Book Review: The Breadwinner

Author: Deborah Ellis

Most of the books I have reviewed are light and funny with myths and fantasy or creepy mystery. This time, the book I am reviewing is very deep and sad and is based on a real life story. One that has been going on even now in the news. Yes, this book is about life in Afghanistan under the Taliban Rule.

The story represents the life of a thousand poor Afghans under the Taliban Regime. It is said through a young afghan girl named Parvana whose father was abducted by Taliban Soldiers for getting educated and spreading it. The Taliban puts strict laws on women, who cannot go out of the house without a male escort and have to wear a garment called a 'burqa' which covers everything from head to toe except their eyes. Clearly things were difficult under the Taliban rule.

So without a male escort, Parvana, her sisters Nooria and Maryam and her mother cannot go out of the house. So, they hatch a plan and Parvana pretends to be a boy and does all the things her father did, including running her father’s business (translating letters for everyone). She explores the life as a boy and meets new friends along the way, like she met her classmate Shauzia who also was pretending to be a boy. They find out new ways to make money by selling things. Parvana’s mother works with her friend on a magazine and spreads awareness on the way Afghans live. The girl’s mom and dad are educated unlike the many of the others of Afghanistan in those days.

The story ends when Parvana and her father have to go to Mazar-e-Sharif to bring back Parvana’s mother and sister, who have led themselves into a trap.

Here's an excerpt:

There were lots of false legs for sale in the market now. Since the Taliban decreed that women must stay inside, many husbands took their wives' false legs away. "You're not going anywhere, so why do you need a leg?", they asked.

There were bombed out buildings all over Kabul. Neighborhoods had turned from homes and businesses into bricks and dust.

Kabul had once been beautiful. Nooria remembered whole sidewalks, traffic lights that changed colours, evening trips to restaurants and cinemas , browsing in fine shops for clothes and books.

For most of Parvana's life, the city had been in ruins and it was hard for her to imagine it another way. It hurt her to hear stories of old Kabul before the bombing. She didn't want to think about everything the bombs had taken away including her father's health and their beautiful home. It made her angry, and since she could do nothing with her anger, it made her sad.

Though the Taliban law is strict and violent, the Afghans continue to live and move on. Under the rule, not only have they become brave and resilient, their intelligence and creativity to get out of sticky situations is boosted. Some examples of intelligence is the idea of turning Parvana into a boy. Also the idea of a small school was ingenious too. They kept going to each other’s houses to prevent the Taliban being suspicious. They can be compared to the Jews who have also faced several hardships.

How did the Taliban come to Afghanistan? It all started when the Soviet Union invade Afghanistan in 1980. After they were gone, the people started fighting between themselves for control of the country and the Taliban emerged as the most powerful of the parties. They took control in 1996 and imposed several strict laws. They destroyed the Bamiyan Buddhas from the fifth century, which were vital artefacts to history. The US of A came in 2001 and subdued them a little bit. But they are at large once again.

When you hear the Taliban on news, all you get is who and all died and more sadness. Though this book has killing in it, the author has managed to put in some cheerfulness and life to make the story less sad.

I hope that this war will end soon and the Afghans will be safe again.