City of Widows

by Nadia Hashimi

From bestselling novelist Nadia Hashimi—a gripping, occasionally terrifying, yet ultimately hopeful novel focusing on the women of Afghanistan in the years since the Taliban regained power.

In February 2020 the US began to withdraw troops from Afghanistan after nearly twenty years of occupation. A whole generation of Afghan women had been born during that time—women who had grown up in relative peace, gone to school, entered the professions, even served in the army and Parliament. The women of Afghanistan watched as the Taliban filled the streets again. They knew everything was about to change.

In the bustling, cosmopolitan city of Kabul, women are TV newscasters, shop owners, doctors, teachers, lawyers, even soldiers. They include Marjan, who fought with the Afghan army, and will risk everything to keep her daughter Hawa safe. In her earlier days Marjan was called Rahima and had lived the life of a bacha posh—a girl raised as a boy until she came of age. Forced into an early marriage, Rahima took the name Marjan when she fled her warlord husband. She’s created a whole new life for herself, one she will not give up easily.

So has Soraya, who defiantly wore red lipstick as she led the army’s all-female combat force over the objections of her upper-class family. Soraya’s now a wanted woman whose brother may choose not to shelter her from the Taliban. What will become of her? Or Mina, a journalist and broadcaster whose beautiful face is known to everyone in Kabul—including the new regime?

Fight or flight? Or find a third way? One thing is for none of these women will meekly accept her fate.

An epic saga of fear, resistance, change, and reinvention, City of Widows gives voices to the unforgettable Afghan women at a crossroads of history.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction, Middle East, Literary Fiction, Asia, Audiobook, Contemporary

432 pages, Hardcover

First published July 28, 2026

About the author

Now author, once a pediatrician. Always a reader.

Loves dark chocolate, coffee, animals, justice, and many other clichéd indulgences.

Reviews

[Emily May]

I really wish I could say I liked this more than I did. For a while, I almost talked myself into giving it 3 stars because of how invested I am already in the appalling situation in Afghanistan, particularly the gender apartheid, which makes me feel sick every time I think about it.

I went into it super psyched to care about the characters and have my heart ripped out, but I don't think it ever really delivered. It managed to be distant, slow and even boring, especially in the past chapters, elements of which (like the romance) felt like nothing more than filler. There was no real reason to include them as there was no mystery surrounding the past, nothing we were wondering about. I had this sense that they only existed because there was not enough material in the 2021 chapters to fill a novel.

The story follows several women before and after the 2020 withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan that triggered the almost immediate takeover by the Taliban. In a nightmare reality that seems ripped straight from the pages of The Handmaid's Tale, educated career women in business, journalism, medicine, academia and even the armed forces found themselves forced from their professions. One after another, their rights were stripped away.

Unfortunately, though, I think too much of City of Widows wasn't about that at all. Instead, it zoomed in on Marjan and her escape from an abusive warlord husband. Much of the story feels centred on her evading him and trying to keep him from ever discovering their daughter's existence. The threat of the Taliban acts as more of a backdrop.

The 2021 chapters are more engaging, because at least there are some real and active threats, but even they lost steam after a while. I think a really strong connection to the characters was what was missing throughout, so that even the most dynamic scenes remained fairly distant. I do not think it necessary for every writer to have actually lived through their material, but here it seemed very obvious that the author had no lived experience of this tragedy (thank goodness) and the effect is that I, as the reader, felt firmly an outsider looking in on the story.

My favourite part was discovering that some of the characters were based on the Female Tactical Platoon, a unique and covert special forces unit trained by U.S. Special Operations.

And one last thing:

Marjan liked that the Quran spoke of God creating Hawa, albeit from a rib of Adam.

Really sorry to be pedantic, but it's actually the hadith that mention woman being created from a rib of Adam. This isn't stated in the Quran itself.

