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Silent Hearts
For fans of A Thousand Splendid Suns comes a stirring novel set in Afghanistan about two women—an American aid worker and her local interpreter—who form an unexpected friendship despite their utterly different life experiences and the ever-increasing violence that surrounds them in Kabul.
In 2001, Kabul is suddenly a place of possibility as people fling off years of repressive Taliban rule. This hopeful chaos brings together American aid worker Liv Stoellner and Farida Basra, an educated Pakistani woman still adjusting to her arranged marriage to Gul, the son of an Afghan strongman whose family spent years of exile in Pakistan before returning to Kabul.
Both Liv and her husband take positions at an NGO that helps Afghan women recover from the Taliban years. They see the move as a reboot—Martin for his moribund academic career, Liv for their marriage. But for Farida and Gul, the move to Kabul is fraught, severing all ties with Farida’s family and her former world, and forcing Gul to confront a chapter in his life he’d desperately tried to erase.
The two women, brought together by Farida’s work as an interpreter, form a nascent friendship based on their growing mutual love for Afghanistan, though Liv remains unaware that Farida is reporting information about the Americans’ activities to Gul’s family, who have ties to the black market.
As the bond between Farida and Liv deepens, war-scarred Kabul acts in different ways upon them, as well as their husbands. Silent Hearts is an absorbing, complex portrayal of two very different but equally resilient women caught in the conflict of a war that will test them in ways they never imagined.
In 2001, Kabul is suddenly a place of possibility as people fling off years of repressive Taliban rule. This hopeful chaos brings together American aid worker Liv Stoellner and Farida Basra, an educated Pakistani woman still adjusting to her arranged marriage to Gul, the son of an Afghan strongman whose family spent years of exile in Pakistan before returning to Kabul.
Both Liv and her husband take positions at an NGO that helps Afghan women recover from the Taliban years. They see the move as a reboot—Martin for his moribund academic career, Liv for their marriage. But for Farida and Gul, the move to Kabul is fraught, severing all ties with Farida’s family and her former world, and forcing Gul to confront a chapter in his life he’d desperately tried to erase.
The two women, brought together by Farida’s work as an interpreter, form a nascent friendship based on their growing mutual love for Afghanistan, though Liv remains unaware that Farida is reporting information about the Americans’ activities to Gul’s family, who have ties to the black market.
As the bond between Farida and Liv deepens, war-scarred Kabul acts in different ways upon them, as well as their husbands. Silent Hearts is an absorbing, complex portrayal of two very different but equally resilient women caught in the conflict of a war that will test them in ways they never imagined.
336 pages, Hardcover
First published July 24, 2018
80 people are currently reading
3001 people want to read
About the author
Gwen Florio
16 books156 followersGwen Florio is the author of the Lola Wicks crime series ("gutsy," says the New York Times) as well as SILENT HEARTS (Atria, 2018), a standalone set in Afghanistan. A new crime series starts in November 2020 with the publication of Best Laid Plans (Severn House). Her first novel, MONTANA, won the Pinckley Prize for debut crime fiction, and a High Plains Book Award. Florio is a veteran journalist who has covered stories ranging from the mass shooting at Columbine High School and the Oklahoma City bombing trials, to the glitz of the Miss America pageant and the more practical Miss Navajo contest, whose participants slaughter a sheep. She's reported from Afghanistan, Iraq and Somalia, among other countries, as well as Lost Springs, Wyo. (population three). She lives in Missoula, Montana. She is represented by Richard Curtis,
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 175 reviews
July 5, 2018
4.5 stars
This story is a powerful reflection of post 9/11 from multiple perspectives and it gave a view that we didn’t always see from this side of the world when the war was going on in Afghanistan. Most of the novel takes places there as Liv and her cad of a husband Martin, a man with a dead end academic career takes a job at an NGO in hopes of achieving the professional recognition he thinks he deserves. Liv takes a job with the organization as well, in hopes of helping the poverty stricken women and children whose lives have been torn under the Taliban. Their story takes place along side another husband and wife who are in an arranged marriage. Gul, a traditional Afghani, and his western educated wife Farida who is placed as translator in the organization. Their objectives are tied to Gul’s father whose aims are as secretive as Martin’s whose work is not really aligned with assisting the Afghani women. Martin uses Liv to get information on the husbands of these women and Gul and his father use Farida to get information on what the organization is really doing. What these men hadn’t bargained for was the power of these two women and the strength of the bond of friendship between them . Life in Kabul for all of them grows increasingly intense and volatile culminating in an end I couldn’t have predicted.
There is much here about the role of women in this culture where they are made to wear a burka and for me it was difficult to understand the culture where women are subservient to men, but that is the tradition, that is the belief. It was also hard to accept at first, how Farida with her western education and views so easily accepted her life as a submissive wife. It’s interesting to see her marriage along side Liv’s and there were times when they seemed much more alike than different. There is much here about what happened in Afghanistan that I didn’t know.
The novel reads smoothly and moved at a good pace, but it really picks up in Its intensity in the last third. It wasn’t until the last third of the book that the bond and true friendship forged between these two women was apparent. How that friendship developed was missing earlier and that was a little bit of a disappointment, but there is no mistaking how much they cared about each other and respected each other in the end. This is a powerful, informative story of the conflict, the culture in Afghanistan and a salute to strong women. I highly recommend it !
This was a regular monthly read with Diane and Esil and as always it’s fantastic to discuss a book with them.
I received an advanced copy of this book from Atria Books through NetGalley.
This story is a powerful reflection of post 9/11 from multiple perspectives and it gave a view that we didn’t always see from this side of the world when the war was going on in Afghanistan. Most of the novel takes places there as Liv and her cad of a husband Martin, a man with a dead end academic career takes a job at an NGO in hopes of achieving the professional recognition he thinks he deserves. Liv takes a job with the organization as well, in hopes of helping the poverty stricken women and children whose lives have been torn under the Taliban. Their story takes place along side another husband and wife who are in an arranged marriage. Gul, a traditional Afghani, and his western educated wife Farida who is placed as translator in the organization. Their objectives are tied to Gul’s father whose aims are as secretive as Martin’s whose work is not really aligned with assisting the Afghani women. Martin uses Liv to get information on the husbands of these women and Gul and his father use Farida to get information on what the organization is really doing. What these men hadn’t bargained for was the power of these two women and the strength of the bond of friendship between them . Life in Kabul for all of them grows increasingly intense and volatile culminating in an end I couldn’t have predicted.
There is much here about the role of women in this culture where they are made to wear a burka and for me it was difficult to understand the culture where women are subservient to men, but that is the tradition, that is the belief. It was also hard to accept at first, how Farida with her western education and views so easily accepted her life as a submissive wife. It’s interesting to see her marriage along side Liv’s and there were times when they seemed much more alike than different. There is much here about what happened in Afghanistan that I didn’t know.
The novel reads smoothly and moved at a good pace, but it really picks up in Its intensity in the last third. It wasn’t until the last third of the book that the bond and true friendship forged between these two women was apparent. How that friendship developed was missing earlier and that was a little bit of a disappointment, but there is no mistaking how much they cared about each other and respected each other in the end. This is a powerful, informative story of the conflict, the culture in Afghanistan and a salute to strong women. I highly recommend it !
This was a regular monthly read with Diane and Esil and as always it’s fantastic to discuss a book with them.
I received an advanced copy of this book from Atria Books through NetGalley.
July 4, 2018
This is a powerful novel. It begins just before the 9/11 attacks and follows the story of an educated Pakistani woman, Farida, and an American woman, Liv. Liv follows her husband to Afghanistan after the attacks because he thinks he can inject new life into his career as a professor and researcher. The fact that she’s female enables her to “help” him with collecting information talking to Afghani women, which really means she’s the one doing all the work. Farida is her interpreter.
These two women are strong in the face of the harrowing position of women in Afghanistan under Taliban rule. After twenty-five years of Russian occupation, the Taliban took over. Part of their rule meant women couldn’t work unless they were widows, and then they could only work alongside other women. Farida was sent to an arranged marriage, and her husband insisted that she wear a burka. The only reason she’s allowed to work as an interpreter is because her new husband’s family wants her to bring back information gleaned from the Americans she works for.
This is a fascinating story of how the forces of Afghanistan under the United States’ desire for retribution impacts the women, their relationship with each other and with their husbands.
I’ve been a big fan of the five books in Florio's Lola Wicks’ mystery series. This stand-alone novel is not one you will soon forget. Highly recommend.
Thanks so much to Atria Books and the author for an advance copy of this book, which RELEASES JULY 24, 2018.
For more of my reviews, please visit: http://www.theresaalan.net/blog
These two women are strong in the face of the harrowing position of women in Afghanistan under Taliban rule. After twenty-five years of Russian occupation, the Taliban took over. Part of their rule meant women couldn’t work unless they were widows, and then they could only work alongside other women. Farida was sent to an arranged marriage, and her husband insisted that she wear a burka. The only reason she’s allowed to work as an interpreter is because her new husband’s family wants her to bring back information gleaned from the Americans she works for.
This is a fascinating story of how the forces of Afghanistan under the United States’ desire for retribution impacts the women, their relationship with each other and with their husbands.
I’ve been a big fan of the five books in Florio's Lola Wicks’ mystery series. This stand-alone novel is not one you will soon forget. Highly recommend.
Thanks so much to Atria Books and the author for an advance copy of this book, which RELEASES JULY 24, 2018.
For more of my reviews, please visit: http://www.theresaalan.net/blog
July 24, 2018
5 piercing stars to Silent Hearts! 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟
Farida Basra is an educated Pakistani woman, and on top of that she has been working outside the home to help support her mother and father. Although they are all educated, her family’s finances are limited because of Farida’s grandfather’s decision to oppose the Partition of Pakistan from India.
Farida’s parents worry she will never marry. She has not been happy with any potential suitors. They finally take a “bride price” for her in exchange for her marriage to someone she has never met, the illiterate son of an Afghan strongman. Farida worries desperately for her future and what this marriage will mean for her, as she will likely have to accept a traditional role in her marriage. Once she marries, eventually she is living with her husband in Afghanistan.
