Words in the Dust

Zulaikha’s mother loved books and the Taliban killed her for it. Now the Americans are here and Zulaikha hopes for peace.

She also wants a chance to learn and maybe even an operation to fix her deformed mouth but doubts that her aspirations are compatible with the rigid constraints of her culture and the relative austerity of her daily life.

This thoughtful, sensitive and utterly absorbing story of a young girl’s painful journey to self-discovery in contemporary Afghanistan explores cultural complexities and conflicts on a very human level. An outstanding first book full of intricate detail which will stay with readers long after the story ends.