A review by isnotacrayon
The Secret Sky by Atia Abawi

3.0

This novel is truly comparable to Romeo & Juliet, though with a slightly more hopeful ending. A former NBC Afghanistan news correspondent writes about two teenagers, Fatima and Sami, whose greatest transgression is being alone together, but even that is punishable by death. When they are caught alone by Sami’s cousin Rashid, it sparks cruelty from family members. Their families refuse to allow marriage because they are from two different Afghan races, with much tension between them. The decision to run away to the city and get married causes them to be hunted by Taliban soldiers, who leave bloodshed in their wake.
The Secret Sky sheds light on a culture that most Americans know little to nothing about, and its portrayal is both powerful and frightening. This one is not for the faint of heart, due to graphic violence. My biggest issue was how two people who have never even kissed before and have barely seen each other for a decade will suddenly be married and spend their lives together, but that could just be my cynicism. The fundamentalist leaders’ flaws were particularly heavy-handed, but I don’t know enough about the truth to question it. Overall, the culture was unique compared to things I’ve read before, but the writing didn’t blow me away, and it’s a story we’ve all heard before, just in a different setting.
3.5 out of 5 stars