Liv Stoellner is an American aid worker who has moved to Afghanistan along with her husband to help women reclaim their lives after years of subservience, servitude, and abject violence under Taliban rule. She and her husband, Martin, have their own crosses to bear within themselves and in their marriage. They are hoping for a fresh start and a new purpose.
For Farida and her husband, Gul, moving to Afghanistan is full of sacrifices from each of them with Farida losing contact with her family, and Gul having to confront demons from a lifetime ago.
The two women are bound together as friends as Farida works as Liv’s interpreter. Both women are resilient and strong, and they each have different experiences in Kabul and are treated dissimilarly.
What I loved most was gaining insight into people’s experiences in Afghanistan post-September 11, especially the contrasting experiences of the female main characters. Gwen Florio is a journalist, and her writing is like butter to read, silky smooth, and the pacing built in intensity as the story moved along.
Overall, Silent Hearts is a deeply resonant story that challenged my thinking about cultural differences, power, politics, and the status of women across many cultures, including my own. Silent Hearts is highly recommended if you are looking for enthralling and thought-provoking storytelling.
Thank you to Atria Books for the complimentary copy of this most unforgettable read. Silent Hearts will be published on July 24, 2018!
My reviews can also be found on my blog: www.jennifertarheelreader.com
Farida Basra is an educated Pakistani woman, and on top of that she has been working outside the home to help support her mother and father. Although they are all educated, her family’s finances are limited because of Farida’s grandfather’s decision to oppose the Partition of Pakistan from India.
Farida’s parents worry she will never marry. She has not been happy with any potential suitors. They finally take a “bride price” for her in exchange for her marriage to someone she has never met, the illiterate son of an Afghan strongman. Farida worries desperately for her future and what this marriage will mean for her, as she will likely have to accept a traditional role in her marriage. Once she marries, eventually she is living with her husband in Afghanistan.
Liv Stoellner is an American aid worker who has moved to Afghanistan along with her husband to help women reclaim their lives after years of subservience, servitude, and abject violence under Taliban rule. She and her husband, Martin, have their own crosses to bear within themselves and in their marriage. They are hoping for a fresh start and a new purpose.
For Farida and her husband, Gul, moving to Afghanistan is full of sacrifices from each of them with Farida losing contact with her family, and Gul having to confront demons from a lifetime ago.
The two women are bound together as friends as Farida works as Liv’s interpreter. Both women are resilient and strong, and they each have different experiences in Kabul and are treated dissimilarly.
What I loved most was gaining insight into people’s experiences in Afghanistan post-September 11, especially the contrasting experiences of the female main characters. Gwen Florio is a journalist, and her writing is like butter to read, silky smooth, and the pacing built in intensity as the story moved along.
Overall, Silent Hearts is a deeply resonant story that challenged my thinking about cultural differences, power, politics, and the status of women across many cultures, including my own. Silent Hearts is highly recommended if you are looking for enthralling and thought-provoking storytelling.
Thank you to Atria Books for the complimentary copy of this most unforgettable read. Silent Hearts will be published on July 24, 2018!
My reviews can also be found on my blog: www.jennifertarheelreader.com
July 5, 2018
What do we really know of living a life in a country that has been torn apart by war, for over thirty years? What do we know about their daily lives, their culture? This novel takes us into the heart of Afghanistan, shortly after the attack in the US of 9/11. Four main characters, two from Afghsnistan and two sent by the US, a husband and wife, ostensibly to find a way to help the Afghani women. The characters were not completely fleshed out, we learn just enough to keep the story moving.Rather stereotypical characters, the professor husband, flirting with his students, think he know everything about Afghanistan because he once interviewed some of them in a controlled setting. His wife Liv, once his student, trying to ignore his attempted conquests. Farida, a young educated women, about to unwillingly embark on an arranged marriage to an uneducated man, and her new husband. Actually he was the surprise. The characters though, I felt weren't the main point this story was trying to relate. It turned out to be about a strong friendship that develops between two very different women, and the similarities, despite culture, that they share.
What I didn't expect was how much this book made me think. Can we ever really undestand what it is like to live in a country where war and struggle is a daily occurrence? Are we judging this culture and the way it exists through Western eyes, imposing our thoughts on a culture we little understand? Are we really so different than they are? Do women here have total and equal control of their lives? Abused, murdered, raising children alone, at the mercy of a system that is stacked against them? Of course, so how different are we? A matter of degrees, perception? Are we taken in by our news channels who show us only what they want us to know? Our government who uses worse case scenarios to elicit enough outrage just to pursue their own agenda? I don't know all the answers to these questions, but it certainly is room for thought, and I know where I'm leaning.
So as you can see a very thought provoking book, and one whose message will linger. Intense, it actually builds in intensity as the story progresses. Breath holding at the end. I came to care greatly about these two women, as they came to care about each other. A great book for discussion groups.
My June read with Angela and Esil. Love our monthly reads, our discussions, invaluable insights.
ARC from Edelweiss.
What I didn't expect was how much this book made me think. Can we ever really undestand what it is like to live in a country where war and struggle is a daily occurrence? Are we judging this culture and the way it exists through Western eyes, imposing our thoughts on a culture we little understand? Are we really so different than they are? Do women here have total and equal control of their lives? Abused, murdered, raising children alone, at the mercy of a system that is stacked against them? Of course, so how different are we? A matter of degrees, perception? Are we taken in by our news channels who show us only what they want us to know? Our government who uses worse case scenarios to elicit enough outrage just to pursue their own agenda? I don't know all the answers to these questions, but it certainly is room for thought, and I know where I'm leaning.
So as you can see a very thought provoking book, and one whose message will linger. Intense, it actually builds in intensity as the story progresses. Breath holding at the end. I came to care greatly about these two women, as they came to care about each other. A great book for discussion groups.
My June read with Angela and Esil. Love our monthly reads, our discussions, invaluable insights.
ARC from Edelweiss.
January 18, 2019
Find all of my reviews at: http://52bookminimum.blogspot.com/
Bear with me kids because I read this one back in . . . .
And it was my first (probably last, as well) paper ARC from Atria *cries forever for being such a failure* . . . .
I have zero excuse. I actually thought I had reviewed this already. But thar she blows right on my “Currently Reading” shelf.
So the story here is about two very different women who come to work together/form a friendship in 2001 Kabul. Farida has ended up there after being uprooted from her homeland of Pakistan thanks to an arranged marriage. Liv has ended up there after being uprooted from her homeland of America thanks to her husband as well. While Farida is surprised to find herself falling in love with the husband she never wanted in the first place, Liv finds herself falling in love with her work while her husband attempts to #metoo anyone he possibly can . . . including Farida who works with their organization as a translator.
The blurb isn’t lying when it compares Gwen Florio to Khaled Hosseini. If you enjoyed his books, there is a very good chance you’ll enjoy this as well. I found the characters to be well-developed, the pacing set at a true page-turning beat, and the storyline compelling. Not to mention the direction things take once you get to know everyone . . . .
ARC provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Bear with me kids because I read this one back in . . . .
And it was my first (probably last, as well) paper ARC from Atria *cries forever for being such a failure* . . . .
I have zero excuse. I actually thought I had reviewed this already. But thar she blows right on my “Currently Reading” shelf.
So the story here is about two very different women who come to work together/form a friendship in 2001 Kabul. Farida has ended up there after being uprooted from her homeland of Pakistan thanks to an arranged marriage. Liv has ended up there after being uprooted from her homeland of America thanks to her husband as well. While Farida is surprised to find herself falling in love with the husband she never wanted in the first place, Liv finds herself falling in love with her work while her husband attempts to #metoo anyone he possibly can . . . including Farida who works with their organization as a translator.
The blurb isn’t lying when it compares Gwen Florio to Khaled Hosseini. If you enjoyed his books, there is a very good chance you’ll enjoy this as well. I found the characters to be well-developed, the pacing set at a true page-turning beat, and the storyline compelling. Not to mention the direction things take once you get to know everyone . . . .
ARC provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
July 6, 2018
I don’t know why, but I expected Silent Hearts to tread more lightly, but it’s pretty hard hitting, especially as you get toward the end. The story focuses on two couples who’s lives intersect in Afghanistan soon after 9/11. Liv and Martin are from the US and go to Afghanistan to do work that is meant to help Afghani women. Farida and Sul have recently moved to Afghanistan from Pastikan, where Sul’s father runs a shady business and Farida works as an interpreter for the organization where Liv and Martin work. With this set up, the story focuses on the role and plight of women in both the US and Afghanistan. It also deals with the role and effect of foreigners coming into countries such as Afghanistan to ostensibly help women. These topics are dealt with intelligently; there is no black and white; but there is certainly no place for Westerners to feel superior or like they can offer simple solutions. What the story lacks in character development, it makes up for with its thought provoking set up and plot.
This was a monthly read with Diane and Angela, which as always, made for a much richer reading experience. Thanks also to Netgalley and the publisher for an opportunity to read an advance copy.
This was a monthly read with Diane and Angela, which as always, made for a much richer reading experience. Thanks also to Netgalley and the publisher for an opportunity to read an advance copy.
July 24, 2018
4.5 stars
I came across Silent Hearts during one of my many NetGalley searches and was lured in by the message that it would appeal to fans of Khaled Hosseini’s A Thousand Splendid Suns; my most recommended book. There is no doubt that Gwen Florio is an extremely talented writer. Her words created a setting in which I could easily visualize the scenes themselves (which is usually hard for me, I am more of a dialogue fan than description for that reason). Her years as a journalist - and experience covering conflict zones - aided in her crafting the unlikely friendship between Liv and Farida, our two protagonists in Silent Hearts.
