Readers' Comments for THE PEARL THAT BROKE ITS SHELL

In May, a select group of readers who participated in one of our Women's Fiction contests won copies of THE PEARL THAT BROKE ITS SHELL by Nadia Hashimi. Take a look at some of the readers' comments to give you more insight into this book.

Lynda T., of Bloomington, MN

I hope I'm not too late with my response to this book! I'm so grateful to have won a copy of it, and for that matter to have read it.

I actually found myself wondering if this book was actually a biography and not a novel. I know it's not, because it says "a novel" right on the cover, but I can picture women who've grown up in Afghanistan (or who had family / ancestors who did) reading this novel and nodding and saying, “Yes, yes, that's how it was”.

I have several friends who love Khaled Hosseini's novels, and I can't wait to loan this book to them.

I personally grade books on a 1 to 5 scale (0 being a book that I couldn't / wouldn't finish), and I'm going to call this book a 4. That basically means that I enjoyed the book very much, I'm glad I read it, but it's not likely that I'll read it again.

One thing in particular that I found helpful in this book was that each chapter was labeled either Rahima or Shekiba, otherwise I would have had some difficulty in quickly figuring who was speaking.

I will definitely look for other books by this author when she writes them!

Mary S., of Amherst, NY

I was really pleased to be able to read THE PEARL THAT BROKE ITS SHELLby Nadia Hashimi. It is a wonderful story of the resilience of Afghani women in a culture that doesn't always value females and the invaluable roles that these women play in family. You wonder what roles these women could play in the greater community and the country if only given the same opportunities afforded to the males. There are so many hardships and heartaches in the story. You can feel the pain, the humiliation, the frustration, the hopelessness that these women face. I was not familiar with the concept of bacha posh which allows a young girl the opportunity to live and be treated as a son until she reaches puberty. The writing is reminiscent of Khaled Hosseini and I would recommend this book to anyone who has enjoyed his novels. I think this would make a great book club selection; so much to discuss - the culture, the characters, the parallel story lines. Overall, a great read.

SYBIL F., OF LOS ANGELES, CA

THE PEARL THE BROKE ITS SHELL a debut novel by Nadia Hashimi.

The story interweaves the lives of Shekiba in 1900 and Rahima  in 2007 ( her great-great grandmother ), two young Afghan women, separated by a century. This is a novel of the powerlessness  of Afghan women  their dreams ,struggles  and their fate.

Despite the differences in Afghanistan’s political climate, the characters’ stories are remarkably similar.

For insight into the culture and struggles  of women in Afghanistan this book is a good read .

Leane T., of Hartington, NE

I was very lucky to have won a copy of THE PEARL THAT BROKE ITS SHELL by Nadia Hashimi in your contest last month. I have read the book and did enjoy it. The interwoven story of the two Afghan women Shekiba and Rahima opened my eyes to the customs and life style of Afghanistan and their treatment of women.  After I read books like this I feel so blessed to have been raised in a family and a country that encourages all children to become all that they can be and to pray for "a life that's less bitter than sweet".

I enjoy the website Bookreporter.com. It is a big help in choosing books for my book club.

Milly L., of Santa Ana, CA

The concept of bacha posh is an interesting cultural custom that seems to prevail in societies where authority falls solely on men and they mandate how women and children should behave. Women disguising as men in order to fulfill a goal or merely obtain the basic freedom to be their own person has been explored in many books. What makes Hashimi’s book unique is the parallel story telling between Rahima and Shekiba, both women who experienced the freedom of bacha poshand later had to adjust to restrictive traditional values imposed by religion and men.

I found the book somewhat slow at the beginning. It did pick up its pace towards the middle, and left me wanting to know more about Rahima and Shekiba at the end. I would recommend this book with caution…readers should know that once the ‘pearl broke its shell’ we have no idea where it landed.

Eileen S., of Port Washington, NY

I enjoyed reading this novel (that I won in the women's fiction contest). It was a fascinating look inside worlds I knew little about.  The contemporary story, as well as the older one, both tell of the ancient Afghan custom of bacha posh. The stories challenge our modern understanding of the roles of men and women and how they are perceived by a society. The two women are separated by time but united by their gender. Each must find a way to survive and let their lives reflect their true authentic selves. This is a challenge all women can recognize.

Tara L., of Lake Havasu City, Arizona

THE PEARL THAT BROKE ITS SHELL is a captivating, quick read, that will keep you wanting more. It is hard to stop reading at the end of the chapters because they always leaving you wanting to know what happens next. The characters are well defined and you can't help but feel for their heartache and hope for each to have their own dreams come true. I loved that you could see the progression of one character, as she heard the story of the other. Rahima drew her strength and courage from her great-great grandmother's resiliency, and seemed to feel as if it was her duty to take a courageous stance for herself in order to honor her grandmother's legacy. The ending for each woman was bittersweet. I would have liked to know more about what happened to them further down the road, particularly Rahima. But I appreciate that the story ended with a sense of hope and that each had persevered, thus far, through their struggles.

