A review by spinstah
The Pearl That Broke Its Shell by Nadia Hashimi

4.0

Initially I wasn't so sure about this, but it turned into one of those books you think about when you aren't reading it. I don't want to say too much, for fear of giving away interesting plot twists, but the novel it intertwines the stories of two Afghani women, Rahima and an ancestor, Shekiba. Rahima is a young girl who is forced to marry a man much older than herself. Her aunt tells her the story of Shekiba, who is also separated from her family. Shekiba's story sustains Rahima, and ultimately guides many of the decisions she makes in her life, including the last, and biggest, one. I very much enjoyed this and I recommend it. Note that there are some passages that are a little difficult to read (mostly domestic violence), but none if it is rendered graphically.

I have an ARC of this that I picked up at a, so if you are local & interested in reading it I'll be glad to pass it on.