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Defiant Dreams: The Journey of an Afghan Girl Who Risked Everything for Education
A searing, deeply personal memoir of a tenacious Afghan girl who educated herself behind closed doors and fought her way to a new life.
"Stories like this inspire me. Seeing the way people like Sola Mahfouz think about the world reinforces my optimism about the future."―BILL GATES
Sola Mahfouz was born in Afghanistan in 1996. That same year, the Taliban took over her country for the first time. They banned television and photographs, presided over brutal public executions, and turned the clock backwards on women's rights, practically imprisoning women within their own homes and forcing them to wear all-concealing burqas. At age eleven, Sola was forced to stop attending school after a group of men threatened to throw acid in her face if she continued. After that she was confined to her home, required to cook and clean and prepare for an arranged marriage. She saw the outside world only a handful of times each year.
As time passed, Sola began to understand that she was condemned to the same existence as millions of women in Afghanistan. Her future was empty. The rest of her life would be controlled entirely by men, fathers and husbands and sons who would never allow her to study, to earn money, or even to dream.
Driven by this devastating realization, Sola began a years-long fight to change the trajectory of her life. She decided that education would be her way out. At age sixteen, without even a basic ability to add or subtract, she began secretly to teach herself math and English. She progressed rapidly, and within just two years she was already studying topics such as philosophy and physics. Faced with obstacles at every turn, Sola still managed to sneak into Pakistan to take the SAT. In 2016, she escaped to the United States, where she is now a quantum computing researcher at Tufts University.
An engrossing, dramatic memoir, co-written with young Indian American human rights activist Malaina Kapoor, Defiant Dreams is the story of one girl, but it's also the untold story of a generation of women brimming with potential and longing for freedom.
"Stories like this inspire me. Seeing the way people like Sola Mahfouz think about the world reinforces my optimism about the future."―BILL GATES
Sola Mahfouz was born in Afghanistan in 1996. That same year, the Taliban took over her country for the first time. They banned television and photographs, presided over brutal public executions, and turned the clock backwards on women's rights, practically imprisoning women within their own homes and forcing them to wear all-concealing burqas. At age eleven, Sola was forced to stop attending school after a group of men threatened to throw acid in her face if she continued. After that she was confined to her home, required to cook and clean and prepare for an arranged marriage. She saw the outside world only a handful of times each year.
As time passed, Sola began to understand that she was condemned to the same existence as millions of women in Afghanistan. Her future was empty. The rest of her life would be controlled entirely by men, fathers and husbands and sons who would never allow her to study, to earn money, or even to dream.
Driven by this devastating realization, Sola began a years-long fight to change the trajectory of her life. She decided that education would be her way out. At age sixteen, without even a basic ability to add or subtract, she began secretly to teach herself math and English. She progressed rapidly, and within just two years she was already studying topics such as philosophy and physics. Faced with obstacles at every turn, Sola still managed to sneak into Pakistan to take the SAT. In 2016, she escaped to the United States, where she is now a quantum computing researcher at Tufts University.
An engrossing, dramatic memoir, co-written with young Indian American human rights activist Malaina Kapoor, Defiant Dreams is the story of one girl, but it's also the untold story of a generation of women brimming with potential and longing for freedom.
320 pages, Hardcover
First published June 1, 2023
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 162 reviews
September 8, 2025
Well-written, informative, upsetting, and inspiring. A wonderful memoir.
June 9, 2023
This book was everything to me. I was educated, heartbroken, inspired, upset, and emotional when reading this. This book takes us on a journey into Sola's life with the history of her parents and growing up instability-ridden in Afghanistan. I'm so glad that she gave the background into the state of Afghanistan when her parents were growing up and how the climate shifted when she was born.
This book shows how war changes people and how it hinders Sola and Afghan girls' ability to get an education. We see her emotional/mental state and how she filled that void at home, and how her family inspired these changes. It was so inspirational to see this young lady find ways to educate herself despite all the barriers in her way. The ending broke my heart for Moor, and it was quite emotional.
Reading this book reminded me of my privilege and how I was lucky to grow up in a society with parents that put a lot of effort into girls' and women's education and how different my life would be if I weren't afforded that privilege. I will never take that for granted especially because it wasn't always like that in my country. I am now even more inspired and motivated to push and advocate for education for all girls and women because not everyone will have the same story and opportunity that Sola had. I would recommend this book to middle and high schoolers and everyone else.
