The Afghan Wife

by Cindy Davies

During the volatile times that followed the Iranian revolution in 1979, Zahra, her husband and son are forced to leave their homeland of Afghanistan with her revolutionary activist cousin, Firzun.

Zahra's life becomes embroiled with Firzun's, as her cousin joins the violent opposition to the new regime in Iran. Complexities increase as she again meets Karim, a man she's loved since she was a teenager.

As the political turmoil unfolds, Zahra must choose between love and family loyalty.

If you enjoyed reading The Bookseller of Kabul by Asne Seirestad and The Little Coffee Shop of Kabul by Deborah Rodriguez you'll love The Afghan Wife.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Iran

322 pages, Paperback

First published November 10, 2017

Reviews

[SuperWendy · Rating 1 out of 5]

A lot of tell over a show. A heroine who "reacts" to everything and drifts along the story being pulled in various directions. There's a lack of character development to the point where I never felt invested in any of these people, so didn't care what happened to them. More women's fiction than romance, the romance itself just magically "happens," isn't developed beyond teenage puppy love, and the book just stops at the end, presumably because the author is planning a sequel.

[Vithya · Rating 5 out of 5]

To say i loved it is an understatement.. mention karim anytime anywhere and i will melt anytime anywhere.

easy to read and hard to put down. i finished this book in 3 days.

A love story set in the iranian revolution of 1970s. With a political backdrop it takes you through the life of Zahra. Widowed with a 5 year old child, beautiful zahra is forced to flee her country afghanistan to Iran as a refugee, straight from one politically unrest country to another.

As destiny would have it she meets her childhood crush karim, an unbelievably wealthy architect belonging to one of the influential families of Iran.
Its because their diverse background and the disturbing changing political scenarios around them that true love blossoms between the protagonists.

The characters though fictional are inspired and based on true life accounts of a few irani and afghani students the author met during her teaching career. Even few incidents mentioned in the book had actually happened according to the author. she has gone as far as living in Iran while writing this book which proves why you are delusioned to believe its someone insider narrating the story.

An extensively researched book on the political upheavals of iran and afghanistan in 1970s and the impact on its people slowly depriving them of security, stability and freedom and i feel fortunate that i am not one of them.
Thank you Democracy.

Having said that there is no dearth of romance in the book, absolutely cute at times.
I swear Karim is one dream man every girl wants. perhaps the only thing that kept me going was the constant longing i had, to see them through till the end, as not just them even their loved ones lives are threatened amidst the unrest.

Strong meaningful plot coupled with an equally intense romantic love story. Its a 5 star read.

and my thoughts are already around the sequel because yes..i wantttt to see more of karim!! ..

what to watch out for?
zarha and karim's chemistry. both sizzling and decent !!

would i reread it?... yes in all likelihood i will !

I got a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a honest review

[Jill Dobbe · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Afghan Wife is a remarkable story of the abuse and violence women suffered during the time of the reign of the Ayatollah Khomeini and the religious police. It is a gripping and emotional read that centers on the lives of a couple of Iranian families who are caught up in the turmoil of that time.

Zahra, the main character, along with her son, suffers intimidation, fear, and abuse at the hands of her husband. After a long and harrowing escape over mountain passes, she relocates to Tehran and connects with a long lost love. Intrigue, Iranian politics, and an emotional love story intermix throughout the book.

The author's strong interest in the Middle East comes through in her writing. In the preface of the book, she touches upon the historical aspect and the plight of Muslim women during that time, and at present,giving an updated version of what life is like in Iran now.

I enjoyed the story line of the book and recommend it to readers also interested in the lives of women living in Middle Eastern countries.

[Barb VanderWel · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this & I can't wait for more.
I will be also leaving a review on Goodreads @ Amazon.
And letting everyone know about it.
So i gave it a 5 Stars.

[Derek Pearce · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ostensibly this a story of conflict, revolution, marital abuse and eventual refuge but sadly intertwined with these points is an odd almost Mills and Boon romance. For me it was a trial to read to the end simply because I desperately kept hoping against hope that the silly purple prose of the romance would not reappear but my hopes were regularly dashed. Outside of that despite the fact that a large, the largest portion of the action takes place in Teheran just after the Shah has been toppled we are given no insight into why and are expected instead to sympathise with cadre of people who had been ridiculously privileged under the shah and who eventually flee to America. There is also an incredibly unsympathetic revolutionary who is somehow a friend of the privileged and who lives in their opulent hoses while trying to foment a counter revolution. I ended this book knowing no more than when I started it and feeling cheated.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Maegan · Rating 3 out of 5]

First off, this is a good book and I recommend it. That being sad, there are some things I like and some I don't.

