“Afghanistan already had plenty of lost minds, floating like invisible balloons in the air above the land, leaving behind empty-minded people moaning and lonely in the dirt.” (page 25)
The reader, privy to her memories and thoughts during her interrogation by the US army, quickly realizes that Parvana is a resilient survivor of war, grief, and destruction. I noticed her ability to turn off her emotions to protect herself from revealing any information to the major. But what was more fascinating was how Parvana escapes her reality in the jail cell or interrogation to return to memories of the events leading up to her capture. I think these memories solidify her resolve to protect herself, her family and her school during her capture. Every time she is interrogated, or forced to stand for hours, or kept from sleeping I am begging her to respond, even with one word to make it stop.
Please. Your name. Just one word. Yes or no to their questions. ANYTHING!
I confess that I do not understand her silence. Being able to understand English I know that Parvana has heard the major promise to release her if she is innocent. So why won’t she talk??? I think that I have a limited understanding of her perspective because I have not read the previous books in the series. And despite my personal feeling towards American policies and attitudes as a North American I believe that I am more trusting of Americans than Parvana is.
Please. Your name. Just one word. Yes or no to their questions. ANYTHING!
I confess that I do not understand her silence. Being able to understand English I know that Parvana has heard the major promise to release her if she is innocent. So why won’t she talk??? I think that I have a limited understanding of her perspective because I have not read the previous books in the series. And despite my personal feeling towards American policies and attitudes as a North American I believe that I am more trusting of Americans than Parvana is.