Helpful Score: 3
I'm sorry to say that The Pearl That Broke Its Shell was a pretty disappointing read for me.
I wasn't a fan of the writing style, it didn't flow very well and the storyline became tedious after a while. Women in Afghanistan are subservient to men - first their fathers, then their husbands. Nothing new here and there was never a real connection to either of the dual narrators. So while horrific things happened, such as horrible abuse and cruelty, it never reached me emotionally, though I did appreciate the story's optimistic bent.
I would recommend something like SECRET DAUGHTER by Shilpi Somaya Gowda 100 times before this, and I'm in no hurry to read another book from the author but I am willing to try her again since this was my first read of hers. 2.75 stars.
I wasn't a fan of the writing style, it didn't flow very well and the storyline became tedious after a while. Women in Afghanistan are subservient to men - first their fathers, then their husbands. Nothing new here and there was never a real connection to either of the dual narrators. So while horrific things happened, such as horrible abuse and cruelty, it never reached me emotionally, though I did appreciate the story's optimistic bent.
I would recommend something like SECRET DAUGHTER by Shilpi Somaya Gowda 100 times before this, and I'm in no hurry to read another book from the author but I am willing to try her again since this was my first read of hers. 2.75 stars.
Helpful Score: 1
I loved the premise of the story and learning more about the women and their struggles in Afghanistan however the writing needed a good editing. There were too many times when something was repeated several times. The writing was also not as elegant as I had hoped it would be. I am glad I read the book for the knowledge it afforded me. I just wish it had been told with more style.
