Sparks Like Stars, Nadia Hashimi, author; Mozhan Marno, narrator
In this novel, Sitara Zamani, 10 years old, witnesses the murder of her family in the Afghanistan Presidential Palace known as “the Arg”, in April of 1978. Children and adults were indiscriminately and brutally murdered in this actual military coup, led by pro-communist factions. It was then followed a couple of years later, by the Russian invasion of Afghanistan. Bringing any sort of consensus to governing Afghanistan, however, has always been, and still remains, elusive.
Sitara, whose name means “Star”, was the daughter of Suleiman Zamani, an advisor to President Sardar Mohammed Daoud Khan. As a result, her life had been somewhat charmed. On that fateful day in April, when everyone in the palace was attacked and murdered, Sitara was rescued by one of the traitors to the government, a palace guard known to her as Shair, who decided to spare her life when he discovered her hiding place. Sitara never gave him credit for that, since she was too young to understand and was consumed with the horror of what she had witnessed. She never forgave him for the murders he and his compatriots committed which left her and many others to be orphaned and in grave danger.
In order to save her, however, he, too, was in danger. He had to risk his own future and life, along with that of his family. He could not hide her from the revolutionaries indefinitely. Finally, desperate, he abandoned her, leaving her with an unsuspecting woman he had met briefly. She, Antonia Shepherd, was attached to the American Embassy, and he believed if anyone could save the child, she could. Although she never wanted a family of her own, Antonia rises to the occasion, and along with her mother, she offers the child salvation. Uncertainty, danger and threats will follow. Sitara is soon subjected to the bureaucracy of the America Embassy, the corruption of Child Protective Services and the capriciousness of very flawed, sometimes sexually deviant, human beings. This, however, is a common plight for those who find themselves in such situations in real life.
The book dwells largely on the danger, the hopelessness and the helplessness of the vulnerable who are at the mercy of those who have overthrown the legal government. There is little opportunity for them to escape the tyranny that follows. Friends are soon enemies, protecting themselves. The book is about the effects of this trauma of war on innocent, sometimes unsuspecting victims. Sitara’s ability to survive is dependent, not only on the kindness of others, but also on her own strength and courage. Even at the young age of 10, she is able to make decisions that both risk and support her own safety. She has not been coddled; she is bright, strong-willed, and a very brave young girl destined to grow into a noteworthy adult. Often reverting to the advice of her parents, she seems able to realize her dreams and to survive her dangerous escapades. Her deceased parents taught her the values that sustained her and advised her actions. Her new identity and loving caregiver gave her the freedom to grow and develop.
In 1978, in Sitara’s world, the women did not have to wear head coverings. It was a matter of choice. In the world three decades later, when she returned to Afghanistan, she saw that head coverings were now expected. In the world today, in August of 2021, after the chaotic Taliban takeover, and once again, the overthrow of a President, they may also soon be wearing burkhas, complete with chadri, as they will be both “curtained and veiled”. They may soon be confined to the home, be unsuited for education, and be unable to move freely without male accompaniment.
The beauty of this novel lies not only in its story, but in its history, in its references to the poetry and the majesty of the country itself, and to the more philosophical side of the Muslim religion into which she was born. Her memories were sometimes inspirational. On the flipside, however, there is a martial atmosphere; the theocracy with its lack of democracy is palpable in this novel. It tells the story of a child’s coming of age, of how she comes to terms with the trauma of her past, of how she assumes a new identity to survive, and how it affects her ability to find a lasting relationship, as the fog of her childhood memories constantly haunt her. It is the universal story of all those who have experienced this kind of unrest and turmoil, trauma and brutality.
In light of current events, I wondered how do I begin to write a review about a book that just a few short days ago was very relevant, but today, after the sudden overthrow of the government in Afghanistan, now needs an epilogue? The world is watching the country once again continue its descent into anarchy and rule by the ultra-radical and religious, terrorist organization known as the Taliban. We are witnessing the desperation of those who sided with America, as their lives are in danger and the lack of escape for them is inevitable.
The author’s parents were born in Afghanistan and migrated to America prior to 1978. This book speaks of the tragedies that followed their move, instigated by the events of April 1978, known as the Saur Revolution, which was led by pro-communist factions. After the terrorist attack of September 11,2001, (9/11), and the tragedy of the collapse of the Twin Towers, led mostly by Saudis, that resulted in thousands of American deaths, America held Afghanistan responsible for harboring the terrorists responsible for the planning of the attack, among them the mastermind, Bin Laden. Then, they invaded Afghanistan to protect the sovereignty of the United States and to secure the safety of all of its citizens from further terrorist attacks on American soil. The purpose was to destroy Al-Qaida.
The book does not look that favorably upon the American CIA’s intervention into the country, and after this chaotic United States total withdrawal, 8/21, coupled with the complete takeover of Afghanistan by the Taliban, I am sure there will be no love lost between the author and the American administration, since the evident thread of anti-Americanism and racism that is already in the book, will surely now flourish in the country that has been abandoned by us.

3 stars

Very slow read - forgettable