City of Widows

In The City of Widows, Hashimi gives an unforgettable voice to the women of Afghanistan- their resilience, strength, and bravery. I loved it.

The story follows three women: a former soldier and fiercely protective mother, a combat leader, and an outspoken journalist. Fans of The Pearl That Broke Its Shell will love revisiting Rahima (now Marjan) as she evolves from a child bride who escapes a brutal marriage to a soldier conducting dangerous covert military operations, and finally to a mother fighting for her daughter's survival. She is the emotional backbone of this book and my favorite character by far, keeping you turning pages.

However, beyond Marjan, there is Soraya, who led the army's all-female combat unit wearing bright red lipstick in defiance and resistance, and Mina, an outspoken broadcaster whose public face becomes a liability under the new regime. Each woman faces impossible choices.

The story also highlights the brutal treatment of women by showing how their rights were swiftly curtailed after the 2021 Taliban takeover and through characters who face forced marriages, career bans, and are hunted for their support of US troops.

What really hits home is the truth behind this. I vividly remember images of Afghans climbing onto the wings of planes as they took off and the anger I felt when it was made public that the US abandoned secret forces ( like the women in this story) who were immensely helpful in breaking down cultural barriers.

This book will appeal to fans of emotional, character-driven stories and books about strong women; however, I should note that it goes beyond that, as it contains so much truth that readers can relate to. There is also a correlation to our current political climate and the efforts to push back on women's rights and degrade the importance of career fields dominated by females, for example. I highly recommend this for book clubs.

Many thanks to NetGalley and William Morrow / HarperCollins for sending me this e-ARC. I love getting an early peek at new books from my favorite authors.

If you love this one, go back and read The Pearl That Broke Its Shell - same author, equally good, and it's actually connected to this story!