Pros:
-I enjoyed the cast of characters. Zahra was definitely an interesting character and I tended to agree with her on most things that happened.
-The setting was very enthralling. I have never read a book set in Iran as far as I can remember. Iran during its revolution was a scary time and I think the author did the setting justice.

Cons:
-Firzun was a selfish and annoying character, although that was probably meant for the plot development.
-I feel that the love story was more instalove than real love. They felt as if the love they had should have grown over some time, not less than two months.
-The ending was a bit abrupt, and I wish there were more. Today though, I found out that there will be a sequel sometime.

Overall I enjoyed this book, and I am going to read the second book when it comes out.

***3.5stars

[Jean Wilde · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoy historical fiction because I like being transported to the past and I enjoy learning something new. "The Afghan Wife" did that for me! It was richly detailed and I could tell that the author really did her homework to convey how volatile and dangerous the late 1970s were for women in Iran. Unlike what the title implies, the story has very little to do with Afghanistan and after about 20% of the book all the events take place in Iran post-Islamic revolution. The characters were interesting and the POV switched halfway through the book from being exclusive to Zahra to show Karim's POV as well. I didn't enjoy the romance between them. It just seemed so juvenile and came off like a teenage crush. They barely had any dialogue together and nothing that would be considered meaningful, and yet suddenly after exchanging endless glances and having a strong physical attraction to one another they're in love.

Zahra's character started out strong. She was an abused wife in 1970s Afghanistan and because of the culture she couldn't leave her cruel husband. All perfectly understandable and realistic. I thought she'd come into her own however when she found herself in Iran, but she turned into a meek, passive character who just allowed everything to happen to her. She'd allowed her husband to dictate her life, then she allowed her cousin Firzun to do that and finally she'll allow Karim to do that. She cowered and lied and never communicated anything to the man she's supposedly in love with.
*Spoiler*
The ending was frustrating because I kept thinking with every chapter "now, she'll tell Karim the truth" or "now, she'll stand up for what she wants" but no. Firzun had to die, and he wasn't even her husband, for her to be free.
Overall, "The Afghan Wife" was an enjoyable book. A lot of research was put into it and I was engaged throughout the story.

[Melanie S · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love vs. loyalty in the Islamic revolution

I was fascinated by The Afghan Wife. Cindy Davies has paired a familiarity with Islamic culture and family life in Iran and Afghanistan with historical events - the fall of the Shah and the rise of the Islamic Republic in Iran, and the Mujahadeen guerrilla war against the Soviet occupation in Afghanistan. Zahra, an abused wife, is forced to flee her Afghan home with her husband and son by her revolutionary cousin Firzun. Her husband is killed during their escape, and Firzun masquerades as her husband, then leaves Zahra in the care of family friends. She is reintroduced to Karim, a man she developed a crush on at seventeen, prior to her arranged marriage. She's a traditional Afghani Muslim woman, he's a western-educated Iranian, but their love rekindles amid the political intrigues and dangerous times in Ayatollah Khomeini's reactionary Islamic state. I can't say what fascinated me more - the political thriller, the family drama, or the love story, because every facet of the plot was so compellingly interwoven. I found myself thinking Zahra was actually exceptionally brave for a woman of that time and place. The descriptions of the countryside and of city life in cosmopolitan Tehran were so vivid I could almost imagine myself right there. Davies writing creates suspense and a sense of imminent danger throughout the book that kept me turning pages. The ending was not quite as I expected - a little abrupt, actually - but still believable and satisfying. I thank BookSprout for the ARC, and this is my voluntary and independent review.

[Priya Shringi · Rating 4 out of 5]

‘The Afghani Wife’ is a good read as it has some galvanizing scenes that excite you and wonders where it will take the story next. It is a fast-paced story that manages to change the plots very quickly. The novel was interesting because of the suspense and the turns, and twists of the story than the love story lie within it. The situation and problems of Middle-Eastern Muslim women, especially in Iran and Afghanistan, were demonstrated adroitly and meticulously in the novel.