[Shantha (ShanthasBookEra)]

"From bestselling novelist Nadia Hashimi—a gripping, occasionally terrifying, yet ultimately hopeful novel focusing on the women of Afghanistan in the years since the Taliban regained power."

It is 2021 and the Americans are withdrawing from Afghanistan. The Taliban is working to take control of the government and punish anyone who worked against them. Marjan is a single mother who escaped the clutches of her warlord husband after being made a child bride. She is a soldier who assisted the Americans to get intel from Afghani women to imprison Taliban members and other domestic terrorists. Marjan's story is told in dual timeline alternating chapters between 2021 and her past beginning with her escaping her marriage to catch up with the present.

This is an incredible, ripped from the headlines read. It brought to light the plight and reality of the citizens there and how difficult life is. But layered in that is a story of hope, resilience, female friendship and the power a group of women united in their cause have. It is a story of motherhood and the bonds between a mother and daughter that gives strength to achieve the impossible. I loved this so much. I read to learn, understand and have more compassion and empathy for those who live in other places and other circumstances. This book does exactly that. Told in a vein reminiscent of Khaled Hosseini and Marjan Kamali, I highly recommend this.

Many thanks to NetGalley, William Morrow and Nadia Hashimi for the gifted advance reader's copies. All opinions are my own.

[Denise Ruttan]

This book felt a little too "ripped from the headlines" at times since the news of people desperately trying to get on planes to flee newly Taliban-controlled Afghanistan is so fresh in my mind from 2021, but sometimes current events have more color and vibrancy when painted with a fictional brush, and that was the case here.

This book shone a light on a platoon of female soldiers recruited by the Americans to work more closely with the women on their missions, something I had never heard of before and was intrigued to read about. It focuses on the story of Marjan and her daughter Hawa, told in dual timelines as she first escapes her abusive warlord husband to whom she was a child bride, and her journey as a soldier in this platoon and trying to escape the country. I wish the story had focused more on her experiences as a soldier than her early life with Hawa, but it was about her overall journey and how she got to the person she was who could become a soldier in a country that's oppressive toward women. This account brings much needed humanization and empathy to the desperation of the refugee story from the point of view of the women.

Marjan is an assumed name that she took from the story of a female warrior that a lion statue at the zoo is named after. She is a complex character and while I struggled with her choices at times, I saw she did the best she could with few good choices, and I admired her persistence and her fight to stay with her daughter, to show her that women were people too who had choices. I found it interesting reading about how vibrant Kabul was before the Taliban takeover even under oppressive rule, and felt a sad ache for the women between the margins who still tried to live good lives. These characters sprung off the page and I felt like they were real people from history, and I also ached for those left behind post-Taliban rule.

I loved the little touches like Soraya and her lipstick, not trying to hide their femininity to prove they could be soldiers. I loved Hawa and her music, though I wish her character got fleshed out a bit more.

The writing style was one I appreciated as well; the prose was clear and vivid without being overly literary. The pace was kept up throughout, and I was at the edge of my seat rooting for Marjan and her daughter to make it, despite some pauses for philosophizing.

This is my first book by this author and she is one I'll be watching from now on. This book was impressive in scope. Finally, a beautiful cover that did not lie but lived up to its promises. This sweeping epic about the resiliency of women was informative, beautiful and compelling.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the advance review copy. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Brielle Weber]

“Women in Afghanistan were trained not to be too attached to their names. When they married, some would be given a new name by their husband’s family. Women existed in relationship to the men around them. They begin their lives as “daughter of” and then were expected to become “bride of” and “mother of.” Rarely did a woman exist for and of herself.”

City of Widows is about the resilience of Afghan woman after the Taliban return to power. It focuses on the lives of several women, many of whom grew up, went to school, and were able to have jobs during the 20 years of US occupation. This was a beautiful story of resistance and it was so interesting to see each woman find their own way. Some in subtle ways, and some in bigger ways. I particularly loved the story between Marjan and Hawa, and the quotes from Khalil Gibran and Rumi woven throughout.

