This novel was an interesting way to learn about life for a young Afghani girl. In Darya we learn of the repressive life of females in Afghanistan. We follow her jouney to India and then England where she is always being ruled by men. There is a feminism to this novel that was really strong. I did find Darya's time in England to be the longest part of the novel and more predictable. The love story between Dary and the Englishman David is rather predictable and somewhat "Harequin" but the novel has a lot of important things to say about women's rights in Middle East at this time that far outway any of the standard love struggle. ( )

Love this author! Can't wait for her next book. ( )

Love this author! Can't wait for her next book. ( )

wordt aangeraden in "De geur van koffiebloesem"

WARNING: This review contains spoilers.

What an emotional journey this book takes you on. The protagonist is Daryâ, an Afghan girl who begins her tale by saying she has always been told she was wicked. She is not a meek, obedient girl -- she is inquisitive and stubborn. She has an excellent voice and her description of her experiences is very evocative. I loved her descriptions of the landscapes she passed through and the scenes of quiet domesticity. But her life is rather tough in places and downright harrowing in others -- her time with Osric Bull toward the end of the book prompted horror and outrage on my part. I couldn't read fast enough to get away from his depravity and wickedness, taking advantage of a woman because she has no other choice. By this point (which is pretty close to the end) I had become so emotionally invested in Daryâ that it made me cry to think that Osric had gotten the better of her. Fortunately, her strength and a fortuitous rescue pull her through. Yay!

Actually, this book is an important reminder for women in more affluent societies that not so long ago things were not very good for our sex. Imagine being treated as a man's possession, good only for producing children sons and not being able to fend for yourself, not even being able to travel unaccompanied by a man. The men in this book were jerks for the most part, except for Kaled and David. Oh and Govind. Kaled was great. He was wise and reasonable, while his son, the man Daryâ is married to (it's an arranged match), is a second son who feels inferior and takes it out on his wife. She's his third wife, he's never had kids, and he blames her. Sure she has a curse of childlessness put on her by her dad's second wife, but you have to think that hubby can bear some of the blame for the lack of children. Well, he can't think that, but the reader certainly can.

In any case, if you enjoy gripping personal stories, strong female characters who face tough choices, literature set in Victorian times, and evocative description, pick this book up. ( )