Review by Maggie Perkovic October 2008
Mariam is only 15 when she is married to troubled and bitter Rasheed who is 33years her senior. Unable to give him children, her marriage becomes very unhappy and when he takes 15 yr old Laila as his second wife Mariams life becomes unbearable. However, Mariam & Laila find consolation in each other and Laila's children become as dear to Mariam as if they were her own.
Rasheed is brutal and unkind to both of them and with the war in Kabul, both with the Russians and then the Taliban, there is a time for all of them to suffer but the women have to endure a life that appears to have no happy ending.
This is a compelling and well written book that shows us how women have no respect or place in Afghan society. Men are the rulers and although under the Russian authority things were better, once the Taliban took command again women were placed at the very lowest level of society.
Despite this the two women show us how they managed to make a better life for the children against terrible odds.
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