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This is a quick, emotionally powerful read. The novel takes place entirely in one room where the main character is caring for her injured and comatose husband, which gives it the feel of a play. It's a little simplistic, and I'm not sure how to parse the ending, but overall an interesting look at relationships and autonomy.

This is both my January #bookspin and my #Afghanistan read for #readingasia2021
@TheAromaofBooks @Librarybelle @BarbaraBB

The story within the story about the king and his daughter exemplifies how many females are falsely taught from a young age that if they are the victim of any sort of sexual behaviour then they are a disgrace. Also through the use of sex workers the double edged sword of sexual control is expressed by Rahimi as women who enjoy sex are equally considered as disgraceful. He posits that under certain regimes women are doomed.

A difficult but important text expressing how many women suffer a life where all they are seen as is a powerless receptacle for sex.

“That saying is so true: One should never rely on a man who has known the pleasure of weapons!”

A is for Afghanistan

Afghan French, translated from Dari.

Winner of the Prix Goncourt

Excited!

The title refers to a Persian tale of a mythical stone that absorbs the pain of others. In this case, the “stone” is a comatose Afghan man whose wife confesses her secret thoughts to her unresponsive husband as war rages around them. Although I disliked the ending, I gave the book a good rating because the story has really stayed with me. #WorldTour @JulietteGF

Syngué Sabour is the first book of a long #journeyaroundtheworld. I have decided with my boyfriend to read two books from every country in the world, one country per month. We started on november 2017, and it will take us... more than 16 years (197 countries) to complete this wonderful adventure!
First stop: Afghanistan 😍
A poignant book, by the way. Worth reading.
(Note: I read in French, but the title is the same in English)

#summersantagoespostal Dear Summer Santa! Your package has arrived and I'm dying to open it, but sadly I can't yet. I sent off my own package too late 😣 and now as a form or pennance I'll open this package when the package I have sent off has reached its recipient. Sorry! (to you and my recipient)

Here is the schedule for the challenge #WorldTour
Rules: read each month an author from the featured country. The books from the column "my choice" are just examples, you don't have to choose the same ones. Use #WorldTour on your reviews ;) @Kimzey
I also created a hashtag on Instagram: #LiteraryWorldTourChallenge ?

What a powerful read! The English title is The Patience Stone, if you haven't read it, read it. Atiq Rahimi, an Afghan writer, writes beautifully about the sad fates of women in Afghanistan. The woman, the main character, confides all her secrets to her estranged husband in the coma.
I chose this book for my #WorldTour challenge... Next month, in January, I'll read A Dry White Season by André Brink for South Africa ;)

I'm beginning my #WorldTour challenge with a book written in French by Atiq Rahimi, an Afghan writer now residing in France. The English title is The Patience Stone.
Do not hesitate to join me in this challenge. For the month of December you need to read a book by an Afghan writer. The next countries are South Africa, Albania, and Algeria.

#bookmail
I received Syngue sabour, the book I'm going to read for my #worldtour challenge. Remember: each month a book by a writer from a specific country. I begin in December with Afghanistan. Feel free to join me, you can read the book you want, just pick a book by a writer from Afghanistan!
Of course, while shopping on French Books Online, I had to indulge, and buy other books ;) #compulsivebookbuyer

Because I want to read more books by foreign writers, I've decided to do a #WorldTour starting with Afghanistan in December. Then, each month I'll include on my to-read list a new world book ;) The picture makes so much more sense than my explanation... Do not hesitate to join me in this challenge! You don't have to choose the same books/authors, just follow the list of countries ;)

I listened to The Patience Stone on my commute and while I wasn't 100% in love with the narrator, I found this book to he so powerful. It is written sparsely, poetically and its telling of the tremendous pressure imposed upon Afghani women in their relationships with men, and reproduction, and their own sexual pleasure. The woman (which is all she is ever called) spills all of her deepest darkest secrets to her comatose man and frees herself.