The Pearl That Broke Its Shell by Nadia Hashimi
This moving novel of Afghani life brings echoes of The Kite Runner. The stories of two women, Shekiba, who lived in the early 20th century, and her great-great granddaughter, Rahima, who lives in contemporary times, are woven and parallel each other to illustrate the meager progress made by women in rural Afghanistan. Rahima, one of five dutiful daughters of a troubled family, finds a degree of freedom as a bacha posh, a girl who dresses and behaves as a boy to provide the conveniences a son offers a family. Rahima’s battle to maintain hope in dismal circumstances and her desperate acts to crate a life will keep you riveted. A true page turner!
Ginger, Breakwater Books, Guilford