Liv is married to Martin (a character whom I detest) whose work with a non-governmental organization will bring them to Kabul, Afghanistan after the September 11th terrorist attacks. At first it is Martin’s expertise that is sought after, but you will come to find that Liv is the backbone of the operation. Farida is hired as a local interpreter to aid Martin and Liv’s transition. Farida comes from a progressive family: she is educated, speaks several languages, and has held a job. Her family needs her dowry and marries her off to Gul – an uneducated man from a well off, very strict traditional family – freedoms she once enjoyed are compromised and a new frightening world awaits. Her father-in-law has motives of his own when he lets her take a job as an interpreter. In a place where women are not respected, it will be Martin who treats his wife more poorly than Gul will treat Farida.
At the 85% mark my heart started pumping with anger, fear, and anticipation. I was scared for the future of these two women that I had grown so fond of. They put themselves in danger every day for other women, and other women are shown to do the same. The story will come full circle and you will realize the placement of certain characters and scenarios were carefully crafted. This will not be the last of author Florio’s work that I will read: the only question is which one will I start with?
To read my reviews visit: www.saturdaynitereader.com
I came across Silent Hearts during one of my many NetGalley searches and was lured in by the message that it would appeal to fans of Khaled Hosseini’s A Thousand Splendid Suns; my most recommended book. There is no doubt that Gwen Florio is an extremely talented writer. Her words created a setting in which I could easily visualize the scenes themselves (which is usually hard for me, I am more of a dialogue fan than description for that reason). Her years as a journalist - and experience covering conflict zones - aided in her crafting the unlikely friendship between Liv and Farida, our two protagonists in Silent Hearts.
Liv is married to Martin (a character whom I detest) whose work with a non-governmental organization will bring them to Kabul, Afghanistan after the September 11th terrorist attacks. At first it is Martin’s expertise that is sought after, but you will come to find that Liv is the backbone of the operation. Farida is hired as a local interpreter to aid Martin and Liv’s transition. Farida comes from a progressive family: she is educated, speaks several languages, and has held a job. Her family needs her dowry and marries her off to Gul – an uneducated man from a well off, very strict traditional family – freedoms she once enjoyed are compromised and a new frightening world awaits. Her father-in-law has motives of his own when he lets her take a job as an interpreter. In a place where women are not respected, it will be Martin who treats his wife more poorly than Gul will treat Farida.
At the 85% mark my heart started pumping with anger, fear, and anticipation. I was scared for the future of these two women that I had grown so fond of. They put themselves in danger every day for other women, and other women are shown to do the same. The story will come full circle and you will realize the placement of certain characters and scenarios were carefully crafted. This will not be the last of author Florio’s work that I will read: the only question is which one will I start with?
To read my reviews visit: www.saturdaynitereader.com
June 12, 2020
3.5/5
Žinot, kas man yra baisiau už bet kokius trilerius ir detektyvus, už geriausiai sukaltus ir įtampos pilnus pasakojimus apie serijinius žudikus, keršytojus, psichopatus, sociopatus ir panašaus plauko smaguolius? Va tokios vat knygos kaip „Tylios širdis“. Oda vyniojasi, pirštai atgal riečiasi, prakaitas muša ir drebulys krečia skaitant apie į medžiagų sluoksnius vyniojamas moteris, prievartavimus, užmėtymus akmenimis, pjaustymus ir kitus žalojimus, nuosavybės teises į žmogų. Gerklę gniaužia skaitant kaip moterys prievartą gali patirti tiesiog viduryje turgaus, kaip bijo pažvelgti vyrui į akis, o ką jau kalbėti apie lipimą į taksi, jei esi be palydos, kaip patiria kasdienį pažeminimą, kaip yra pardavinėjamos tarsi daiktai – savo tėvų, brolių, vyrų, sugulovų. Čia man yra tikrasis siaubas. Ir paskaičius imu galvoti su kuo mieliau būčiau uždaryta viename kambaryje – Hanibalu Lekteriu ar tuo, kurį „Tyliųjų širdžių“ veikėjos vadina sutuoktiniu.
Sakau iš karto ir nuoširdžiai: ne, literatūrinių gelmių čia tikrai nėra. Veikėjai plėtojami labai pusėtinai ir vidutiniškai, ne visada įtikinamai – truputį per greitai, truputį per staigiai, per dramatiškai, truputį melodramatiškai. Daug kur praplaukiama paviršiumi, ypač kai kalba pasisuka apie žmonių psichologiją, subtilesnį istorijos pasakojimo būdą, nepateikiant skaitytojui visko ant lėkštutės, nenutėškiant prieš nosį visų faktų ir jų nesukramtant iki minkščiausios košės. Bet, bet, BET: autorė akivaizdžiai atliko namų darbus. O kas mano apžvalgas skaito, tas žino – prie seksualinės orientacijos man praktiškai reikėtų prirašyti „netingiai parašytos knygos“. Todėl „Tylios širdys“ be jokios abejonės krenta į kategoriją knygų, prie kurių buvo padirbėta – politinis, istorinis, ekonominis, socialinis kontekstas, veiksmas vejantis veiksmą, jokių nereikalingų gelmių ir prasmių ieškojimų, kuriems autorė galbūt neturi literatūrinių galimybių. Bet ji neapsimeta turinti, situacijas pateikia greitai, aiškiai ir konkrečiai, o man to pakanka. Pakanka, kad nenorėčiau knygos paleisti iš rankų, o beveik 400 psl.sudoročiau per dieną – nes tiesiog noriu žinoti, kas dar gali nutikti, kad naktį galėčiau sapnuoti baisiausius įmanomus košmarus. „Tik su dukra“ aš vis dar kartais sapnuoju. Bus proga paįvairinti savo „siaubingas elgesys su žmonėmis (moterimis)“ sapnų kategoriją. Tai ačiū.
Turbūt esu truputį mazochistė, bet šią knygą priskirčiau prie tobulo greito vasariško skaitinio kiekvienam, kuris neturi kantrybės skaityti visokių myli-nemyli, nužudė-nenužudė tipo tralialiuškų. Truputį intelektualiau, vos vos giliau, kažką naujo sužinai, truputį pasibaisi, savo gyvenimo kokybę įvertini, galva palinguoji, su lengvai įbaiminama močiute/teta/mama turėsi ką aptarti. Ar tokios knygos pakeičia gyvenimą? Na jau. Bet išjungusi galvą pakankamai, kad nesitikėčiau iš knygos to, ko ji man niekada ir nežadėjo, mėgavausi nuoširdžiai. Ir rekomenduoti negaila.
Žinot, kas man yra baisiau už bet kokius trilerius ir detektyvus, už geriausiai sukaltus ir įtampos pilnus pasakojimus apie serijinius žudikus, keršytojus, psichopatus, sociopatus ir panašaus plauko smaguolius? Va tokios vat knygos kaip „Tylios širdis“. Oda vyniojasi, pirštai atgal riečiasi, prakaitas muša ir drebulys krečia skaitant apie į medžiagų sluoksnius vyniojamas moteris, prievartavimus, užmėtymus akmenimis, pjaustymus ir kitus žalojimus, nuosavybės teises į žmogų. Gerklę gniaužia skaitant kaip moterys prievartą gali patirti tiesiog viduryje turgaus, kaip bijo pažvelgti vyrui į akis, o ką jau kalbėti apie lipimą į taksi, jei esi be palydos, kaip patiria kasdienį pažeminimą, kaip yra pardavinėjamos tarsi daiktai – savo tėvų, brolių, vyrų, sugulovų. Čia man yra tikrasis siaubas. Ir paskaičius imu galvoti su kuo mieliau būčiau uždaryta viename kambaryje – Hanibalu Lekteriu ar tuo, kurį „Tyliųjų širdžių“ veikėjos vadina sutuoktiniu.
Sakau iš karto ir nuoširdžiai: ne, literatūrinių gelmių čia tikrai nėra. Veikėjai plėtojami labai pusėtinai ir vidutiniškai, ne visada įtikinamai – truputį per greitai, truputį per staigiai, per dramatiškai, truputį melodramatiškai. Daug kur praplaukiama paviršiumi, ypač kai kalba pasisuka apie žmonių psichologiją, subtilesnį istorijos pasakojimo būdą, nepateikiant skaitytojui visko ant lėkštutės, nenutėškiant prieš nosį visų faktų ir jų nesukramtant iki minkščiausios košės. Bet, bet, BET: autorė akivaizdžiai atliko namų darbus. O kas mano apžvalgas skaito, tas žino – prie seksualinės orientacijos man praktiškai reikėtų prirašyti „netingiai parašytos knygos“. Todėl „Tylios širdys“ be jokios abejonės krenta į kategoriją knygų, prie kurių buvo padirbėta – politinis, istorinis, ekonominis, socialinis kontekstas, veiksmas vejantis veiksmą, jokių nereikalingų gelmių ir prasmių ieškojimų, kuriems autorė galbūt neturi literatūrinių galimybių. Bet ji neapsimeta turinti, situacijas pateikia greitai, aiškiai ir konkrečiai, o man to pakanka. Pakanka, kad nenorėčiau knygos paleisti iš rankų, o beveik 400 psl.sudoročiau per dieną – nes tiesiog noriu žinoti, kas dar gali nutikti, kad naktį galėčiau sapnuoti baisiausius įmanomus košmarus. „Tik su dukra“ aš vis dar kartais sapnuoju. Bus proga paįvairinti savo „siaubingas elgesys su žmonėmis (moterimis)“ sapnų kategoriją. Tai ačiū.
Turbūt esu truputį mazochistė, bet šią knygą priskirčiau prie tobulo greito vasariško skaitinio kiekvienam, kuris neturi kantrybės skaityti visokių myli-nemyli, nužudė-nenužudė tipo tralialiuškų. Truputį intelektualiau, vos vos giliau, kažką naujo sužinai, truputį pasibaisi, savo gyvenimo kokybę įvertini, galva palinguoji, su lengvai įbaiminama močiute/teta/mama turėsi ką aptarti. Ar tokios knygos pakeičia gyvenimą? Na jau. Bet išjungusi galvą pakankamai, kad nesitikėčiau iš knygos to, ko ji man niekada ir nežadėjo, mėgavausi nuoširdžiai. Ir rekomenduoti negaila.
