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Zulaikha hopes. She hopes for peace, now that the Taliban have been driven out of Afghanistan. She hopes for a good relationship with her hard stepmother. And she hopes one day even to go to school, or to have her cleft lip fixed. Zulaikha knows that all will be provided for her, Inshallah “God willing. Then she meets Meena, who offers to teach her the Afghan poetry she taught her late mother. And the Americans come to the village, promising not just new opportunities, but surgery to fix Zulaikha`s face. These could mean a whole new life - but can Zulaikha dare to hope they will come true?
Trent Reedy`s breathtaking first novel, based on his experiences serving with the US Army in Afghanistan, shows astonishing insight into the different cultural attitudes of the traditional people and their peace- keepers, and, in a land where hidebound traditions clash with an emerging desire for freedom, offers humanity and hope.
About the Author
TRENT REEDY grew up in Iowa and has always loved telling stories. He majored in English at the University of Iowa and paid for his course by joining the Iowa Army National Guard. Called up to serve in Afghanistan in 2004, he experienced bad feelings both about the war and leaving his wife and home. One of the children he encountered in Afghanistan was a young girl named Zulaikha, who had suffered since birth from a cleft lip. A U.S. army doctor gave her corrective surgery, and Trent was inspired by Zulaikha`s quiet courage and dignity. The last time he saw her, he promised that he would tell her story. Returning to Iowa in 2005, he taught English before taking a Master of Fine Arts degree in writing at Vermont College of Fine Arts. He now lives with his wife and dog Wiggles in Washington State, where he is hard at work on his second book.ISBN
9781847802712
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Pages : 352
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