The Pearl that Broke Its Shell by Nadia HashimiMy rating: 5 of 5 stars
Who knows exactly why a story captures our imagination? It's so elusive, and so different for each one of us.
When I picked up The Pearl That Broke Its Shell, I did not know I would become so wrapped up in the story of Rahima and Shekiba. When I was forced to put the book down, I kept wondering what was going to happen next and how the story would end.
In many ways, this is a hard story, a story of poverty, and hopelessness. A story of powerlessness for women. But, it is also a story of empowerment, or, if not empowerment, a light at the end of a tunnel.
Rahima lives with her mother, father, and sisters. They live in a small village, in poverty. Their father is addicted to opium, and their mother is defeated by life. The mother is inconsequential because she did not give birth to any boys. The girls are inconsequential, because, well, they're girls. They cannot rely on their father and they do not have the freedom to even go to market to buy things because of their femaleness.
With the encouragement of their outspoken aunt, Rahima begins to live as a bacha posh - a boy. Now she is Rahim.
Entertwined with the story of Rahim/Rahima is the story of her grandmother, Shekiba. Shekiba also lived part of her life as a male.
Life as males, equaled a freedom of sorts. Life as a female, a life of oppression. Marriage brings abuse and domination. Learning brings a sort of freedom. Where will Rahima and Shekira end up?
As females in America we have so many freedoms we take for granted. We have the freedom to dress as we choose, shop for food freely, learn! We are blessed.
I plan to read The Underground Girls of Kabul, the real lives of girls who live as boys in Afghanistan, and see how it compares with this novel.
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