July 27, 2018
This is a beautifully written novel and one of my favorites of the year.
Journalist and author Gwen Florio has covered significant world events as a journalist and has been nominated three times for a Pulitzer. Her experiences and skill shine through with Silent Hearts, a book merging the stories of two distinct women from different worlds ending up in American-occupied Afghanistan. Florio uses her insight to craft a great story with unforgettable characters. Farida and Liv come alive. How each copes with their role in Afghanistan, the fierce traditions, managing during constant crisis, insurgency and instability is riveting. The story truly is moving and it has reminded me to appreciate the littlest things in life. I knew little of the Afghan ethnicity and way of life and appreciated being schooled in the vast cultural differences of this tribal society.
Journalist and author Gwen Florio has covered significant world events as a journalist and has been nominated three times for a Pulitzer. Her experiences and skill shine through with Silent Hearts, a book merging the stories of two distinct women from different worlds ending up in American-occupied Afghanistan. Florio uses her insight to craft a great story with unforgettable characters. Farida and Liv come alive. How each copes with their role in Afghanistan, the fierce traditions, managing during constant crisis, insurgency and instability is riveting. The story truly is moving and it has reminded me to appreciate the littlest things in life. I knew little of the Afghan ethnicity and way of life and appreciated being schooled in the vast cultural differences of this tribal society.
June 12, 2018
Oh what to say. I had a really hard time getting into this book. It made me angry in so many different ways. I stuck though it though and did somewhat enjoy getting to know the characters.
Liv I didn’t really like in the very beginning. I felt she was naive and a push over. She definitely transformed from that and became a very strong and willful woman. I loved that she embraced the culture to fit in or more to not stand out. She was an amazing character who evolved so much.
Farida I loved from the start. She was intelligent and kind. She went through so much and I was pulling for her all the way through. She was a good woman.
Martin was a pig; a dillusional, sick, arrogant bastard that I couldn’t stand from the beginning. As the story went on, that dislike just grew more and more.
The book wasn’t terrible, but I am not a fan. I would rate this 2.75 stars. There was a lot going on, but the culture differences frustrated me in many ways. The way woman are treated angered me. The American man ticked me right off. And I just don’t want to feel like that when I read I guess. I get enough of that when I watch the news; which I avoid anyway! But .. at least it did make me feel something.
Liv I didn’t really like in the very beginning. I felt she was naive and a push over. She definitely transformed from that and became a very strong and willful woman. I loved that she embraced the culture to fit in or more to not stand out. She was an amazing character who evolved so much.
Farida I loved from the start. She was intelligent and kind. She went through so much and I was pulling for her all the way through. She was a good woman.
Martin was a pig; a dillusional, sick, arrogant bastard that I couldn’t stand from the beginning. As the story went on, that dislike just grew more and more.
The book wasn’t terrible, but I am not a fan. I would rate this 2.75 stars. There was a lot going on, but the culture differences frustrated me in many ways. The way woman are treated angered me. The American man ticked me right off. And I just don’t want to feel like that when I read I guess. I get enough of that when I watch the news; which I avoid anyway! But .. at least it did make me feel something.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 11, 2018
A copy of this review can be found at Book Ink Reviews.
Thank you to NetGalley, Gwen Florio, and Atria Books for this free ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed herein are my own.
All the stars from my battered heart. In a nation Americans recognize as Enemy, where the government is corrupted and the majority of the people despise us, Silent Hearts us to join Farida and Liv into the daily living of Afghanistan.
Farida is an educated Pakistani. She speaks multiple languages, reads, and writes. And because of her teenage years abroad, she cannot land a suitable husband. Enter in her arranged marriage to Gul, the son of an Afghan strongarm. While we expect this marriage to be miserable, sexist, and terrible, we find that even in the midst of cultural submission, men can still be found that treasure their wives and use the burka as a way to truly protect them from those that use an uncovered face as permission like Western boys excuse a too short skirt as asking for it.
Liv is married to Martin--a college professor with an academic focus of Central Asia as his life's work. And also a man that is as greasy and nauseating as a poorly cooked duck. While Liv is strong, dedicated, and learns more about herself in the sandy and beige world than she ever would have if she had stayed in Philly.
Silent Hearts is an incredible work of fiction that brings you into the fold of families both whole and broken, from different cultures that they cannot truly bridge but yet still finds a way to let a genuine female friendship flourish.
This book needs to come with all the trigger warnings. There is a described sexual assault scene. There is a rape scene, minimally described. There is a rape fantasy (ugh MARTIN). And there are sex scenes, minimally described as daily life, not erotica.
Thank you to NetGalley, Gwen Florio, and Atria Books for this free ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed herein are my own.
All the stars from my battered heart. In a nation Americans recognize as Enemy, where the government is corrupted and the majority of the people despise us, Silent Hearts us to join Farida and Liv into the daily living of Afghanistan.
Farida is an educated Pakistani. She speaks multiple languages, reads, and writes. And because of her teenage years abroad, she cannot land a suitable husband. Enter in her arranged marriage to Gul, the son of an Afghan strongarm. While we expect this marriage to be miserable, sexist, and terrible, we find that even in the midst of cultural submission, men can still be found that treasure their wives and use the burka as a way to truly protect them from those that use an uncovered face as permission like Western boys excuse a too short skirt as asking for it.
Liv is married to Martin--a college professor with an academic focus of Central Asia as his life's work. And also a man that is as greasy and nauseating as a poorly cooked duck. While Liv is strong, dedicated, and learns more about herself in the sandy and beige world than she ever would have if she had stayed in Philly.
Silent Hearts is an incredible work of fiction that brings you into the fold of families both whole and broken, from different cultures that they cannot truly bridge but yet still finds a way to let a genuine female friendship flourish.
This book needs to come with all the trigger warnings. There is a described sexual assault scene. There is a rape scene, minimally described. There is a rape fantasy (ugh MARTIN). And there are sex scenes, minimally described as daily life, not erotica.
June 29, 2020
Šią knygą priskirčiau rimtesnei populiariajai literatūrai. Viena vertus, ji skaitosi lengvai, ir įtraukė tikrai labai stipriai; tačiau kartu ši knyga paliečia ir rimtesnes temas, mažiau būdingas lengviems romanams – musulmonų kultūrą, politinę islamo valstybių situaciją, o daugiausia – nepavydėtiną musulmonių moterų padėtį. Vis tik skaitymo tai neapsunkina – mano manymu, autorė šiuo atžvilgiu labai puikiai viską apjungė ir įpynė į siužetą, o amerikietės veikėjos patirtis tuose kraštuose leidžia skaitytojui į islamo šalių kasdienybę pažvelgti vakariečio akimis – jai visa rodosi ne mažiau neįprasta nei mums. Todėl sykiu su ja stebimės, gailim, kartais pasibaisėjam kartu tipendami tomis gatvelėmis, leisdamiesi į derybas su turgaus pardavėju, vilkėdami šalvaro kamizą, stebėdami vyrų elgesį su moterimis. Kiekviena akimirka su šia knyga buvo lyg ragavimas egzotiško – taip man viskas buvo įdomu, smalsu, netikėta, kai kada nesuprantama ar nesuvokiama. Be abejo, knyga ne be trūkumų – jos pradžia žadėjo daugiau potencialo, kuris liko neišpildytas, kaip, pavyzdžiui, pradžioje leidžiamasi į politinius santykius, kurie vėliau nebepaliečiami. Kita vertus, jei viskas būtų plėtojama, tuomet kūrinys taptų perkrautas. Tačiau įspūdis, kad norėta užgriebti daugiau, nei buvo įgyvendinta, išliko, ir jis gan stiprus. Dėl to tam tikra prasme jaučiuosi truputį apgauta šios knygos. Tačiau kas dėl kultūros ir kasdienio musulmonų gyvenimo pateikimo, man tai pasirodė atskleista ir perteikta įdomiai, įtraukiančiai. Ši knyga – pats tas, jei nesinori pernelyg sunkaus – tiek emocine, tiek suvokimo prasme – kūrinio, tačiau kartu norisi ne paviršutiniškos istorijos.
June 13, 2020
Nežinau kaip Jums, bet man šios knygos viršelis labai dailus. Būtent toks, kokį ir įsivaizduočiau tokiai istorijai. Senokai nieko neskaičiau apie Afganistaną, tad nieko nelaukdama pasinėriau į šią istoriją.
Farida - jauna, žavi bei išsilavinusi pakistanietė. Visai neseniai ištekėjusi, tad šiuo metu ji bando prisitaikyti prie naujo šeimyninio gyvenimo bei savo, kaip žmonos vaidmens. Visai netrukus po jų vedybų pasaulį sudrebina rugsėjo 11 - osios teroristinis išpuolis JAV. Faridos naujoji šeima nusprendžia, jog saugumo sumetimais jiems geriau bus traukti į Kabulą. Tem merginos jau laukia ir uošvio surastas vertėjos darbas, amerikiečių organizacijoje.
Kaip tik tuo metu profesorius Martinas bei jo žmona Liva leidžiasi į kelionę Afganistane. Jie įsidarbina amerikiečių organizacijoje, kurios tikslas yra padėti šios šalies moterims. Toms, kurioms labiausiai reikia pagalbos. Viskas iš pirmo žvilgsnio atrodo taip nekalta..
Šioje organizacijoje susikerta Livos bei Faridos keliai. Nors moterys gali apsirodyti tokios skirtingos, bet tuo pačiu yra labai panašios. Nejučia užsimezga draugystė. Šios moterys to dar nežino, bet ji gali būti pražūtinga joms abiems..
Nuo pat pirmųjų šios knygos puslapių aš labai įsitraukiau į šią istoriją. Galbūt prisidėjo ir tai, jog seniai skaičiau knygą apie šiuos kraštus, bet skaitydama atrodė, jog jaučiu to krašto dvasią. Pats knygos pasakojimas yra visiškai nesudėtingas, bet labai pagaulus. Galiu drąsiai pasakyti, jog ši knyga yra apie draugystę. Trap šių dviejų moterų, kuriuos nors ir iš skirtingų kultūrų, bet norinčios iš gyvenimo to paties. Būti laimingomis bei mylimomis. Tarp kitko ši knyga puikiai tinka "Vasaros skaitymo iššūkiui" , jei dalyvaujate (knyga apie draugystę).
