The Pearl That Broke Its Shell: A Novel

Nadia Hashimi

May 2014 · Sold by Harper Collins

About this eBook

Afghan-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.

In 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 bacha posh, 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.

But 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.

Crisscrossing in time, The Pearl the Broke Its Shell 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?

Ratings and reviews

I loved the way the book was written very captivating. I finished it in about 3 days because I couldn't put it down. The story is sad and hopeful at the same time.

I feel blessed having read this book...it is something more than life...How do you come up with these ideas Nadia ma'am... Thank you so much. I can feel Rahima and Shekiba around me and have become a big fan of both of them and yours too.... It's a must read book.😊

A while back I bought a book for $1 at the dollar store. I didn't believe it would amount to much, but I was wrong. the book was The Secret Life of Bees. once again, 4 $1.99 my expectations were low. I was wrong! Once again, I had bought an amazing book. I did nothing until this book was read from cover to cover.

About the author

Nadia Hashimi is a pediatrician turned international bestselling novelist and daughter of Afghan immigrants. She is the author of four books for adults, as well as the middle grade novels One Half from the East and The Sky at Our Feet. She lives with her family in the Washington, DC, suburbs. Visit her online at nadiahashimibooks.com.