Many thanks to Random House Publishing Group-Ballantine for this arc for an honest review.
This book shows how war changes people and how it hinders Sola and Afghan girls' ability to get an education. We see her emotional/mental state and how she filled that void at home, and how her family inspired these changes. It was so inspirational to see this young lady find ways to educate herself despite all the barriers in her way. The ending broke my heart for Moor, and it was quite emotional.
Reading this book reminded me of my privilege and how I was lucky to grow up in a society with parents that put a lot of effort into girls' and women's education and how different my life would be if I weren't afforded that privilege. I will never take that for granted especially because it wasn't always like that in my country. I am now even more inspired and motivated to push and advocate for education for all girls and women because not everyone will have the same story and opportunity that Sola had. I would recommend this book to middle and high schoolers and everyone else.
Many thanks to Random House Publishing Group-Ballantine for this arc for an honest review.
February 27, 2026
I wish every junior high and high school student would read Defiant Dreams by Sola Mahfouz and Up from Slavery by Booker T. Washington to get an idea of how important education is and to show the opportunities it provides.
Defiant Dreams is Sola Mahfouz's autobiography. She describes her life as a young girl growing up in an Afghanistan at war with itself. Some years she did not leave the family's compound because of the dangers outside the walls. Her formal schooling ended when she was eight as the Taliban took over. She attended a Quran school fraught with abuse, but her parents and grandmother refused to believe the physical abuse was going on.
As Sola grew into her teenage years, she saw her older sister marry in order to escape her war-torn home. However, her brothers were able to gain scholarships to colleges in other countries. When Sola discovered Khan Academy's online program, she hoped she had found her way to safety, but, encouraged by her grandfather to learn English, she started out as a teenage taking math that American kindergarteners learned. As her family pressured her to marry, only her younger brother believed her dream was possible.
This book inspires readers to dream big and to work hard. Sola shares her struggles and fears, her doubts and her challenges. At times, she had me in tears as I cheered her on. Well worth reading.
Defiant Dreams is Sola Mahfouz's autobiography. She describes her life as a young girl growing up in an Afghanistan at war with itself. Some years she did not leave the family's compound because of the dangers outside the walls. Her formal schooling ended when she was eight as the Taliban took over. She attended a Quran school fraught with abuse, but her parents and grandmother refused to believe the physical abuse was going on.
As Sola grew into her teenage years, she saw her older sister marry in order to escape her war-torn home. However, her brothers were able to gain scholarships to colleges in other countries. When Sola discovered Khan Academy's online program, she hoped she had found her way to safety, but, encouraged by her grandfather to learn English, she started out as a teenage taking math that American kindergarteners learned. As her family pressured her to marry, only her younger brother believed her dream was possible.
This book inspires readers to dream big and to work hard. Sola shares her struggles and fears, her doubts and her challenges. At times, she had me in tears as I cheered her on. Well worth reading.
July 22, 2024
Defiant Dreams took me by surprise, Sola Mahfouz describes with beauty the horror and injustice that comes with growing up as a woman in Kandahar Afghanistan.
At 11 being told by the Taliban she must quit school or they will throw acid in her face is just one element of what it is like to exist as a women in Afghanistan under brutal control of Islam.
To just be born as a woman is to be viewed as inferior, never to be given an opportunity let alone respected.
The writing style of Sola (of which she learned English entirely by herself) is playful in the horror she describes. Painting a vivid image of life beyond my comprehension.
When I picked up this book I didn’t expect to have tears rolling down my face throughout it. I am deeply touched by this book and will be thinking about it for a long time.
At 11 being told by the Taliban she must quit school or they will throw acid in her face is just one element of what it is like to exist as a women in Afghanistan under brutal control of Islam.
To just be born as a woman is to be viewed as inferior, never to be given an opportunity let alone respected.
The writing style of Sola (of which she learned English entirely by herself) is playful in the horror she describes. Painting a vivid image of life beyond my comprehension.
When I picked up this book I didn’t expect to have tears rolling down my face throughout it. I am deeply touched by this book and will be thinking about it for a long time.
August 29, 2023
Triumphant story filled with heartbreaking news along the way. Sola’s life has left me speechless.
“As I drifted off to sleep at night, I thought, “what if I become a person with no world of my own, no place to turn to?”
“As I drifted off to sleep at night, I thought, “what if I become a person with no world of my own, no place to turn to?”