Net neabejoju, jog ir Jūs skaitydami šią knygą pyksite dėl neteisybės, kurią patiria moterys, o ir karas tarp kitų kultūrų žmonių.. Man atrodo toks beprasmis. Tai knyga, kuri tikiu, jog abejingų tikrai nepaliks nei vieno ✨
Farida - jauna, žavi bei išsilavinusi pakistanietė. Visai neseniai ištekėjusi, tad šiuo metu ji bando prisitaikyti prie naujo šeimyninio gyvenimo bei savo, kaip žmonos vaidmens. Visai netrukus po jų vedybų pasaulį sudrebina rugsėjo 11 - osios teroristinis išpuolis JAV. Faridos naujoji šeima nusprendžia, jog saugumo sumetimais jiems geriau bus traukti į Kabulą. Tem merginos jau laukia ir uošvio surastas vertėjos darbas, amerikiečių organizacijoje.
Kaip tik tuo metu profesorius Martinas bei jo žmona Liva leidžiasi į kelionę Afganistane. Jie įsidarbina amerikiečių organizacijoje, kurios tikslas yra padėti šios šalies moterims. Toms, kurioms labiausiai reikia pagalbos. Viskas iš pirmo žvilgsnio atrodo taip nekalta..
Šioje organizacijoje susikerta Livos bei Faridos keliai. Nors moterys gali apsirodyti tokios skirtingos, bet tuo pačiu yra labai panašios. Nejučia užsimezga draugystė. Šios moterys to dar nežino, bet ji gali būti pražūtinga joms abiems..
Nuo pat pirmųjų šios knygos puslapių aš labai įsitraukiau į šią istoriją. Galbūt prisidėjo ir tai, jog seniai skaičiau knygą apie šiuos kraštus, bet skaitydama atrodė, jog jaučiu to krašto dvasią. Pats knygos pasakojimas yra visiškai nesudėtingas, bet labai pagaulus. Galiu drąsiai pasakyti, jog ši knyga yra apie draugystę. Trap šių dviejų moterų, kuriuos nors ir iš skirtingų kultūrų, bet norinčios iš gyvenimo to paties. Būti laimingomis bei mylimomis. Tarp kitko ši knyga puikiai tinka "Vasaros skaitymo iššūkiui" , jei dalyvaujate (knyga apie draugystę).
Net neabejoju, jog ir Jūs skaitydami šią knygą pyksite dėl neteisybės, kurią patiria moterys, o ir karas tarp kitų kultūrų žmonių.. Man atrodo toks beprasmis. Tai knyga, kuri tikiu, jog abejingų tikrai nepaliks nei vieno ✨
December 28, 2017
So good! Silent Hearts is a story of many things, but at its core is the narrative about how women become stone. I wanted it to be longer.
July 3, 2018
“Silent Hearts” by Gwen Florio, published by Atria Books.
Category – Fiction/Literature Publication Date – July 24, 2018.
If you are looking for a three way clash of cultures this book will definitely be for you. It is an all too well look at the cultures of America, Afghanistan, and Pakistan.
Farida Basra lives in Pakistan and would be considered a liberated woman, although Muslim she does not wear the burga and is educated. Farida’s life takes a drastic change when she enters into an arranged marriage with an Afghan. She moves with her husband and his family to Afghanistan and comes under strict Muslim law. She now must wear the burga and be subservient to her husband. She does work at an office but only out of necessity, she is to gather information for her husband regarding the American company set up to help Muslim women, the company is called Face the Future.
Martin and Liv, a married couple, sign on to work for Face the Future which is supposed to be a Non-Governmental Organization. Both Martin and Liv have trouble acclimating themselves to this new culture, but Liv and Farida become friends. Their lives clash together when they both find themselves at ends with cultural differences. They both must decide if they will stand with their husbands and their culture or change.
A very good read that is very poignant in today’s world.
Category – Fiction/Literature Publication Date – July 24, 2018.
If you are looking for a three way clash of cultures this book will definitely be for you. It is an all too well look at the cultures of America, Afghanistan, and Pakistan.
Farida Basra lives in Pakistan and would be considered a liberated woman, although Muslim she does not wear the burga and is educated. Farida’s life takes a drastic change when she enters into an arranged marriage with an Afghan. She moves with her husband and his family to Afghanistan and comes under strict Muslim law. She now must wear the burga and be subservient to her husband. She does work at an office but only out of necessity, she is to gather information for her husband regarding the American company set up to help Muslim women, the company is called Face the Future.
Martin and Liv, a married couple, sign on to work for Face the Future which is supposed to be a Non-Governmental Organization. Both Martin and Liv have trouble acclimating themselves to this new culture, but Liv and Farida become friends. Their lives clash together when they both find themselves at ends with cultural differences. They both must decide if they will stand with their husbands and their culture or change.
A very good read that is very poignant in today’s world.
August 22, 2022
Lėta, vangi pradžia. Man trūko kultūros pojučio jausmų, išgyvenimo. Ilgai įsibegėjo, o tada staigiai daug įvykių, netikėtumų ir pabaiga. Tikėjausi žymiai daugiau rytų prieskonių kvapo, daugiau gyvenimo kitoje kultūroje ir daugiau jausmo.
August 3, 2020
"Tylios širdys" mane patraukė dviem dalykais: moterų teisių klausimas bei Rytų ir Vakarų kultūrų susidūrimas. Viršelis taip pat kvietė kuo greičiau pradėti pažintį su nauja "Sofoklio" išleista knyga. Taip ir padariau.
Knygoje susitinka dvi moterys: vakarietė profesoriaus žmona Liva, kuri jaučia, kad jos santuoka išgyvena ne pačius geriausius laikus ir rytietė Farida, kuri neseniai ištekėjo už įtakingo vyro sūnaus. Po rugsėjo vienuoliktosios siaubo Livai ir jos vyrui siūloma vykti į humanitarinę misiją Afganistane. Moteris pasinaudoja šansu ne tik įprasminti savo gyvenimą, bet ir prisidėti prie moterų padėties gerinimo. Šalyje, kur vienas vyro žodis gali lemti moters mirtį įkasant iki pusės į žemę ir užmėtant akmenimis, bet kokios iniciatyvos sveikintinos. Kartu moteris tiki, jog tai proga išgebėti žlungančią santuoką. Išsilavinusi, dirbanti ir iš geros šeimos kilusi Farida nėra svajonių nuotaka. Jai teko pagyventi Londone, kur, vietinių spėjimu, tikriausiai spėjo prisižiūrėti netinkamų vyro ir moters santykių pavyzdžių. Greičiausiai, mano jie, Farida bus sudėtinga žmona ir vyrui su ja bus daug vargo. Viskas pasisuka taip, kad moteris išteka ir net pamilsta savo vyrą, bet uošvis, vedinas savanaudiškų tikslų, įdarbina ją vakariečių organizacijoje. Štai čia šios dvi moterys susitinka. Kaip jos įtakos viena kitos gyvenimą? Kaip seksis dorotis su iššūkiais?
Mano akimis tai istorija, kuri turėjo daug potencialo, bet autorė šiek tie pastrigo su jos išpildymu. Negaliu sakyti, kad mane įtikino. Pirmas dalykas, kas kliuvo - gana primityvi kalbos raiška. Taip, skaitosi lengvai, bet norisi kažko daugiau nei tik įdomios istorijos. Norėjosi pajausti didesnę ir gilesnę empatiją, nes moterų teisių tema man savaime aktuali ir įdomi. Moterų portretai gana paviršutiniški, o jau apie vyrų net nekalbu. Kartais budavo net nesmagu skaityti veikėjų vidinius monologus. Žinoma, prasminga kelti moterų Rytuose klausimą ir šviesti visuomenę. Bet koks garsus kalbėjimas atneš daugiau naudos nei žalos. Ši knyga yra pramoginio pobūdžio, tačiau kalbanti apie šiek tiek gilsenius dalykus nei "myli nemyli", dėl to jau gerai, jei atsiras norinčių ją skaityti.
"Tylios širdys" nėra ta knyga, kurią skaityčiau dar kartą. Man ji priminė "Tik su dukra", kuri taip pat ne itin patiko. Jei esate skaitę "Tik su dukra" ir jums patiko - griebkite ir šią, nes tikiu, kad patiks. Jos panašios savo forma, tematika ir gyliu.
Knygoje susitinka dvi moterys: vakarietė profesoriaus žmona Liva, kuri jaučia, kad jos santuoka išgyvena ne pačius geriausius laikus ir rytietė Farida, kuri neseniai ištekėjo už įtakingo vyro sūnaus. Po rugsėjo vienuoliktosios siaubo Livai ir jos vyrui siūloma vykti į humanitarinę misiją Afganistane. Moteris pasinaudoja šansu ne tik įprasminti savo gyvenimą, bet ir prisidėti prie moterų padėties gerinimo. Šalyje, kur vienas vyro žodis gali lemti moters mirtį įkasant iki pusės į žemę ir užmėtant akmenimis, bet kokios iniciatyvos sveikintinos. Kartu moteris tiki, jog tai proga išgebėti žlungančią santuoką. Išsilavinusi, dirbanti ir iš geros šeimos kilusi Farida nėra svajonių nuotaka. Jai teko pagyventi Londone, kur, vietinių spėjimu, tikriausiai spėjo prisižiūrėti netinkamų vyro ir moters santykių pavyzdžių. Greičiausiai, mano jie, Farida bus sudėtinga žmona ir vyrui su ja bus daug vargo. Viskas pasisuka taip, kad moteris išteka ir net pamilsta savo vyrą, bet uošvis, vedinas savanaudiškų tikslų, įdarbina ją vakariečių organizacijoje. Štai čia šios dvi moterys susitinka. Kaip jos įtakos viena kitos gyvenimą? Kaip seksis dorotis su iššūkiais?
