Mariam wished for so much in those final moments. Yet as she closed her eyes, it was not regret any longer but a sensation of abundant peace that washed over her. She thought of her entry into this world, the harami child of a lowly villager, an unintended thing, a pitiable, regrettable accident. A weed. And yet she was leaving the world as a woman who had loved and been loved back. She was leaving it as a friend, a companion, a guardian. A mother. A person of consequence at last. No. It was not so bad, Mariam thought, that she should die this way. Not so bad. This was a legitimate end to a life of illegitimate belongings.
Even after a month, I still haven’t fully recuperated from the emotional blow of this book. It was painful and heartbreaking, but quite beautiful in a devastating way. This book gracefully navigates through the landscape of pain, revealing the hidden beauty that exists even amid despair. It was heart-wrenching but also uplifting that even against all odds, a glimmer of hope shines through. There is something to hope for and to live for.
Mariam was an illegitimate(harami) daughter of a wealthy man. She endured neglect and ignorance from her own family for 15 long years. It actually gets worse when she is forced to marry a scumbag, Rasheed.
A man twice her age, and he viewed women merely as baby-making machines. Rasheed’s character is portrayed as an absolute disgrace, subjecting Mariam to abuse, rape, and continuous insult due to her inability to bear children throughout their marriage. The abuse scenes are gruesome, I cried so hard. Mariam’s resilience shines through, demonstrating that despite life’s hardships, maintains kindness and love for the people around her.
Her life is intertwined with that of Laila. A young girl whose life takes drastic turn because of war and she ends up in the same calamity with Mariam. To Laila there is Tariq his sweetheart but she is now married to the Ignorant Rasheed and it can only gets worse from here.
In the end Mariam makes the last and ultimate sacrifice for Laila and her children, granting them the opportunity for a free and happy life with Laila’s love, Tariq.
A public diary. 