✨4.5 stars rounded up.

Thank you NetGalley and William Morrow for this e-ARC. City of Widows comes out July 28, 2026.

[Tahni]

The harrowing story of Marjan, a soldier in the Afghan military, and her teenage daughter Hawa, as they attempt to flee Kabul during the Taliban takeover after American troops left in 2021.

This is a continuation of the story of Rahima in The Pearl That Broke Its Shell, but you don't have to have read that in order to be captivated by City of Widows.

I'm so thankful for stories that show what Afghan women have to go through under Taliban rule. It's unimaginable as a Westerner to be oppressed like that. This is my fourth of Nadia Hashimi's novels and I've adored them all despite the heartbreak and injustice shown. They expose the realities of life for Afghan women, and the strength and resilience of the protagonists is inspiring.

I'll continue to read more of Hashimi's stories, and will revisit this one at some point too.

Mozhan Navabi narrated the audiobook expertly. Audiobook production was great.

Thanks to HarperAudio Adult, William Morrow, NetGalley, and author Nadia Hashimi for this advanced audiobook to honestly review.

[Kenzie | kenzienoelle.reads]

IG review: https://www.instagram.com/p/Dc9ZNmoHw...

4.25 stars. It’s 2021 and the last Americans troops are withdrawing their presence from Afghanistan. Meanwhile, the Taliban is doing everything they can to take full control of the government and the people. As Afghan woman watch, they see all their freedoms, pleasures and the past 20+ years of slow progress disappear before their eyes.

Marjan has more to fear than the average woman. She was a former soldier for the Afghan army with a broken past that has left her caring for her daughter alone. This has left her vulnerable and high on the enemy list for the growing Taliban forces.

I couldn’t stop reading this story. This book really shined a light on what the lives of different Afghan woman would look like in recent years. From the female journalist bravely sharing news on TV, to the young women college students to the widows who are left utterly vulnerable to Taliban men.

Learning about the Afghan army’s all-female combat force that worked alongside American female soldiers was so interesting and a story I had never heard. Hashimi’s writing had me so captivated by these women’s stories. Highly recommend this one!

Thank you William Morrrow for the gifted book!!

[Shannon (The Book Club Mom)]

Eye-opening, educational, and emotional are three words that I’d use to describe Nadia Hashimi’s latest novel, CITY OF WIDOWS. This story provides much insight on the terror that ensued after the US troops left Afghanistan in 2020, and when the Taliban took over. It focuses specifically on the restrictions put on women and girls, and it’s nothing short of horrifying. Check out this quick synopsis:

𝘍𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘣𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘴𝘦𝘭𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘯𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘭𝘪𝘴𝘵 𝘕𝘢𝘥𝘪𝘢 𝘏𝘢𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘮𝘪—𝘢 𝘨𝘳𝘪𝘱𝘱𝘪𝘯𝘨, 𝘰𝘤𝘤𝘢𝘴𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘳𝘪𝘧𝘺𝘪𝘯𝘨, 𝘺𝘦𝘵 𝘶𝘭𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘭𝘺 𝘩𝘰𝘱𝘦𝘧𝘶𝘭 𝘯𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘭 𝘧𝘰𝘤𝘶𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘰𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘯 𝘰𝘧 𝘈𝘧𝘨𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘯 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘺𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘴 𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘛𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘣𝘢𝘯 𝘳𝘦𝘨𝘢𝘪𝘯𝘦𝘥 𝘱𝘰𝘸𝘦𝘳. 𝘈𝘯 𝘦𝘱𝘪𝘤 𝘴𝘢𝘨𝘢 𝘰𝘧 𝘧𝘦𝘢𝘳, 𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦, 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘳𝘦𝘪𝘯𝘷𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯, 𝘊𝘪𝘵𝘺 𝘰𝘧 𝘞𝘪𝘥𝘰𝘸𝘴 𝘨𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘴 𝘷𝘰𝘪𝘤𝘦𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘶𝘯𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘨𝘦𝘵𝘵𝘢𝘣𝘭𝘦 𝘈𝘧𝘨𝘩𝘢𝘯 𝘸𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘯 𝘢𝘵 𝘢 𝘤𝘳𝘰𝘴𝘴𝘳𝘰𝘢𝘥𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘩𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘺.

