I won this book through GoodReads! Having the privilege of a first read was lots of fun! I really enjoyed this novel! The story follows the life of a young Afghan girl, Zulaikha, who, born with a cleft lip, struggles with her own self image as she comes of age. In a country previous wrought by the restrictions of the Taliban, Afghanistan is in a time of change under the presence of the American soldiers. Zulaikha comes into direct contact with American soldiers as they help her fix her cleft lip and provide her father with profitable employment. There is a glimpse of the marriage process in the book as her sister marries young, leaving her starving for companionship. She finally begins to learn to read and write from her mom's friend Meena and desires to go to school to learn more. This book is a wonderful blend of story and culture. The different cultural aspects were what really intrigued me in this book. While many of the Afghan words stopped me in the beginning (even with the wonderful glossary, it was hard to get into immediately), it was fascinating to see Afghanistan's perspective on American presence. What is even cooler about this book is that the perspective comes from a young girl in a culture that rarely lets women speak or think freely. The encounters with the Americans really highlight the contrast in cultures, as Zulaikha does not understand a handshake or soldiers speaking to her rather than her father. While heartbreaking, I also enjoyed following the parallel tale of her sister as she finds herself in the married state. I could not imagine marrying someone whom I did not see until the actual wedding day!This novel is incredibly powerful and is a great tool for any middle school classroom. The cultural and political aspects are present and relevant. Beyond that, the themes of identity, personal growth, and independence can all lead to an enriching literary discussion. This novel really makes the reader more understanding of and sympathetic to the citizens of Afghanistan's situation. There is so much hatred directed towards Afghanistan that is based on false misconception and stereotypes. I believe this novel can be used to help eradicate and prevent these assumptions from forming, especially when starting at a young age. The story here is profound and the picture that we are given of Afghanistan and how some of the Afghani people view the Americans is eye opening. The customs that are glimpsed in the story are eye opening as well. So from that perspective I found the book likeable. Where I had a problem was with the actual writing of the book. The story didn't flow, the sentences were choppy and the vocabulary was pedantic. I would have liked the author to challenge my sensibilities a bit more especially since the subject matter of the story was so serious and mature. Glad I read it, but not sure I would recommend it unless you are looking for something specifically related to Afghanistan.
What do You think about Words In The Dust (2011)?
beautiful book! I read this for a parent/child book discussion group this week. I am glad I did.
—sharon
Heart breaking, hopeful, amazing, resilient, brave, eye opening. The ending is crushing!
—Ryan
A glimpse into the life of a girl from Afghanistan. Serious and emotional read.
—Hohei