Peggy T., of Succasunna, NJ

First I would like to say I enjoyed this book. I would recommend it to my friends, family, as a book club selection, and anyone who would be interested in a good read. 

THE PEARL THAT BROKE ITS SHELL is mainly about the role of women in Afghanistan. It shows how current day conditions for women in Afghanistan have not really changed much at all and are very much ruled by its men. There is a double story line comparing the role of women in the early 1900s and now. Unfortunately not much has changed. Girls are sold, given away, stolen from their families, used to pay debts. Women/girls in Afghanistan are nothing more than servants to their fathers, husbands and mothers in law. If you do not produce sons you are basically worthless. Maybe today if you are lucky enough to live in a city and have a modern thinking father, you will be able to get an education. 

The current day story is mainly about Rahima and her sisters. No longer permitted to go to school, they must stay home and take care of the house and their father. Her mom, or Madar-jean, needs help with her outdoor chores and errands so she decides to allow Rahima to dress as a boy, which is a custom called bacha-posh. As a boy Rahima can go to the market, bargain with the storekeepers, play with the other boys and even go to school. 

Unfortunately she catches the eye of the local warlord who knows she is a bacha-posh and not a boy at all. Because of this it will now change the future for Rahima and two of her sisters. Parwin, who has a deformed leg and the beauty of the family, older sister Shahla. 

Throughout Rahima's story, intertwined is the story of Shekiba, as told by the girls Aunt Khala Shaima. Shekiba's story parallels Rahima's. Here is where you see that life for the girls and women of Afghanistan is still very much the same as it always was.   Shekiba is also the great, great grandmother of Rahima, who also dressed as a man during her lifetime.  Shekiba was once a guard at the Royal Palace guarding the king’s harem. 

Both stories show the hardships and mistreatment of the women. It shows how as girls there is not much hope for their future. Afghanistan is truly run by the men and at times the Taliban. It shows the medieval and violent punishments of women and girls that still take place today. 

I enjoy fiction where I feel I am learning something at the same time as I am enjoying the story. It saddens me to know how in this day and age Afghanistan is still barbaric in its treatment of women and girls. 

I felt the author Nadia Hashimi did a very good job showing the way life is and was for the women in Afghanistan. It was a good read. I was drawn in by the lives of the characters. I cared about what happened to them. I couldn't a wait to get home to continue reading the book. I thought of the story and the characters throughout the day. That is the sign of a good book! 

Dani D., of Gardners, PA

This was a truly compelling story of Afghani women, spanning from over 100 years ago to modern day. Through the eyes of Rahima, a young girl who lives in a small village in Afghanistan, readers feel the challenges that women face in the turbulent country. Women are treated as slaves at the mercy of their husbands, fathers, and brothers. Rahima is asked to pretend to be a boy so that she can help her family, which was "unlucky" enough to have only daughters. Acting as a boy, Rahima enjoys the freedom to roam the streets, play with other boys, and run errands to help her family survive.

Rahima's store runs parallel to her great-great grandmother Shekiba. Over 100 years ago, Shekiba's life held the same limitations as Rahima. Forced to take care of her family, Shekiba worked the fields as hard as a boy and found it easier to mask her disfigurement under the guise of being male. It was her fate to work as a boy, and later to act like a man in order to perform the duties assigned to her after being sold as a slave to a royal family.

Both women are challenged when they must become women again, stifled by a culture that does not consider women equal to men. Even in the current time period, Rahima suffers in a culture that believes she is the property of her husband. Both women must find the strength to survive and stay true to who they feel like they really are.

This book addresses a country torn between militant groups trying to keep Afghanistan from becoming liberated and more radical groups who try to educate and empower women. The story touches on the political aspects of the country and brings the characters close to the drama as different sides struggle to make their views known.

THE PEARL THAT BROKE ITS SHELL will appeal to anyone who has enjoyed Khaled Hosseini, but also anyone who likes reading about women in different cultures and the struggles they encounter. I recommend this to anyone who likes women's fiction or historical fiction. It's a fantastic book that will remain with me for a long time. I feel very lucky to have been chosen to read this book and I'm looking forward to passing it along to someone else to enjoy as much as I did. Thank you for this opportunity.

Karen F., of Mays Landing, NJ

This was a riveting story of two strong brave women in Afghanistan. The story captured me in the first few pages making it hard to put down. I devoured the book in two days. The author immerses the reader in a culture so foreign to American women, yet touches at you very core. The story intertwined generations which leads the reader to feel the young girls strong connection to her great-great grandmother. A must read!

Jenelle R., of Kernersville, NC

One of the best books I have read in recent memory.  The realism of the story is so poignant.  I hurt and felt joy with the characters.