This story is quite heavy and was sometimes painful to read. I was holding my breath a lot, biting my nails, and fearing for these women’s lives. The courage and strength displayed by these women was astounding and admirable. The mother-daughter connection throughout is what I loved most about this novel. Marjan and her daughter, Hawa suffer through countless obstacles and hardships, yet share an unbreakable bond.

READ THIS IF YOU ENJOY:

- Dual timelines
- Mother-daughter relationships
- History and politics of Afghanistan
- Women’s rights
- Women in the military
- Emotional reads
- Survival stories

As powerful and intriguing as this story was, I did feel that it lost a little steam around the 75% mark. I really can’t put my finger on exactly why, but my attention did wane a bit. I found myself rereading certain parts and/or skimming to get to the end. For this reason, I had to dock my rating down a bit. Other than that, I highly recommend it for those interested in the history, culture, and politics of Afghanistan.

CITY OF WIDOWS is available now and it gets 3.5/5 stars from me!

[Abby]

I really enjoyed reading this book. The author was new to me. The story takes place almost exclusively in Afghanistan starting around 2010. I learned much about the country and the treatment of women. The storyline is intense at times and I felt every precarious moment. Such strong, interesting women. The main character is apparently from one of the author’s earlier books, but you don’t need to read it to feel the full impact of this book. Highly recommend. The author will be speaking at a book festival in my town in October. Can’t wait to hear her.

[Zehra Housaini]

I came away disappointed with A City of Widows. Rather than feeling like a story rooted in Afghanistan, it read more like a Bollywood film—overly dramatic, filled with convenient plot twists, and lacking the subtlety and complexity that real life in Afghanistan demands.
What struck me most was the lack of authenticity. The characters and dialogue often felt as though they had been written from a distance, not from lived experience or a deep understanding of Afghan society. At times, it seemed as if the author had little sense of the reality on the ground, and I found myself wondering whether she had ever even spent meaningful time in the country.
There were moments when I wanted to connect with the characters, but the lack of authenticity kept pulling me out of the story. For readers looking for an emotionally engaging novel, this may work. But for anyone hoping for a convincing or insightful depiction of Afghanistan, I found it superficial and ultimately unconvincing.

[Laurel]

4.5⭐️ Vivid depiction of life as an Afghan woman during the period of transition from American involvement to Taliban rule. Terrifying. I knew nothing about the female military squadrons made up of both American and Afghan soldiers. I loved everything about this well crafted recent historical fiction except I think it could have been edited down 10-20% and the title City of Widows represents a very small slice of the story.

Thanks to NetGalley for an opportunity to read this advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Nichole Lemons]

I would like to extend my gratitude to William Morrow, HarperAudio, and NetGalley for allowing me to listen to an ALC copy for review purposes.

This is an engrossing story about a woman named Marjan. Marjan, previously named Rahima, was forced into a plural marriage to a warlord. After losing one child, she fled her marriage while pregnant with her second child, a girl. Marjan is determined to give her daughter a better life. She joins the Afghan army, helping the Americans. This puts a target on her back.

I was immediately invested in this story. The narration is superb! Mozhan Navabi brings Marjan to vivid life with her voice. I really enjoy reading women’s stories from all over the world. Marjan’s journey has its ups and downs, full of situations I would never face here in America. This should be required reading.

Absolutely recommend, can’t say enough good things about this book.