Mano akimis tai istorija, kuri turėjo daug potencialo, bet autorė šiek tie pastrigo su jos išpildymu. Negaliu sakyti, kad mane įtikino. Pirmas dalykas, kas kliuvo - gana primityvi kalbos raiška. Taip, skaitosi lengvai, bet norisi kažko daugiau nei tik įdomios istorijos. Norėjosi pajausti didesnę ir gilesnę empatiją, nes moterų teisių tema man savaime aktuali ir įdomi. Moterų portretai gana paviršutiniški, o jau apie vyrų net nekalbu. Kartais budavo net nesmagu skaityti veikėjų vidinius monologus. Žinoma, prasminga kelti moterų Rytuose klausimą ir šviesti visuomenę. Bet koks garsus kalbėjimas atneš daugiau naudos nei žalos. Ši knyga yra pramoginio pobūdžio, tačiau kalbanti apie šiek tiek gilsenius dalykus nei "myli nemyli", dėl to jau gerai, jei atsiras norinčių ją skaityti.
"Tylios širdys" nėra ta knyga, kurią skaityčiau dar kartą. Man ji priminė "Tik su dukra", kuri taip pat ne itin patiko. Jei esate skaitę "Tik su dukra" ir jums patiko - griebkite ir šią, nes tikiu, kad patiks. Jos panašios savo forma, tematika ir gyliu.
October 4, 2018
Afghanistan provides a rich palatte for any novel, similar to World War II in that there are so many different aspects for a novelist to draw. Silent Hearts places an American couple in Afghanistan post 9/11 working for an NGO that is really a front for the CIA. A local woman is enlisted to serve as a translator.
The book was extremely engaging. I am continually fascinated by the stories of Afghani culture and the roles of men and women both during and post Taliban. If you are a fan of Khaled Hosseini's The Kite Runner or A Thousand Splendid Suns you will enjoy this novel.
My primary criticism is that the relationship between the translator and the American woman was a bit weak. This would have made the book a deeper read and moved the needle on my rating.
The book was extremely engaging. I am continually fascinated by the stories of Afghani culture and the roles of men and women both during and post Taliban. If you are a fan of Khaled Hosseini's The Kite Runner or A Thousand Splendid Suns you will enjoy this novel.
My primary criticism is that the relationship between the translator and the American woman was a bit weak. This would have made the book a deeper read and moved the needle on my rating.
August 2, 2018
I had hoped this would be more about the friendship between Farida and Liv, but it didn't go as deep as I wanted with them. It gave me a better understanding of what the women of Afganistan and Pakistan go through.
February 5, 2022
4.5!! This book was so surprising in a great way! One of the reasons I love swapping books regularly with my mom and my sister is that I get to read books I wouldn’t seek out or pick up on my own. This was a perfect example of that. I wouldn’t gravitate towards it naturally but I ended up LOVING it. It was such a poignant and engaging story about two women in Afghanistan directly after 9/11. It had amazing character development AND a fast paced and action packed plot. I really enjoyed it so much!!
September 21, 2020
Knygos apie rytus vis dar ant bangos. Apie Afganistaną, jo žiaurumą, apie papročius ir tradicijas. Šis romanas ne išimtis. Tai bandymas sklęsti ta banga.
Liva ir Farida gyvena skirtinguose pasauliuose. Jas suvienija pažintis Kabule. Liva amerikietė atvykusi į Afganistaną kartus su vyru vykdyti veiklos nevyriausybinėje organizacijoje netrukus po rugsėjo 11-osios įvykių. Farida kilusi iš Pakistano, baigusi universitetą, vėlokai išteka. Su vyru ir jo šeima kraustosi į Kabulą. Farida tampa Livos vertėja ir drauge. Joms kartu tenka daug patirti, atrasti ir augti kaip asmenybėms.
Niekada nesu buvusi Rytų šalyse, bet visad magiškai traukė šis kraštas. Turbūt labiausiai prie šios kultūros prisiliečiau būdama Anglijoje, kai iš pakistaniečių šeimos nuomojau kambarį. Nuostabūs žmonės, globoję mane ir priėmę kaip tikrą draugę. Ir tikrai netiesa, kad ten moterys žeminamos ar kaip nors skriaudžiamos. Taip, ten griežtos tradicijos, bet gal kitiems mūsų papročiai atrodo keisti.
Nemėgstu tų knygų, kur islamas menkinamas. Noriu pagirti autorę, kad rado pusiausvyrą tarp dviejų kultūrų. Tikrai neparodė Afganistano iš blogosios pusės. Svarbiausia, kad buvo atskirta radikalieji afganistaniečiai ir paprasti žmonės, kurie myli savo šeimos, kur motinos aukoja gyvybę už savo vaikus. Vakarietiška kultūra taip pat pasirodė ne iš gerosios pusės.
Iš tiesų knyga man patiko. Tokia neperspausta, reali ir kartu šilta. Romane nebuvo nei gerųjų veikėjų, nei "blogiukų". Kiekvienas pavaizduotas su savo žmogiškom silpnybėm ir teigiamais dalykais. Daug musulmoniškų tradicijų papasakota aiškiai, pagrįstai. Kaip ten bebūtų, tai jau daug metų nusistovėjusi tvarka ir jos griauti nevalia. Neverta ir stebėtis, kad daromas vienas ar kitas dalykas. Reikia gerbti tą kultūrą ir prisiminti, kad anaiptol ne visi afganistaniečiai yra teroristai. O taip manyti mus tikrai skatina.
Liva ir Farida gyvena skirtinguose pasauliuose. Jas suvienija pažintis Kabule. Liva amerikietė atvykusi į Afganistaną kartus su vyru vykdyti veiklos nevyriausybinėje organizacijoje netrukus po rugsėjo 11-osios įvykių. Farida kilusi iš Pakistano, baigusi universitetą, vėlokai išteka. Su vyru ir jo šeima kraustosi į Kabulą. Farida tampa Livos vertėja ir drauge. Joms kartu tenka daug patirti, atrasti ir augti kaip asmenybėms.
Niekada nesu buvusi Rytų šalyse, bet visad magiškai traukė šis kraštas. Turbūt labiausiai prie šios kultūros prisiliečiau būdama Anglijoje, kai iš pakistaniečių šeimos nuomojau kambarį. Nuostabūs žmonės, globoję mane ir priėmę kaip tikrą draugę. Ir tikrai netiesa, kad ten moterys žeminamos ar kaip nors skriaudžiamos. Taip, ten griežtos tradicijos, bet gal kitiems mūsų papročiai atrodo keisti.
Nemėgstu tų knygų, kur islamas menkinamas. Noriu pagirti autorę, kad rado pusiausvyrą tarp dviejų kultūrų. Tikrai neparodė Afganistano iš blogosios pusės. Svarbiausia, kad buvo atskirta radikalieji afganistaniečiai ir paprasti žmonės, kurie myli savo šeimos, kur motinos aukoja gyvybę už savo vaikus. Vakarietiška kultūra taip pat pasirodė ne iš gerosios pusės.
Iš tiesų knyga man patiko. Tokia neperspausta, reali ir kartu šilta. Romane nebuvo nei gerųjų veikėjų, nei "blogiukų". Kiekvienas pavaizduotas su savo žmogiškom silpnybėm ir teigiamais dalykais. Daug musulmoniškų tradicijų papasakota aiškiai, pagrįstai. Kaip ten bebūtų, tai jau daug metų nusistovėjusi tvarka ir jos griauti nevalia. Neverta ir stebėtis, kad daromas vienas ar kitas dalykas. Reikia gerbti tą kultūrą ir prisiminti, kad anaiptol ne visi afganistaniečiai yra teroristai. O taip manyti mus tikrai skatina.
June 2, 2018
Silent Hearts by Gwen Florio
I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. One of the previous reviewers stated, this was a powerful book, and I completely agree with that statement. Martin and Liv are an American couple working at an university. Martin is a professor of Asian studies, Liv is a researcher. After 9/11, Martin is interviewed about the situation in Afghanistan, his opinion is being sought out. Eventually he gets an assignment to go to Afghanistan to work on bettering women’s lives who were so oppressed under the Taliban rule and takes Liv along.
On the other side of the world we are introduced to Farida, an educated Pakistani woman and her family. She is forced into an arranged marriage with Gul, and appears she married his whole family. Farida is allowed to work as an interpreter for the “Amerikis”, mostly so she can gather information for Gul’s father who is involved with the opium and weapons trade. Liv and Farida form a friendship of sort.
We have heard so much in the news about the wars in Afghanistan, but this book made me realize more than the news how the local population was affected, the poverty, the lack of women ‘s rights, starving children, lack of conveniences we take for granted in America. Kudos to the author for painting a sad, but realistic picture of life in Afghanistan at the dawn of the 21st century. Overall a very good book, 4 stars.
Thanks NetGalley, Atria Books and the author for the advanced copy.
I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. One of the previous reviewers stated, this was a powerful book, and I completely agree with that statement. Martin and Liv are an American couple working at an university. Martin is a professor of Asian studies, Liv is a researcher. After 9/11, Martin is interviewed about the situation in Afghanistan, his opinion is being sought out. Eventually he gets an assignment to go to Afghanistan to work on bettering women’s lives who were so oppressed under the Taliban rule and takes Liv along.
On the other side of the world we are introduced to Farida, an educated Pakistani woman and her family. She is forced into an arranged marriage with Gul, and appears she married his whole family. Farida is allowed to work as an interpreter for the “Amerikis”, mostly so she can gather information for Gul’s father who is involved with the opium and weapons trade. Liv and Farida form a friendship of sort.
We have heard so much in the news about the wars in Afghanistan, but this book made me realize more than the news how the local population was affected, the poverty, the lack of women ‘s rights, starving children, lack of conveniences we take for granted in America. Kudos to the author for painting a sad, but realistic picture of life in Afghanistan at the dawn of the 21st century. Overall a very good book, 4 stars.
