In the summer of 2001, twelve year old Fadi’s parents make the difficult decision to illegally leave Afghanistan and move the family to the United States. When their underground transport arrives at the rendezvous point, chaos ensues, and Fadi is left dragging his younger sister Mariam through the crush of people. But Mariam accidentally lets go of his hand and becomes lost in the crowd, just as Fadi is snatched up into the truck. With Taliban soldiers closing in, the truck speeds away, leaving Mariam behind. Adjusting to life in the United States isn’t easy for Fadi’s family and as the events of September 11th unfold the prospects of locating Mariam in a war torn Afghanistan seem slim. When a photography competition with a grand prize trip to India is announced, Fadi sees his chance to return to Afghanistan and find his sister. But can one photo really bring Mariam home? Based in part on the Ms. Senzai’s husband’s own experience fleeing his home in Soviet controlled Afghanistan in the 1970s, Shooting Kabul is a powerful story of hope, love, and perseverance. I found the title of the book a bit off-putting, but I did enjoy the book. The protagonist, Fadi, is a very realistic eleven-year. I enjoyed overall realistic this book felt - based on the author's husband's experiences - and the ups and downs Fadi's family go through are rough, but entirely possible, which gives them a more real feel. The novel takes place in the time around September 11th. I was just about Fadi's age (a few years older) at that time, but while I could relate from an emotional standpoint, of course I could not empathize with the treatment anyone with brown skin went through at that time.
What do You think about Shooting Kabul (2010)?
Insightful, well-written, raw story of one family's move to the US from Afghanistan.
—jemjem26
THIS book is so good that I just kept wanting to read it.
—dastandd
2nd book in the Muslim Voices book discussion grant.
—selvimiss
