
I analyzed this book through the lens of how gender roles permeate generations, most of the times intentionally and sometimes times not.
I learned so much from Rahima’s bravery and remind myself how much I owe to my parents for actively refusing to perpetuate the same ideas that surrounded them in their youth and breaking the cycle.
“I didn't know what my naseeb was, much less that of my son. But I decided that night I would do whatever I could to make it the best naseeb possible. For both of us. I was not going to miss any opportunities”
I think about this quite often, I vowed to myself that I am not going to miss any opportunities either <3
bibliobrandie's review against another edition
1.0
I think there is a time and a place for every book and this just wasn't the best time for me to read this book. In the 450 pages there was not one single moment of joy or hope. The pages are filled with physical abuse, child marriage, drug lords, self-immolation, a brutal stoning, rape, and more. The author wanted to write a story that portrayed the perils of being born a girl in Afghan society, and I guess she achieved that. The two main characters, Shekiba and Rahima, alternate chapters and live in two different time periods in Afghanistan but they both face brutality for being born a girl. Women in this book are cruel to one another and quick to sell one another out. The grim life of Afghan girls is vividly depicted but the setting was not vivid at all. I was also interested in more about the bacha posh custom, but it wasn't the main focus of the book. The main focus really was violence and brutality and after finishing the book I felt like I did not get a full story of Afghanistan. My fear is if you were only to read this "single story" of Afghanistan, you wouldn't have a full picture.
jch001's review against another edition
emotional
inspiring
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
tasha97x's review against another edition
dark
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Sad but gripping. The weaving together of the historical and modern day tales of life for women in Afghanistan showed how little had improved in a hundred years. The theme of gender and its fluidity was a key theme