Scan barcode
readwithbells's review against another edition
3.75
Striking, loved the locked-room vibe and the third-person omniscient perspective of the room itself rather than the people within it.
I did not realize this was written by a man until I read the introduction. Unclear if that makes this problematic or impressive? Either way, the backdrop of war as many individuals actually experience it and the exploration of an Afghani woman reclaiming her sexuality was interesting, intimate, and dynamic. Why did she have to die at the end though?
I think I'd rather read a similar book from an Afghani woman, but I appreciate this piece nonetheless.
I did not realize this was written by a man until I read the introduction. Unclear if that makes this problematic or impressive? Either way, the backdrop of war as many individuals actually experience it and the exploration of an Afghani woman reclaiming her sexuality was interesting, intimate, and dynamic.
I think I'd rather read a similar book from an Afghani woman, but I appreciate this piece nonetheless.
tiffts's review against another edition
5.0
Wow that was a quick read! With an added layer of an ongoing war around them, this isn’t your typical confessional. And while the story is not a new one, this is definitely a unique take on the comatose husband alongside a mourning, caring and possibly deceitful wife. Or is she? This was especially interesting for the work I do in Afghanistan on women’s empowerment with a sizable chunk on supporting efforts on the elimination of gender-based violence.
I was equally surprised at the deftness in voice that a male writer was able to capture. Well done. And I suppose that is why it became such a quick read for me. You become the unnamed woman. She understand each and everyone of of her movements and words. And at the end of the day it was all about self-preservation.
I’m excited to read more by Atiq Rahimi and to explore modern Afghan voices too.
I was equally surprised at the deftness in voice that a male writer was able to capture. Well done. And I suppose that is why it became such a quick read for me. You become the unnamed woman. She understand each and everyone of of her movements and words. And at the end of the day it was all about self-preservation.
I’m excited to read more by Atiq Rahimi and to explore modern Afghan voices too.
ageorge1877's review against another edition
4.0
Intense and enthralling and hard-hitting with an ending that made me shout 'WHAT' across County Bar
runeclausen's review against another edition
4.0
A courageous book, handing out a pretty harsh criticism of some muslim mens treatment of their wives.
A wife has been repressed and controlled by her husband of an arranged marriage, and his entire family, every since the marriage happened. The man was a taliban fighter, who was away fighting for the first 3 years of the marriage, during which the woman was not allowed to do anything on her own - but she was married to a hero, so what did it matter?
The man who is more in love with his weapons, and war, than his wife, comes back, but does not give his wife any attention, and eventually goes back to war, in which he is shot in the neck and becomes completely paralyzed. His family deserts him, and there's only the wife left to take care of him, and make sure he gets his drops of liquids to keep him alive. During this treatment period she starts talking to her unconscious husband, telling him about all the shit he has put her through and how that has made her feel. She reveals all the deepest secrets of her inner self, and calls out the husband for being a coward rather than a hero.
In the end, the husband suddenly regains consciousness, and kills the woman after having been unable to do anything else than listening to her talking for weeks. The woman dies with a smile on her lips as she curses him one last time.
A wife has been repressed and controlled by her husband of an arranged marriage, and his entire family, every since the marriage happened. The man was a taliban fighter, who was away fighting for the first 3 years of the marriage, during which the woman was not allowed to do anything on her own - but she was married to a hero, so what did it matter?
The man who is more in love with his weapons, and war, than his wife, comes back, but does not give his wife any attention, and eventually goes back to war, in which he is shot in the neck and becomes completely paralyzed. His family deserts him, and there's only the wife left to take care of him, and make sure he gets his drops of liquids to keep him alive. During this treatment period she starts talking to her unconscious husband, telling him about all the shit he has put her through and how that has made her feel. She reveals all the deepest secrets of her inner self, and calls out the husband for being a coward rather than a hero.
In the end, the husband suddenly regains consciousness, and kills the woman after having been unable to do anything else than listening to her talking for weeks. The woman dies with a smile on her lips as she curses him one last time.
hanntastic's review against another edition
2.0
Global Read 23: Afghanistan
I did not have the patience for this book. It was incredibly slow and monotonous and the prose felt fake poetic. Also because there was so little plot or movement or character development it just read as a list of tragedies.
I did not have the patience for this book. It was incredibly slow and monotonous and the prose felt fake poetic. Also because there was so little plot or movement or character development it just read as a list of tragedies.
buecherkarawane's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
mysterious
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
5.0
aubreystapp's review against another edition
4.0
I liked it but I'm not sure why. It was creepy, depressing, takes place inside one room, it's mostly just a woman's ramblings, with a slightly confusing, weird ending (where did the birds come from? Was he a zombie or something? Just...what?), and yet I didn't get tired of it. Huh.