{"product_id":"the-pearl-that-broke-its-shell-a-novel-isbn-9780062244758","title":"The Pearl That Broke Its Shell: A Novel","description":"\u003cp\u003eAfghan-American Nadia Hashimi's literary debut novel is a searing tale of powerlessness, fate, and the freedom to control one's own fate that combines the cultural flavor and emotional resonance of the works of Khaled Hosseini, Jhumpa Lahiri, and Lisa See.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIn Kabul, 2007, with a drug-addicted father and no brothers, Rahima and her sisters can only sporadically attend school, and can rarely leave the house. Their only hope lies in the ancient custom of \u003cem\u003ebacha posh\u003c\/em\u003e, which allows young Rahima to dress and be treated as a boy until she is of marriageable age. As a son, she can attend school, go to the market, and chaperone her older sisters.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eBut Rahima is not the first in her family to adopt this unusual custom. A century earlier, her great-great grandmother, Shekiba, left orphaned by an epidemic, saved herself and built a new life the same way.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eCrisscrossing in time, \u003cem\u003eThe Pearl the Broke Its Shell\u003c\/em\u003e interweaves the tales of these two women separated by a century who share similar destinies. But what will happen once Rahima is of marriageable age? Will Shekiba always live as a man? And if Rahima cannot adapt to life as a bride, how will she survive?\u003c\/p\u003e | \u003cp\u003eA luminous and unforgettable tale of two women, destiny, and identity in Afghanistan\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eKabul, 2007: The Taliban rules the streets. With a drug-addicted father and no brothers, Rahima and her sisters can rarely leave the house or attend school. Their only hope lies in the ancient Afghan custom of \u003cem\u003ebacha posh\u003c\/em\u003e, which allows young Rahima to dress and be treated as a son until she is of marriageable age. As a boy, she has the kind of freedom that was previously unimaginable . . . freedom that will transform her forever.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eBut Rahima is not the first in her family to adopt this unusual custom. A century earlier, her great-great-grandmother Shekiba, left orphaned by an epidemic, saved herself and built a new life in the same way—the change took her on a journey from the deprivation of life in a rural village to the opulence of a king's palace in the bustling metropolis of Kabul.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eCrisscrossing in time, \u003cem\u003eThe Pearl That Broke Its Shell\u003c\/em\u003e interweaves the stories of these two remarkable women who are separated by a century but share the same courage and dreams. What will happen once Rahima is old enough to marry? How long can Shekiba pass as a man? And if Rahima cannot adapt to life as a bride, how will she survive?\u003c\/p\u003e | \u003cp\u003e“A fascinating look at the unspoken lives of Afghani women, separated by generations and miles, yet achingly similar. This is a story to transport you and make you think.” - \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eShilpi Somaya Gowda, New York Times bestselling author of Secret Daughter\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“Nadia Hashimi has written, first and foremost, a tender and beautiful family story. Her always engaging multigenerational tale is a portrait of Afghanistan in all of its perplexing, enigmatic glory, and a mirror into the still ongoing struggles of Afghan women.” - \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eKhaled Hosseini, author of And the Mountains Echoed and The Kite Runner\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“Hashimi weaves together two equally engrossing stories in her epic, spellbinding debut.” - \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eBooklist (starred review)\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"William Morrow","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":44889192726757,"sku":"NP9780062244758","price":25.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1842\/7735\/files\/9780062244758.jpg?v=1730230721","url":"https:\/\/k12savings.com\/products\/the-pearl-that-broke-its-shell-a-novel-isbn-9780062244758","provider":"K12savings","version":"1.0","type":"link"}