April 30, 2025
4.5/5
Wow, what an incredible person Sola Mahfouz is. She has a level of bravery and determination that I will never have but I think more importantly a level that I will never need.
I feel on one hand so fortunate to live in the world that feels so alien to one described by Sola and on the other hand so sad to know that that world is so many women’s reality.
I’m not someone who has a huge knowledge of Afghanistan aside from the headline restrictions, troubles and horror you see in the news. This book really makes the ordinary people of the country feel so relatable and human and that makes her story so much more intense. A fantastic journey
Wow, what an incredible person Sola Mahfouz is. She has a level of bravery and determination that I will never have but I think more importantly a level that I will never need.
I feel on one hand so fortunate to live in the world that feels so alien to one described by Sola and on the other hand so sad to know that that world is so many women’s reality.
I’m not someone who has a huge knowledge of Afghanistan aside from the headline restrictions, troubles and horror you see in the news. This book really makes the ordinary people of the country feel so relatable and human and that makes her story so much more intense. A fantastic journey
March 25, 2023
Wow! Sola’s life story is beautiful, inspiring, and heartbreaking all at the same time. What a powerful memoir! Sola’s life journey is so unlike most of ours who have grown up in western countries where education is freely accessible. Malaina’s descriptions of Sola’s struggles with the political climate in Afghanistan, family and cultural pressures, and the fight to access education will stay with me for a long time. Sola’s story makes me want to help others who are going through this same struggle in today’s world. I highly recommend this memoir!
April 26, 2025
This memoir is not only inspiring but also a heartbreaking read.
Sola's determination, her journey is not only about the education rights of Afghan women, it highlights the basic human rights that has been denied.
I like her style of writing, she lightens the mood of a grave situation. Amazing, how she self taught herself. I highly recommend reading this memoir.
Sola's determination, her journey is not only about the education rights of Afghan women, it highlights the basic human rights that has been denied.
I like her style of writing, she lightens the mood of a grave situation. Amazing, how she self taught herself. I highly recommend reading this memoir.
November 3, 2023
An amazing journey of an young Afghan woman who fought for her education and rights beyond the constraints of her background.
October 11, 2025
Well-written and informative.
August 21, 2023
Very inspiring and splendidly written memoir! Sola's incredible journey in quest of education is absolutely mind blowing.
I highly recommend this book.
I highly recommend this book.
August 9, 2023
Interesting story of Sola, a young girl determined to lift herself out of the repressive and oppressive Taliban grip.
Born in 1996, I enjoyed learning about this young girl’s early memories of growing up in a loving family and how they dealt with the restrictions imposed by the regime.
This memoir spanned Sola’s childhood in the 1990s to present day.What a difficult choice she faced, to leave Afghanistan with a one way visa, never to be allowed back home, or follow the opportunities and way of life offered by moving to the United States.
As the story neared present day, I was startled that commentary was inserted referring to President Trump as a racist. I was so disappointed. One of the reasons I read is to get away from today’s political climate where political banter is inserted into the news, mini series, movies and commercials. To be honest, that one fleeting comment, unimportant to the story at hand, ruined the book for me. I question if that was an opinion inserted by the co-author rather than Sola herself as it did not seem to fit w Sola’s demeanor as described throughout the story. Difficult to imagine Sola had a disparaging opinion of the person that was the President of the United States at time of her migration to this country. This does not add up.
An interesting story that for me, serves as a vivid reminder of how fortunate I am to be who I am, where I am, at the time I am. Life is good.
Born in 1996, I enjoyed learning about this young girl’s early memories of growing up in a loving family and how they dealt with the restrictions imposed by the regime.
This memoir spanned Sola’s childhood in the 1990s to present day.What a difficult choice she faced, to leave Afghanistan with a one way visa, never to be allowed back home, or follow the opportunities and way of life offered by moving to the United States.
As the story neared present day, I was startled that commentary was inserted referring to President Trump as a racist. I was so disappointed. One of the reasons I read is to get away from today’s political climate where political banter is inserted into the news, mini series, movies and commercials. To be honest, that one fleeting comment, unimportant to the story at hand, ruined the book for me. I question if that was an opinion inserted by the co-author rather than Sola herself as it did not seem to fit w Sola’s demeanor as described throughout the story. Difficult to imagine Sola had a disparaging opinion of the person that was the President of the United States at time of her migration to this country. This does not add up.