The writer has built some strong characters, especially its main characters like Zahra, Nasim, Esmat and Karim very impressive with lots of flaws and perfections. However, she lacks in creating a strong impact on characters like Ahmad and Firzun to impress the readers.

The love story is a beautiful fiction between Zahra and Karim. The best part was though Zahra never connected Karim emotionally at most of the levels, she continuously thought of physically attracted to him from the beginning, but resisted capitulating herself completely. As shown in the book, Zahra’s relation with her cousin or husband murderer Firzun is a mess and somewhat strange in an intensely political environment.

Overall, the novel ‘The Afghani Wife’ is a delightful and engaging read. Recommended it to other readers and waiting for its sequel.

[Isolde Martyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

For many readers in Australia, the stress of settling in a new land is not unknown, and a reminder of what it is like for any newcomers is not a bad thing. Even if you speak the local language, there are adjustments and misunderstandings -- even more so if you are being compelled to break the law and you have a young child to safeguard.
Zahra, the young Afghanistan wife in Cindy Davies’ debut novel and its sequel, finds herself in such a situation, first in Iran and then in Australia. Her story, though fictional, is credible. The author interviewed women like Zahra, who had grown up during the more secular regime of the Shah and then experienced the dire restrictions against women enforced by the Taliban in Afghanistan and the Ayatollah Khomeini in Iran.
Bringing together years of research and experience in Western countries as well as the Moslem world, Cindy Davies is a convincing narrator.
It’s not easy competing against books bristling with feisty Western heroines. What I liked about these two stories is Cindy creates a young woman who is a lovely blend of modesty and courage and, yes, a survivor! There’s a very likable hero, too.
These novels could, perhaps, have done with a better edit, but they offer insight and encourage understanding, and in this world of increasing upheaval, that indeed is a very good thing.

[Betty · Rating 5 out of 5]

“The Afghan Wife” is a well-written look into the lives of the Iranian people after the revolution that forced the shah into exile. Many people have forgotten, or were totally unaware, that prior to the 1970s Afghanistan and Iran were fairly Westernized nations. It wasn’t until the Revolution in the late 70s that the people became so suppressed.

This is a well written book describing the turmoil encountered in day-to-day life in the new Iran. The story revolves around star-crossed lovers Karim and Zahra as they are forced to adapt in the new political climate. There is something for everyone in this story - romance, politics, and intrigue.

I found myself having a strong emotional response to the story. I was hoping that somehow Karim and Zahra would find a way to be together, frustrated with the idealism of Firzun and Nasim, and saddened by deaths both natural and tragic.

This story serves a snapshot of the tumultuous events surrounding the hostage crisis at the American embassy in Tehran and its impact on the local people. It is a reminder of how so many people lost their freedom almost overnight. It is a reminder of what we take for granted.

[Louise Cox · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book The Afghan Wife is a MUST read...it grips you from the very beginning until the end.
Historically factual with a wonderful gripping love story to boot.
When reading the book you feel as though you are there experiencing everything Zahra is experiencing, you feel her sorrow, her fear, her motherhood, her loyalty and her ultimate love.

The author Cindy Davies captures every moment, with her inimitable description of the atmosphere of the violence during the regime in Iran, that Zhara sees and experiences and her incredible strength to survive.
I didn't want it to end, so purposely tried not to read it too fast (as I normally read).
I found the historical events very interesting and it made me realise what a terrible regime it was in Iran just horrific.

I am so glad the Cindy Davies is writing a sequel to this book and cannot wait to read what happens to Zahra and her son.

A MUST READ FOR ALL WHO CARE ABOUT THE HUMAN RACE, LOVE AND HISTORY.

[Melanie McGrade Davidson · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Afghan Wife was such an interesting read for me. This is not the usual genre that I read, and I was admittedly a bit skeptical if I would like it, but I truly did enjoy it. It was captivating and gripping, and though there was so much going on, it was written with so many details that it was easy to read and follow. I learned so much and developed an appreciation for the different cultures, and was able to see things from a very different viewpoint than I am used to. It is a story about politics and love, turmoil and suspense. I am so glad I read it and I do recommend others read it, too. Everything was so detailed and descriptive, yet fast-paced and gripping. I definitely can see this becoming a movie.