[Stephanielikesbooks]

“It was incredibly difficult to be an unattached woman in this [Afghan] world that required women to be claimed by a father, a husband, a son.”

City of Widows is a fascinating novel about the aftermath of the 2021 US withdrawal from Afghanistan and the T*liban’s return to power. While fictionalized, the story is informed by research and, as the author notes, interviews with Afghans who fought with the Americans.

The story follows Marjan, a young Afghan woman whose difficult life led her to fight with the US-backed Afghan army as part of a female platoon. She is desperately trying to flee the country with her young daughter, Hawa, as the T*liban seek vengeance on those who aided the Americans, while simultaneously reimposing brutal conditions on women and girls.

Even before 2021, life was circumscribed and limited for women and girls in the patriarchal society: “Women existed in relation to the men around them…Rarely did a woman exist for and of herself.”

I was completely engrossed in this novel and both of its timelines (2014 and 2021). I remember watching the televised scenes of the Afghanistan airport as people desperately tried to board planes before the Americans left the country. This novel personalized and brought all of that clearly to life.

This is a haunting story that seeps into you. But it is also, just as importantly, one of resilience and the strength of community and sisterhood.

Highly recommend, particularly if you enjoy:

✅ an absorbing and gripping read
✅ vivid writing that immerses you in the time and place of the story
✅ a vulnerable but strong, determined main character
✅ an informative look at women in today’s Afghanistan

Thanks to William Morrow for the complimentary digital copy. All opinions are my own.

[Bethany]

After the United States withdrew troops from Afghanistan in 2020, the Taliban soon seized control of the country. Women of Afghanistan knew things would change, among them Marjan, who was forced into marriage as a teen before escaping while pregnant and changing her name, eventually fighting with the Afghan army. Soraya, Marjan’s best friend, fought alongside her in the Female Tactical Platoon, and Mina is a journalist whose face is well know as she regularly reports on the events in Kabul. The women of Afghanistan must do everything in their power to persevere through these oppressive conditions.

This is an incredibly powerful, albeit absolutely heartbreaking, read. Nadia Hashimi’s writing is exceptional, and the book ties closely to current events in Afghanistan over the past 15 years. The book is primarily focused on Marjan’s story, with her daughter Hawa, alongside Mina and Soraya as supporting characters. While the story is devastating, it’s such an important read, being both informative and emotional as it shows the strength of these women in this tragically unfair life. This is a book of resilience and hope amidst impossible circumstances, and I’d highly recommend it!

Thank you to William Morrow Books and NetGalley for my gifted digital copy!

[Kate Allison]

4.5 ⭐️rounded up. Put this on your reading last as it publishes soon! Thanks to Net Galley for early access to the audiobook.
This is a fascinating story and history of a woman in Afghanistan who goes from child bride, to homeless, to Afghan soldier, to woman on the run, to refugee. This follows the timeline of US involvement in Afghanistan and also the unresponsible and hasty withdrawal of the US from the country.
This book is raw, real, and full of woman power!

[Reeca Elliott]

Forced into an early marriage, Rahima took the name Marjan when she fled her warlord husband. She’s created a whole new life for herself, one she will not give up easily. Soraya’s now a wanted woman whose brother may choose not to shelter her from the Taliban. What will become of her? Or Mina, a journalist and broadcaster whose beautiful face is known to everyone in Kabul—including the new regime?

I love the setting and the strong women characters in this tale. These women are forces of nature. And had to be to survive. Their plights are different but yet they are the same! But their strength is amazing.

I am in the minority on this book. As much as I love the setting and learning about Afghanistan and what all the women went through and are still going through, I was not a big fan of this writing. I felt like there was a lot of useless information that I didn’t need. It also is a bit fragmented and disjointed. But there are a lot of people that love this book. Do I think you should read it? Absolutely! You should not miss it just for the knowledge that you take away.

Need a story with a great setting and strong women….THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today.