An interesting story that for me, serves as a vivid reminder of how fortunate I am to be who I am, where I am, at the time I am. Life is good.
September 21, 2023
Reminds me of “Educated”, but an Idaho girl getting into Cambridge and escaping her abusive family is small beans compared to Sola attempting to escape an entire country and culture built on the self-destructing abuse and enslavement of women, all while the Taliban rains down hellish warfare. “Afghanistan is a pain I’ll never be able to disentangle from,” and by electing Biden we caused that unforgivable pain too.
August 21, 2023
Honestly, this book came into my life at just the right moment, reminding me to remain patient with the tedious work I do because it can help real people who deserve it. I found this book both emotionally and intellectually interesting and am thrilled Sola is now in the US accomplishing her dreams.
Read
August 6, 2024An objectively impressive story.
December 28, 2024
Powerful memoir. Five stars because this is one that will stick with me. I learned so much about how hard it is to be a woman in Afghanistan. As author Sola Mahfouz shared, it was difficult to describe her life outside of Kandahar to her family because they had no point of reference. I felt the same way reading about her life in Afghanistan. At times, I shook my head in disbelief, gasped in horror, or shed tears of pain. Mahfouz knew from the time she was a young girl that she wanted a different life than the one she would be forced into in Kandahar. At just 11 years old, she had to quit going to school because men threatened to throw acid in her face if she continued. She decided to pursue an education secretly within her own home with the hope of escaping Afghanistan. She talks about how terrified she was when President Trump announced plans to remove US troops from Afghanistan. She then breathed a sigh of relief when President Biden was elected because she felt hopeful. However, he doubled-down on Trump’s plans and removed the US troops secretly overnight which allowed the Taliban to take control of her home country. Many innocent people were murdered and she feared for her family’s safety. From there, things would happen that changed her life forever. She is incredibly brave and I’m grateful that she shared her story.
October 10, 2023
I listened to this book primarily while driving myself back and forth to my job, a thing which felt like a small miracle in light of how hard Sola Mahfouz had to fight for any measure of independence, education, and respect. This book is a bittersweet memoir of her struggles, triumphs, and complex relationship with her homeland. The background information on the recent political history of Afghanistan offered valuable context, and her personal quest to educate herself as a way to expand her world was powerful and moving—though what she has to give up in the process is heartbreaking. While Sola does succeed on so many fronts, the book never paints her life as having a "happily every after" in which everything is fine and all of her problems are now over, because this is real life. Things are complicated. I appreciated her story, and I would recommend this book to anyone interested in human rights or the stories of Afghan women.
November 28, 2023
“Except to attend weddings, I hadn’t left the house at all in almost a decade.”
“I cannot believe this!” I suddenly heard. A man had stormed inside the shop and was screaming at the owner. “How can a sandwich take twenty minutes?? This sucks!” I didn’t immediately understand what the word sucks meant, but I could clearly see how furious the customer was. In Afghanistan, my family stayed calm through bombings and gunfire. How, I wondered, could this man be losing his mind over a sandwich?”
“I cannot believe this!” I suddenly heard. A man had stormed inside the shop and was screaming at the owner. “How can a sandwich take twenty minutes?? This sucks!” I didn’t immediately understand what the word sucks meant, but I could clearly see how furious the customer was. In Afghanistan, my family stayed calm through bombings and gunfire. How, I wondered, could this man be losing his mind over a sandwich?”
May 23, 2023
This is a great written, inspirational story. It would have been easy for Sola to stay where she was and follow the traditions of her country, but she was bold, motivated and determined to be the person she wanted to be. Of course the history of her country of Afghanistan and the events occurring during her lifetime are a large part of her story. That part is interesting too. Especially getting a small glimpse of one persons view of the US involvement. Inspirational and informative.
Thanks to Penguin Random House and Goodreads for my copy.
January 10, 2025
Such an incredible story of grit and tenacity. Sola’s story is inspiring and heartbreaking simultaneously. The perseverance she has shown throughout her life makes one feel as though anything is possible. The plight of Afghans in Afghanistan is a somber one.
Sola had an indomitable spirit and an energy that is contagious. She is reflective and curious.
I’m certain we will hear more from this author.
Sola had an indomitable spirit and an energy that is contagious. She is reflective and curious.
I’m certain we will hear more from this author.
