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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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About this listen

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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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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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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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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Can't wait to read more by this amazing Nadia Hashimi. I loved the book, which like Afghanistaani authors combines poetry and metaphor to paint literary images to provide great insight and understanding to a culture a world away from mine.

A powerful, emotive story demonstrating female strength in the face of gender-based adversity

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I read this as part of the 52 book reading challenge. This was not something I would have chosen to read but I am so glad I did.
I learned a lot about a culture I know little about and totally immersed in their story.
Read it!

Empowering, Tragic and beautiful

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