Thanks NetGalley, Atria Books and the author for the advanced copy.
July 16, 2018
This really wasn't the book for me but I cannot deny that Silent Hearts is beautifully written and incredibly powerful. This novel dive into post 9/11 Afghanistan through the different perspectives two couples (four people total) from very different cultures: Liv Stoellner is an American researcher that came to Kabul with her husband to work for an NGO to help women and Farida Basra is a Pakistani interpreter whose work Liv and the NGO heavily rely on... while she passes information about the Americans on to her husband and his father.
My heart felt for Farida from my first introduction to her: strong willed and intelligent, we learn that she brought some form of shame upon her while the family lived abroad in England that made it difficult to arrange marriage for her. She was content with her quiet life in Islamabad, but her father consented to marry her off to an uneducated and illiterate son of a Pashtun businessman. When she was "gifted" a burqa my heart hurt for her as she realized just how different her life truly would become with a strictly traditional family in the north (those her own father had called barbarians). Gul's father arranged the marriage of his son and Farida because of her family's connections with Americans as he was hoping to use them. And then 9/11 happened and they hurried across the border to Afghanistan, crossing thousands of miles by foot, because Gul's father wants to align with whomever wins the war: the Taliban or the Americans. Lovely.
I found myself essentially hating the men in this book, and everyone has secret agendas to hide. I wish that the book had more character development in it, because everyone but Farida (and Gul a little) felt one dimensional to me. I love it when books center on female friendships, and the one that Liv and Farida develop is deep yet I was left wanting much more in that regard. I did struggle in the first 20% of the book with the four point of views and jumping around time periods a bit; while I appreciated the Western perspective of the Americans alongside the traditional and slightly-less traditional Afghani/Pakistani perspectives, I think the narrative would have been better had it been focused on Liv and Farida only. While Gul and Martin's perspectives definitely provide the whole picture of what is going on, I think it could have been discovered easily enough by eavesdropping.
This was not the book for me. but I think that is largely because I generally struggle with contemporary adult fiction that largely centers on marriage (I may be in my 30s but my life experience is so different). I think this would be an excellent book for book clubs as the themes of marriage, power, politics, and the status of women lend themselves easily for discussion. Lovers of women's contemporary fiction will likely enjoy this touching and powerful story.
Many thanks to the publisher for providing me an electronic copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.
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My heart felt for Farida from my first introduction to her: strong willed and intelligent, we learn that she brought some form of shame upon her while the family lived abroad in England that made it difficult to arrange marriage for her. She was content with her quiet life in Islamabad, but her father consented to marry her off to an uneducated and illiterate son of a Pashtun businessman. When she was "gifted" a burqa my heart hurt for her as she realized just how different her life truly would become with a strictly traditional family in the north (those her own father had called barbarians). Gul's father arranged the marriage of his son and Farida because of her family's connections with Americans as he was hoping to use them. And then 9/11 happened and they hurried across the border to Afghanistan, crossing thousands of miles by foot, because Gul's father wants to align with whomever wins the war: the Taliban or the Americans. Lovely.
I found myself essentially hating the men in this book, and everyone has secret agendas to hide. I wish that the book had more character development in it, because everyone but Farida (and Gul a little) felt one dimensional to me. I love it when books center on female friendships, and the one that Liv and Farida develop is deep yet I was left wanting much more in that regard. I did struggle in the first 20% of the book with the four point of views and jumping around time periods a bit; while I appreciated the Western perspective of the Americans alongside the traditional and slightly-less traditional Afghani/Pakistani perspectives, I think the narrative would have been better had it been focused on Liv and Farida only. While Gul and Martin's perspectives definitely provide the whole picture of what is going on, I think it could have been discovered easily enough by eavesdropping.
This was not the book for me. but I think that is largely because I generally struggle with contemporary adult fiction that largely centers on marriage (I may be in my 30s but my life experience is so different). I think this would be an excellent book for book clubs as the themes of marriage, power, politics, and the status of women lend themselves easily for discussion. Lovers of women's contemporary fiction will likely enjoy this touching and powerful story.
Many thanks to the publisher for providing me an electronic copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.
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June 26, 2018
Silent Hearts a novel by Gwen Florio was very descriptive, and has an intense storyline; it was like watching a movie. My curiosity of what will happen to the characters, made it difficult for me to put down this novel.
This stirring novel set in Afghanistan is about two women who form an unexpected friendship despite their utterly different life experiences and the ever-increasing violence that surrounds them in Kabul. The American aid worker Liv Stoellner and her husband take positions at an NGO that help Afghan women recover from the Taliban years. They see the move as a reboot; Martin for his moribund academic career, Liv for their marriage. The other character is a local interpreter Farida Basra, an educated Pakistani woman still adjusting to her arranged marriage to Gul, the son of an Afghan strongman whose family spent years of exile in Pakistan before returning to Kabul. For Farida and Gul, the move to Kabul is fraught, severing all ties with Farida's family and her former world, and forcing Gul to confront a chapter in his life he had desperately tried to erase.
The two women, brought together by Farida's work as an interpreter, form a friendship based on their growing mutual love for Afghanistan. Liv remains unaware that Farida is reporting information about the Americans' activities to Gul's family that has ties to the black market. As the bond between Farida and Liv deepens, war scarred Kabul acts in different ways upon them, as well as their husbands. Silent Hearts is an absorbing, complex portrayal of two very different but equally resilient women caught in the conflict of a war that will test them in ways they never imagined.
I wish there was an epilogue on what happened to the characters to date since the storyline takes place in 2001 and 2002. While reading the stories of the two couples from two different parts of the world, from different religions and cultures, I found how similar there lives and situations were when it comes to relationships and expectations - the feelings of these women, the dominance of some men, adultery, surviving and connecting during hard times. Some parts of this story was quite disturbing, as is reality! Silent Hearts is a well-written novel for an adult audience.
This stirring novel set in Afghanistan is about two women who form an unexpected friendship despite their utterly different life experiences and the ever-increasing violence that surrounds them in Kabul. The American aid worker Liv Stoellner and her husband take positions at an NGO that help Afghan women recover from the Taliban years. They see the move as a reboot; Martin for his moribund academic career, Liv for their marriage. The other character is a local interpreter Farida Basra, an educated Pakistani woman still adjusting to her arranged marriage to Gul, the son of an Afghan strongman whose family spent years of exile in Pakistan before returning to Kabul. For Farida and Gul, the move to Kabul is fraught, severing all ties with Farida's family and her former world, and forcing Gul to confront a chapter in his life he had desperately tried to erase.
The two women, brought together by Farida's work as an interpreter, form a friendship based on their growing mutual love for Afghanistan. Liv remains unaware that Farida is reporting information about the Americans' activities to Gul's family that has ties to the black market. As the bond between Farida and Liv deepens, war scarred Kabul acts in different ways upon them, as well as their husbands. Silent Hearts is an absorbing, complex portrayal of two very different but equally resilient women caught in the conflict of a war that will test them in ways they never imagined.
I wish there was an epilogue on what happened to the characters to date since the storyline takes place in 2001 and 2002. While reading the stories of the two couples from two different parts of the world, from different religions and cultures, I found how similar there lives and situations were when it comes to relationships and expectations - the feelings of these women, the dominance of some men, adultery, surviving and connecting during hard times. Some parts of this story was quite disturbing, as is reality! Silent Hearts is a well-written novel for an adult audience.
May 11, 2018
Silent Hearts pulls you in and surprises you.
The story opens in Pakistan during August 2001 and centers on four characters. We meet Farida Basra, an educated woman who works as an interpreter in Islamabad. Gul Mohammad, an illiterate Afgani living in Peshawar, is chosen by Farida’s father to be her husband. They relocate to Kabul with Gul's family.
Next we meet Liv Stoellner, a mid-western American working as a researcher in a university library. She married her professor and is now living with the pompous, third-rate academic in Philadelphia. Professor Stoellner’s specialty is Afganistan, even though he has never been there and bases his research on interviews with refugees who fled to Pakistan after the Soviet invasion. In the days after September 11 he shared his opinions about Afganistan with all who would listen and ends up with a job directing an organization aiding Afgan women. Martin and Liv go to Peshawar first to get oriented and then on to Kabul.
Each of the characters represents the different players in this conflict, Afganis, Pakistanis, and Americans. Our expectations for each are challenged by how they react to the events that take us through the story. This is one of few stories set in Central Asia that presents the views of women. It asks questions about relationships between wives and husbands as well as between family members and their expectations about duty and honor to themselves, their families, and their countries.
Gwen Florio gives voice to many women who have been imprisoned in burkas by religious fanatics and those who don’t stand up to them. Gwen’s experiences in Central Asia and other war-torn areas inform this story and allow the characters reflect real people. Silent Hearts will stay with you for a long time.
Thanks to Atria Books and Gwen Florio for an advance copy of this book, which releases July 24, 2018.
The story opens in Pakistan during August 2001 and centers on four characters. We meet Farida Basra, an educated woman who works as an interpreter in Islamabad. Gul Mohammad, an illiterate Afgani living in Peshawar, is chosen by Farida’s father to be her husband. They relocate to Kabul with Gul's family.
Next we meet Liv Stoellner, a mid-western American working as a researcher in a university library. She married her professor and is now living with the pompous, third-rate academic in Philadelphia. Professor Stoellner’s specialty is Afganistan, even though he has never been there and bases his research on interviews with refugees who fled to Pakistan after the Soviet invasion. In the days after September 11 he shared his opinions about Afganistan with all who would listen and ends up with a job directing an organization aiding Afgan women. Martin and Liv go to Peshawar first to get oriented and then on to Kabul.
Each of the characters represents the different players in this conflict, Afganis, Pakistanis, and Americans. Our expectations for each are challenged by how they react to the events that take us through the story. This is one of few stories set in Central Asia that presents the views of women. It asks questions about relationships between wives and husbands as well as between family members and their expectations about duty and honor to themselves, their families, and their countries.