December 5, 2025
I thought that this book was incredibly well written and satisfying to read in the sense of its organization. I personally give it a five out of five stars rating because I believe that it is an incredibly impactful, important, and educational book. Sola is a very strong woman and courageously shares her story through her memoir. This book revealed to me a lot of issues going on in other countries such as Afghanistan and also the role that America played in it. Defiant Dreams is something I think everyone should read because I think it will change some peoples perspective and thoughts on some general social issues. This book is also very eye opening to the privilege that those who live in a first world country have. Overall, this novel was an amazing read and I will definitely be searching for more books like this one.
March 22, 2026
4.5 stars
July 30, 2026
It’s horrifying to realise that this is actually the reality of so many women’s lives. I loved the journey the author took us through, but heartbreaking to understanding she is one of the lucky ones that’s actually got out. It’s shocking to see that education and women’s rights is still something that is denied today. Appreciate the small things. Also tbt Khan Academy
May 2, 2025
A woman in book club heard the author speak at Harvard and recommended we read her book. Her story is amazing and inspiring, but also breaks your heart for what life in Afghanistan is like for women and girls.
August 4, 2023
I had the privilege to meet both the authors at a book talk. This book is truly one of the best ones I have read this year. From the descriptive writing to the stories, you get transported to Sola’s life as a ambitious young woman in Afghanistan. This is a success story that deserves recognition. 5/5 stars!
April 3, 2024
Saw the authors promoting their new book on the news and I really did not know too much about Afghanistan or the Taliban rule, so decided to check it out. The storytelling was very captivating and I felt like I was a part of the scenes. Not an easy read though because it gave me a glimpse into the harsh reality of a women’s life in this country and that was tough to picture. The last few chapters were especially emotional as you realize everything that Sola helplessly dealt with from thousands of miles away. And as they paint the picture of 2024 Afghanistan, it’s pretty frightening. After reading, I am just grateful for the basic freedoms I have always had like going out for a walk alone, choosing who I marry , going to school etc.
December 19, 2023
Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for a free copy in exchange for an honest review.
I am at a loss for words having just finished Defiant Dreams. To say this book touched me would be a gross understatement.
This book is so beautifully written. I was cheering for Sola and crying when things seemed dire.
This is an incredible story of one girl fighting against expectations to define the life she wanted to live. Her courage beams off the page with inspiration. My heart ached with her disappointments and trials, and I felt her conflicting feelings.
This will be one of the best books I will have read for a long time.
I am at a loss for words having just finished Defiant Dreams. To say this book touched me would be a gross understatement.
This book is so beautifully written. I was cheering for Sola and crying when things seemed dire.
This is an incredible story of one girl fighting against expectations to define the life she wanted to live. Her courage beams off the page with inspiration. My heart ached with her disappointments and trials, and I felt her conflicting feelings.
This will be one of the best books I will have read for a long time.
August 17, 2023
From unschooled Afghan girl to quantum computing researcher at Tufts University, Sola Mahfouz defied the odds by self-educating herself and never giving up in her determination to live more than a life of uneducated subservience. An inspiring and moving book.
August 31, 2024
Such a great book. The author is truly inspiring and her story is just amazing. As an educator it really hit.
September 1, 2023
I just finished this book with tears streaming down my face. This is a story that the world needs to know.
I was a high school student in California when the 9/11 terrorists attacks happened. Before then, I don't think I had any concept of Afghanistan. I learned more about the country from snippets of news coverage as the war in Afghanistan played out. But it was nonetheless a place foreign and distant to me.
After reading this book, my understanding of Afghanistan—and the tragic life circumstances of many women there—feels much more human and real. Sola Mahfouz's spent her childhood and teenage years living with her family through the brutality and tragedy of what has happened in her home country over the last 25 years. Her determination to overcome the incredible obstacles that barred her from education and freedom is inspiring!
This is one of the best books I've ever read.
I was a high school student in California when the 9/11 terrorists attacks happened. Before then, I don't think I had any concept of Afghanistan. I learned more about the country from snippets of news coverage as the war in Afghanistan played out. But it was nonetheless a place foreign and distant to me.
After reading this book, my understanding of Afghanistan—and the tragic life circumstances of many women there—feels much more human and real. Sola Mahfouz's spent her childhood and teenage years living with her family through the brutality and tragedy of what has happened in her home country over the last 25 years. Her determination to overcome the incredible obstacles that barred her from education and freedom is inspiring!
This is one of the best books I've ever read.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 162 reviews