Thank you to Booksprout and Odyssey Books for this advanced reader copy!

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Vivien Wilson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cindy Davies has written a remarkable book. Her wonderfully drawn characters and landscapes capture the reader's interest as we follow the heroine's journey fleeing from Afghanistan into Iran. Zahra is a young mother who finds herself caught up in events beyond her control as the siege of the American Embassy in Tehran in 1979 escalates. It is also a sensitive love story as Zarah, the heroine is torn between her childhood idol, the charismatic Karim and her somewhat shady cousin Firzun, an unscrupulous freedom fighter to whom she feels honour bound. This book is to be commended as both a page turner and an evocative description of the Middle East, its people and landscapes and the plight of refugees.

[Cynthia Prosser · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found this an interesting book. It started out slowly as a love story, a frustrating love story, with a great many changes and unknowns for the protagonist then switches to more of a political thriller before resolving in a satisfactory ending. It takes place mainly in Iran at the time of the Iranian Revolution with the Hostage crisis as a backdrop. It is an unusual time and place with the play of Middle Eastern cultural, or rather various facets of the culture, the uncertainty of revolution, and the not too distant past. As the story took on more and more aspects of a political thriller, the pace and tension ramped up as the reader is left guessing what will happen next and who will be impacted how. All in all enjoyable.

[Cynthia · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a great read that pulled you in from the first page. I felt it was turn to the country and all the issues they deal with. This is a story about conflict, marital abuse, revolution, refuge filled with action and all that goes with it. There is so much sorrow it just breaks your heart all that Zahra has to go through. I really wanted to pull you out of the pages. The author does a nice job of showing her fear, sorrow, her loyalty and her undying love as she goes through motherhood. With the authors writing style you come to know Zahra as she becomes a strong women growing in her strength and beliefs as she learns to survive. It is a story I had trouble putting down and read at one setting.
*******************

[Carmel · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading this book because it was action packed. I read it in only a few days because once I started I was drawn into the story and couldn't put it down. I also enjoyed the authors way of introducing aspects of the culture. It is the first time I've had to look up words while reading in a while.
There is a glossary at the end of the book, but I didn't find it till I read the whole thing. I gave it four stars because while there was a love story mixed into this action/ spy/ adventure...I couldn't quite figure out who to root for. I frustrated me a little as a reader.

Great mystery and suspense overall.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Maria Cox · Rating 3 out of 5]

Blurb

The Afghan Wife is the story of an upper middle-class woman set in Afghanistan and Iran during the Carter administration.

*Spoilers*

Zahra's husband is a disgusting human being, he’s a tyrant and he abuses her emotionally and physically. Needless to say, I was relieved when he died as it freed her to live a better life with her young son. What follows, however, is a set of complicated events difficult to grasp. Also, I thought the romantic element in the story was convoluted.

The story line is nevertheless gripping as it addresses the plight of many migrant families fleeing political persecution.

Overall, The Afghan Wife was a good read. I give The Afghan Wife 3.5 stars.

[Marcie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Romantic and terrifying at the same time. I really connected with the main character. Zahra is only interested in safety for her and her son. She finds herself a chess piece being moved around by the decisions of others. Iran is an unstable country and Zahra just wants to find somewhere to live in safety. An old crush comes back in to play in her life making things even more complicated. I became so involved in the story I just kept reading all the way to the end. I highly recommend this book.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Mrvica · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed reading this book. Although the story is a bit far-fetched and unrealistic, I loved the settings. It felt as though I was really in Iran although I had never really visited this part of the world.The main character seems as a strong and wonderful person and I was sorry for everything she had to go through. I also liked the style of writing, wonderful descriptions and attention paid to some minor details.
I would recommend this book as a good and easy read to all those who believe in love, destiny and better world.

[Carole Jackson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thoroughly enjoyed this 'page-turner' of a book. A gripping heart-felt story of a woman caught in the turmoil of events around the 1979 Iranian Revolution and the taking of the American Embassy in Tehran. The book has all the ingredients for a 'must read'; containing romance, intrigue and adventure. Cindy Davies writes in a style that puts you right there with these characters of this spell-binding story. This book cries out for a sequel!

