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The Pearl That Broke Its Shell

A Novel

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The Pearl That Broke Its Shell

By: Nadia Hashimi
Narrated by: Mozhan Navabi
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Afghan-American Nadia Hashimi's literary debut novel 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.

In Kabul, 2007, with a drug-addicted father and no brothers, Rahima and her sisters can only sporadically attend school, and can rarely leave the house. 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-great grandmother, Shekiba, left orphaned by an epidemic, saved herself and built a new life the same way.

Crisscrossing in time, The Pearl the Broke Its Shell interweaves the tales of these two women separated by a century who share similar destinies. But what will happen once Rahima is of marriageable age? Will Shekiba always live as a man? And if Rahima cannot adapt to life as a bride, how will she survive?

 Destiny Family Life Genre Fiction Historical Fiction World Literature
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A deeply personal and very moving story woven together across the generations. I felt I was bearing witness the lives of so many Afghan girls and women. This story was beautifully written and narrated. I’ll be looking out for other books by Nadia Hashimi.

Heartfelt and heart breaking in equal measure

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the way the story went back and forth was fantastic. to know that one life interweaves with a future one to help it was brilliant

loved the characters

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Saying I enjoyed this story feels wrong since it isn't often a happy one. But interesting, well written and it had me gripped. I would recommend.

Well written & well read

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This book was sad but really engaging. I loved the aunt; she was such a strong, steady presence for her nieces. The mother’s grief was hard to read, and some of the losses were honestly heartbreaking. It’s a powerful story about two Afghan women fighting for their place in the world. I liked Rahima’s brave ending, and Shekiba’s too, though I kind of wish she’d gotten her father’s land. Overall, an emotional and memorable read.

Two Afghan women fighting for their place in the world

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the cruelty of men. It really opened my eyes as to how these wemon had to exist at the hand's of men.

nasib

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