I received this novel from the publisher for a honest review.

[EmG ReadsDaily]

Haunting. Immersive. Harrowing.

[Ellen Shaffer]

This was an excellent read although disturbing. I learnt a great deal about the situations the Afgan women faced, and how they courageously fought against the forces of fate.

[LAErin]

4.5 stars … a riveting read

[Flannery Buchanan]

If I could give it ten, I would. Beautiful.

[Ashwini]

4,5 stars

[Jasminegalsreadinglog]

​I never start my review this way, but here we go... I finished reading this book at 1 am today and I am still processing my feelings. Grief, anger, sadness, and in some ways complete numbness come to my mind right now. At the same time, there's an element of awe at the bravery, strength, and courage of the real-life women who have fought and are still fighting for their agency. I won't say resilient, because what choice do they have other than to fight for survival?

​The City of Widows is a reality that everyone should read. There are some books that you fear to read because you know what's coming, but you can't resist reading them anyway. Marjan is a fighter. She has been on the run, but she keeps fighting for her daughter. Told across different timelines, this is Marjan's struggle for her freedom and agency.

​Set in Afghanistan, this book is not an easy read. The author has captured the tense atmosphere of women's lives in a country stuck at the crossroads of cultural tradition and radical conservative ideals. The women and girls struggle for their agency in this land, but there are glimmers of resistance, like a bold lipstick that looks so small yet speaks volumes. An incredible book that leaves many questions behind. Who is responsible for this anarchy? You deduce.

​Thank you to William Morrow Books for the gifted physical copy.

[Jenny (Readingwhilemynailsdry)]

City of Widows follows Marjan as she navigates life in Afghanistan during a period of political change, witnessing firsthand how shifting regimes reshape the lives, freedoms, and futures of women.

This was an eye opening and, at times, unbelievable read. I thought I had a general understanding of what life was like for women in Afghanistan, but this book made it clear that I really didn't understand the full extent of the challenges and restrictions women faced.

What struck me most is that this isn't ancient history...it is relatively recent. I remember hearing about some of these events in the news, but reading about them through the perspective of someone actually living in the country gave them a completely different weight. While this is a work of fiction, it is rooted in real events and realities. Several incidents mentioned in the novel actually happened, and I found myself stopping to research them because I wanted to understand more.

One of the most heartbreaking aspects was seeing how quickly hope and progress could disappear. What appeared to be meaningful change was suddenly taken away, a reminder of how fragile rights and freedoms can be. The book also highlights that while governments and laws can change quickly, changing long held ideologies and societal attitudes is a much slower and more complicated process. For Marjan, the struggle was not only about surviving political upheaval, but about protecting the future she hoped to create and finding a way forward in a world where so much remained beyond her control.

Interestingly, despite the compelling story and difficult subject matter, I didn't feel the emotional pull I expected. I'm not entirely sure why, because the story itself is powerful and thought provoking. For me, the lasting impact came less from an emotional connection to the characters and more from realizing how much I didn't know and feeling compelled to learn more about the real history behind the novel.

This is a fascinating read that goes beyond telling a compelling story - it encourages readers to look beyond the pages and learn more about the people and events that inspired it. I finished the book with a much greater understanding than I had when I started, and a desire to continue learning about this history.

[robookz]

thank you harper collins for an advanced copy of this book! a full review WILL be coming once this is released but all i can say now is - wow. what a masterpiece. hashimi’s prose is so uniquely evocative, i haven’t felt this way about a book in a while.

tragic, beautiful, and so very necessary.

and to sum this work of art up with just one quotation from it:

“Her mother tongue has so many ways to issue condolences, an invention of necessity.”

[leslie collins]

I remember the news stories from when the Taliban took over Afghanistan soon after the American withdrawal of troops. The story is there in the back of my mind. City of Widows puts a face and shines humanity on a news story that is far away and tragic. This novel focuses on Marjan who escapes her warlord husband and soon finds herself the mother of Hawa. She must keep her secret in order to protect herself and her daughter.

