The Pearl that Broke Its Shell by Nadia Hashimi

 

"I knew nothing of that kind of love. I knew nothing about pearls and shells except that one had to free itself from the other. We were both calmer than we should have been, Benafsha because she had lived her love, and me because I had never known it."

                   -Shekib, from the novel

This novel was suggested by one of our Page Turners. It was difficult to read because of the extreme mistreatment of women in Afghanistan. And the addition of foreign phrases made the story more authentic but challenging. I rate it a 3.

Rahima has a difficult family life with an addicted father and is forced to become a bacha posh, or to present herself as a boy in order to help provide. Her aunt Khala Shaima tells her stories of her great-great-grandmother, Shekiba, who also had to survive a harsh life. These stories inspire her to "break her shell."

Novels like this showing the life of women in other cultures make me even more grateful to be an American!

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The Page Turners liked the book, rating it 3.8. Most agreed that it was disturbing to read of such cruelty. Some found the transitions of time setting confusing, as well as the unusual character names. In discussing how Khala Shaima got away with so much more than the other women, one member said, "her disability led to her invisibility." Very interesting!

The extreme oppression of women led to some discussion of our own experiences with being undervalued and underestimated as women back in the day!