[Tanya · Rating 5 out of 5]

her life was great and she had a great family but things change when the revolution happened in her home country. they have to flee taking her cousin with them. he causes a lot of problems and she meets her teen love. she will face a choice her family or her first love. who will she pick? where will her life end up as? see what she will do

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Holly · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you like reading story about other culture you should like this one.
I definitely enjoyed.
Story about young women trying to better her and her son life . In this terrible revolution time wasn’t easy.
After you loose your husband,provider and father to young boy was definitely unbearable.
Meeting the man she knew before should help. Or maybe not ...

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Janilyn Kocher · Rating 4 out of 5]

A decent tale about an Afghan woman caught up in the maelstrom of the Iranian Revolution. It was interesting to read the novel from an non- American perspective. Iran was a turbulent place and the story highlights all the volatility. It also illustrates how helpless the main character, Zahra, was, having to rely on men to direct her path.

[Cheryl Hill · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed that I was able to learn more about historical events that I knew very little about through the eyes of the interesting and believable characters. I'll be looking out for the sequel.

[Vizzy Sounder · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wanted to read this book again as was intrigued by the recent historical setting of the book. It's an easy and pleasant read and you get to care about the characters.

[Karen · Rating 3 out of 5]

It started out slow then it picked up. It has good characters, interesting storyline, written well, and different from what I normally read. It was an okay read.

[Dominique · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved it. I haven’t read an engrossing book for so long. This one had me!!! I loved the historical accuracy combined with a love story. Come on Cindy. Where is the sequel?

[Sandra · Rating 2 out of 5]

Despite its title, most of this book is set in Tehran in the early days of the Iranian Revolution at the beginning of the American hostage situation. This provides an usual backdrop to the story and an opportunity to view these turbulent days from within.

Zahra is the Afghan Wife in question, married as the story opens to Mahmoud, a controlling afghan who beats her and makes life very challenging for Zahra and their young son. Zahra’s cousin, Firzun, is a university-educated revolutionary. After a failed terrorist attempt in Afghanistan, he pulls Zahra and Mahmoud into his plans to flee the country. A terrifying journey brings them to Tehran and into the wealthy lives of Firzun’s Iranian revolutionary friends where Zahra becomes embroiled in even more dangerous activities.

I very much enjoyed the chance to see these events from a different perspective. There was a real sense of danger and confusion in the escape from Afghanistan and the tension built steadily in Tehran with the streets patrolled by sinister government agencies and ill-disciplined trigger-happy gangs of young men. Zahra was very much an unwilling pawn in all that went on: rarely making a choice for herself. Her backstory explained how she had come to be in this situation and seemed credible. Her priority became her young son and her own survival.

There were some weaknesses in the book however, which leave me hovering between giving 3 or 4 stars overall. Alongside the historical elements of the story was a romance. Zahra had met Karim just once, ten years ago, and now meets him again. I found this aspect of the book to be shallow and formulaic - it read like an old Mills and Boon (Harlequin) romance. I had no problem with the romance being a part of the overall story, but for me it had no credibility in the way it was written.

That said, I notice that the book is described as ‘a love story set against the Iranian revolution’. Perhaps this book was meant to be a Mills and Boon style romance - one set in a very different location to most? If that is the case - if the book is intended for readers of such romances - then perhaps it succeeds more than I am giving it credit for. I didn’t appreciate that the emphasis was on the romance rather than on the historical context as I was reading the book. Though possibly, had I realised this beforehand I may not have chosen to read it at all which would have been a pity.

As it is, I am glad that I have read it. I enjoyed it even with its weaker parts, and I gained some insight into how it might have been to have lived through that situation. I believe that the author is working on a sequel. I would certainly read it - and this time I would understand beforehand what to expect!

[Shirley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great book, lots of compelling action and interesting characters. Zahra is caught in a culture that doesn’t allow women much freedom, and she’s stuck in an abusive marriage. She gets trapped into fleeing from Afghanistan to Iran with her cousin, who takes advantage of her loyalty. I found the culture fascinating and terrifying, and the story kept me reading to see how things would turn out. I really enjoyed the characters and the setting of this book.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.