At one time women had some rights and were able to work, go to school and move freely this came crashing to a halt in 2021 when the Taliban took over Kabul. Women not only had to hide their past but it was evident there was little future in store for them. Marjan became a member of the Female Tactical Platoon mostly out of desperation but soon excelled at her role. She worked for the Americans and created a means to survive for herself and her daughter. Once the Americans left and the Taliban ruled Marjan was a fugitive. The Taliban hunted her and those like her immediately. One can feel the fear and desperation to leave the country.

The story gives an informative and emotional account of women and girls in Afghanistan from 2010 to 2021. We see many aspects of life for an unwed woman and the obstacles she faces. Marjan's story is captivating and it easily transfers to the real women who went through the same event. This story will stay with me for some time. Thank you Netgalley for the chance to review this novel. My opinions are my own.

[Kymm]

As an American, I'm already feeling shame for what my country is doing all over the world the war with Iran, the bombing of a girl's school, the murder of people in boats in the Caribbean, so reading this made me not only feel more shame but made me damn angry with my country. These Afghan women and men helped us during the war; they were essential to the fight yet when it's over and we pull out; we left the majority of them behind to suffer the consequences of them working with us. I always heard the one constant of every soldier was no man or woman left behind, and they left them to fend for themselves. Even Congress ignored the calls from Americans in Afghanistan for help for these soldiers and aides.

Marjan is an amazing example of the will of women in a country that doesn't see woman as more than wives and mothers, lesser than. With her daughter in tow, she first fights alongside American soldiers on an elite team, she's dropped into dangerous territories to root out terrorists only to be left behind. It's an infuriating story, but it's also a beautiful story of the strength and resiliency of these women. This story will have you so angry one moment and in tears the next. The almost unbelievable story of living as a woman in such a place but then to add on the fact that the Taliban is hunting her for helping us is heartbreaking. I highly recommend this book to everyone, especially women. It's an amazing experience. Happy Reading!

[Jennifer]

Since the inception of time, humanity has craved the beauty and comfort found only in the tapestry of story, embroidered with the threads of tragedy and triumph. We seek the steaming warmth of a tale steeped in suffering, fraught with friendship and fate, loyalty and betrayal, and slashed through with love’s double-edged sword. And all stories begin with a mother.

This story starts two decades ago with Bibikoh, Mother of the Mountain. She struck up a conversation with a couple of other widows in town, and they came here together because they were safer as a collective. More widows followed, with sad babies and sad stories: stories of rape, underage marriage, domestic violence. Whose only witnesses to their abuse had been the relatives of their husbands. They were inspired by their faith that there must be a place between war and love, a place where a woman scorned could rest her eyes and her head.

A woman will not be underestimated. This invisible city with these hidden homes in a silent uprising became a world apart from men: the city of widows–those whose husbands were dead or dead to them–was born. Teachers, activists, artists, owners of small businesses came to sip chai or to indulge in a water pipe, to whisper about lovers or to rant about injustice. Here, in this city of widows and words, in this space of hushed secrets and audacious aspirations, the expression of the women’s faces were not marked by fear but with a bold lip and the aviator gaze of defiance.

Great love demands great courage. Maybe going to battle for oneself is the greatest love story of all. Protagonist Marjan thinks of herself as a guest house. She has been so many women in her life: feisty Bacha posh tomboy, betrayed child bride, nervous mother, lionhearted survivor, hopeful romantic, widow by choice. Which is her true identity? It is in embracing them all that we become whole. Champion of women’s untold stories, alchemist of fiction into humanitarian aid, Nadia Hashimi’s City of Widows is literary gold!