Gwen Florio gives voice to many women who have been imprisoned in burkas by religious fanatics and those who don’t stand up to them. Gwen’s experiences in Central Asia and other war-torn areas inform this story and allow the characters reflect real people. Silent Hearts will stay with you for a long time.
Thanks to Atria Books and Gwen Florio for an advance copy of this book, which releases July 24, 2018.
March 24, 2018
A remarkable investigation into the Kuyber Pass between Afghanistan and Pakistan: those who travel it legally or illegally; those who fear it; those who flaunt it. Desperate families unsure of their homeland. A young woman, formerly living a Westernized life, is now in an arranged marriage and finds herself immersed in the illicit dealings of her new family. Her unexpected friendship with an NGO aid worker, herself disenchanted, will have unexpected and deadly consequences.
A truly remarkable look at arranged marriages, the Muslim culture, and the surprising safety found behind the burqa.
I read this EARC courtesy of Edelweiss and Atria Books. pub date 07/24/18
A truly remarkable look at arranged marriages, the Muslim culture, and the surprising safety found behind the burqa.
I read this EARC courtesy of Edelweiss and Atria Books. pub date 07/24/18
April 8, 2018
Truly...such an incredibly poignant, powerful and important novel. Florio has given us two unforgettable women; their resilience pays tribute to all of the women in war-torn Afghanistan who suffer unspeakable hardships and heartbreak. Farida and Liv are simply remarkable, each struggling to balance fear and bravery, suffering and grace, love and loss.
July 24, 2018
SILENT HEARTS -- Gwen Florio
American aid worker Liv Stoellner and Farida Basra, an interpreter and an educated Pakistani woman find themselves working together in post-911 Afghanistan. Liv accompanies her husband, an academic with a pivotal role with an NOG called the Friends of Future. FOF’s mission is the “betterment” of Afghan woman in the aftermath of five years of Taliban rule.
Having lived and studied in London, Farida Basra becomes the bride of an illiterate Afghan man, the son of a wheeler-dealer opium smuggler who’s been on the lam in Pakistan since the Taliban takeover. Now in the aftermath of 911 the Americans will be coming after Osama Bin Laden, a longtime guest of the Taliban. The husband’s dope-smuggler father know that when the Americans come the Taliban will go. The resulting chaos will be an opportunity for him and his associates. The idea hear is that the son’s new wife Farida will move into a prime position with the FOF as an interpreter. Subsequently, she will be in a prime position to observe the going’s on of the new American hoi polloi in Kabul. Thus giving the dope-smuggler father a leg up with his business.
From there everything goes wrong and the unexpected will keep you guessing up to the final moments. Aside from this being a well-crafted story with fascinating characters, Gwen Florio has provided us with an informative and tragic look at a culture in upheaval that we mostly do not understand.
Silent Hearts is available for purchase starting today July 24, 2018. Look for it. I know you’re gonna love it!
Cheers!
JIM in MT
CHECK IT OUT!
https://read.amazon.com/kp/embed?asin...
American aid worker Liv Stoellner and Farida Basra, an interpreter and an educated Pakistani woman find themselves working together in post-911 Afghanistan. Liv accompanies her husband, an academic with a pivotal role with an NOG called the Friends of Future. FOF’s mission is the “betterment” of Afghan woman in the aftermath of five years of Taliban rule.
Having lived and studied in London, Farida Basra becomes the bride of an illiterate Afghan man, the son of a wheeler-dealer opium smuggler who’s been on the lam in Pakistan since the Taliban takeover. Now in the aftermath of 911 the Americans will be coming after Osama Bin Laden, a longtime guest of the Taliban. The husband’s dope-smuggler father know that when the Americans come the Taliban will go. The resulting chaos will be an opportunity for him and his associates. The idea hear is that the son’s new wife Farida will move into a prime position with the FOF as an interpreter. Subsequently, she will be in a prime position to observe the going’s on of the new American hoi polloi in Kabul. Thus giving the dope-smuggler father a leg up with his business.
From there everything goes wrong and the unexpected will keep you guessing up to the final moments. Aside from this being a well-crafted story with fascinating characters, Gwen Florio has provided us with an informative and tragic look at a culture in upheaval that we mostly do not understand.
Silent Hearts is available for purchase starting today July 24, 2018. Look for it. I know you’re gonna love it!
Cheers!
JIM in MT
CHECK IT OUT!
https://read.amazon.com/kp/embed?asin...
April 20, 2021
Ši knyga, priešingai negu esu skaičiusi daugiau šia tematika, man buvo šiek tiek išskirtinė. O kitokia dėl to, kad nebuvo tų visų istorijų apie apgautas užsienietes moteris, kurios ištekėjusios po keleto metų bėga nuo vyro musulmono, jo šalies (Egiptas, Iranas ir t.t.), kultūros, papročių, engiančių vyro giminaičių ir bando išsigabenti vaikus ir pan. Vienu metu atrodė, jog tik tokias istorijas leidyklos tik ir spausdina. Žinoma, tikrai smalsu ir įdomu pasinerti į tokias istorijas, nes daug sužinai apie tą šalį ir jų kultūrą, tačiau po daugelio tokių perskaitytų istorijų man reikia ilgesnės pauzės. Skaitant šią knygą to nebuvo, apskritai autorė kažkaip sugebėjo viską apjungti - tiek politinius, tiek ekonominius ir istorinius aspektus (knygos istorija pradedama po rugsėjo 11-osios teroro). Labai patiko knygos personažai - tiek amerikiečių Livos ir Martino vaizduojama pora, tiek pakistanietės Faridos ir jos afganistaniečio Gulo. Abu vyrus aš net lyginau tarpusavyje, nes savo elgesiu ir manieromis, požiūriu į šeimą ir žmoną, Martinas iš tiesų mažai ko skyrėsi nuo vyrų, vaizduojamų Afganistane. Skaitant apie gyvenimą Kabule, vis pagooglindavau, norėjosi labiau įsijauti ir įsivaizduoti šį miestą. Suintrigavo ir knygos pabaiga, tokia su daug klaustukų ir pamąstymų dėl tolesnio knygos personažų likimo. Ši knyga tikrai nėra nei sudėtinga skaitymu, nei kažkoks literatūrinis šedevras, tačiau mėgstantiems tokios tematikos knygas spėju tikrai patiks ir paliks vienokį ar kitokį įspūdį.
May 14, 2021
Slogi knyga. Jei ne tiek daug Afganistano kultūros ir gyvai vaizduojamos kasdienybės ji manęs nebūtų patraukusi ar įtikinusi. Faridos ir Gulo portretai daug stipresni nei Martino ir Livos, o jų susikirtimo istorija taip ir liko pritempta. Skubota, nerišli pabaiga, tarsi staiga būtų pritrūkę vaizduotės. Visą laiką ramiai tekėjusi istorija baiginėjasi teroro išpuoliu, tačiau trūko aštrumo, o motyvai kaip pykčiai dėl moters ar garbės kažkaip nebeįtikino.
Ypač sunku suprasti kodėl Martinas apskritai buvo pasirinktas vykti į Afganistaną. Jiedu su žmona nuolat atrodė kažkokie neišbaigti, skuboti... Tos jo neištikimybės ir staigus potraukis Faridai apskritai išmušė iš vėžių. Kaip ir Liva, kuri tarsi blankus šešėlis - tai ji nori visur lydėti vyrą, tai jai nerūpi...
Kas kita Gulas. Stiprus personažas nuo vaikystės traumų iki suaugusio vyro, priešingo savo giminaičiams, nors ir nedrįstančio to parodyti. Gaila, kad paskutinė jo scena apgadino įspūdį, bet toks ir kūrinys - vos užgriebiama kažkas gero ir aštraus, tuoj ir vėl išeina muilo operomis.
Tačiau džiaugiuosi dar pagilinusi savo žinias apie tą šalį, moterų teises (ar tiksliau jų nebuvimą), papročių svarbą, talibų reikšmę vietiniams. Knyga verčia susimąstyti būtent apie moteris, gyvenimus, kuriuose jos kartais tik daiktai, kai dėl klaidos išmetamos lauk pro duris net ir po keleto santuokos metų. Yra tikrai stiprių vietų, įdomių puslapių. Gaila, kad bendrai siužetas nesusiriša ir tos dvi poros iš skirtingų kultūrų taip ir nesusijungia geroje istorijoje.
Perskaičiusi galvoju tik viena: kaip gerai, kad aš negimiau tokioje šalyje ir kaip nuoširdžiai baisu už tas, kurios ten gyvena ir šiandien.
Ypač sunku suprasti kodėl Martinas apskritai buvo pasirinktas vykti į Afganistaną. Jiedu su žmona nuolat atrodė kažkokie neišbaigti, skuboti... Tos jo neištikimybės ir staigus potraukis Faridai apskritai išmušė iš vėžių. Kaip ir Liva, kuri tarsi blankus šešėlis - tai ji nori visur lydėti vyrą, tai jai nerūpi...
Kas kita Gulas. Stiprus personažas nuo vaikystės traumų iki suaugusio vyro, priešingo savo giminaičiams, nors ir nedrįstančio to parodyti. Gaila, kad paskutinė jo scena apgadino įspūdį, bet toks ir kūrinys - vos užgriebiama kažkas gero ir aštraus, tuoj ir vėl išeina muilo operomis.
Tačiau džiaugiuosi dar pagilinusi savo žinias apie tą šalį, moterų teises (ar tiksliau jų nebuvimą), papročių svarbą, talibų reikšmę vietiniams. Knyga verčia susimąstyti būtent apie moteris, gyvenimus, kuriuose jos kartais tik daiktai, kai dėl klaidos išmetamos lauk pro duris net ir po keleto santuokos metų. Yra tikrai stiprių vietų, įdomių puslapių. Gaila, kad bendrai siužetas nesusiriša ir tos dvi poros iš skirtingų kultūrų taip ir nesusijungia geroje istorijoje.
Perskaičiusi galvoju tik viena: kaip gerai, kad aš negimiau tokioje šalyje ir kaip nuoširdžiai baisu už tas, kurios ten gyvena ir šiandien.
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