[Kari Ann Sweeney]

"𝘞𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘯 𝘪𝘯 𝘈𝘧𝘨𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘯 𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘪𝘯𝘦𝘥 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘣𝘦 𝘵𝘰𝘰 𝘢𝘵𝘵𝘢𝘤𝘩𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘯𝘢𝘮𝘦𝘴. 𝘞𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘮𝘢𝘳𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘥, 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦 𝘸𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘣𝘦 𝘨𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘯 𝘢 𝘯𝘦𝘸 𝘯𝘢𝘮𝘦 𝘣𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘩𝘶𝘴𝘣𝘢𝘯𝘥'𝘴 𝘧𝘢𝘮𝘪𝘭𝘺. 𝘞𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘯 𝘦𝘹𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘪𝘯 𝘳𝘦𝘭𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘱 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘮𝘦𝘯 𝘢𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘮. 𝘛𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘣𝘦𝘨𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘭𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘴 𝘢𝘴 "𝘥𝘢𝘶𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘰𝘧" 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘦𝘹𝘱𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘣𝘦𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘦 "𝘣𝘳𝘪𝘥𝘦 𝘰𝘧" 𝘢𝘯𝘥 "𝘮𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘰𝘧." 𝘙𝘢𝘳𝘦𝘭𝘺 𝘥𝘪𝘥 𝘢 𝘸𝘰𝘮𝘢𝘯 𝘦𝘹𝘪𝘴𝘵 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘰𝘧 𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘦𝘭𝘧." CITY OF WIDOWS ⁣
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This is the 3rd book I’ve read by Nadia Hashimi. I appreciate her work for the captivating writing and candid storytelling that continues to broaden my education and understanding of Afghanistan culture. ⁣
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City of Widows focuses on Marjan, an Afghan soldier and mother facing the impossible task of protecting her daughter during the return of the Taliban in 2021 as the US military withdrew from Kabul. It could have very easily veered into "bleak" territory. However, Hashimi portrayed harsh realities with authenticity while blending in elements of resilience and hope.⁣
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Fabulous on audio as narrated by Mozhan Navabi.⁣
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Note: I wouldn’t call this a sequel to her debut- 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐏𝐄𝐀𝐑𝐋 𝐓𝐇𝐀𝐓 𝐁𝐑𝐎𝐊𝐄 𝐈𝐓𝐒 𝐒𝐇𝐄𝐋𝐋, but it is a continuation of Rahima:Marjan’s story. ⁣

[Amy]

YES: A book I borrowed from the library to try before I buy (tired buying hundreds books and hating half)

I read first ch or more -first 10-100 pages skim around at times. I read many of my GR friend's reviews. This is what I did and didn't like:

I like the cover but it’s a bit bright.

An Epic Saga of three Afghan Women at a Crossroads of History Under the Taliban-a former soldier, a combat force leader, and a journalist - face life-altering choices as the Taliban returns to power in Kabul. Themes: Literary • Sisterhood • Gender studies YES

The writing is wonderful! A Great story about something I’d like to understand a bit better. I love strong women mc in hard times. Also love mother/dtr plots.

[Ray Lewis]

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an early audio copy, all opinions are my own. Hashimi’s writing combined with narration from Mozhan Navabi meld together for an exceptional story. I was immediately sucked into the world through the eyes of an Afghan woman. A mother, daughter, soldier, fighter. This is a story of resilience and felt so important to be shared, prior to this I had no idea Afghan women served along side US troops, the books brings a much needed human perspective to a politicized event. This one will be sticking with me for a long time, thank you to Hashimi and Navabi for telling the story of the women in the Female Tactical Platoon.

[Kendall Ziegler]

City of Widows tells a story about lives of women in Afghanistan that feels so real I had to keep reminding myself it is a work of fiction. Hashimi roots the story of Marjan and Hawa and their world in actual events that occurred in Kabul during the Taliban’s rise to power and the removal of American military presence in 2021, which makes their story come to life on the page. At its core this is a story of survival, sisterhood, friendship and hope for the future in a world full of so much fear and loss.