Genres
Publication
William Morrow (2015), Edition: International ed., 400 pages
Description
Fiction. Literature. HTML: Mahmoud's passion for his wife Fereiba, a schoolteacher, is greater than any love she's ever known. But their happy, middle-class world�??a life of education, work, and comfort�??implodes when their country is engulfed in war, and the Taliban rises to power. Mahmoud, a civil engineer, becomes a target of the new fundamentalist regime and is murdered. Forced to flee Kabul with her three children, Fereiba has one hope to survive: she must find a way to cross Europe and reach her sister's family in England. With forged papers and help from kind strangers they meet along the way, Fereiba make a dangerous crossing into Iran under cover of darkness. Exhausted and brokenhearted but undefeated, Fereiba manages to smuggle them as far as Greece. But in a busy market square, their fate takes a frightening turn when her teenage son, Saleem, becomes separated from the rest of the family. Faced with an impossible choice, Fereiba pushes on with her daughter and baby, while Saleem falls into the shadowy underground network of undocumented Afghans who haunt the streets of Europe's capitals. Across the continent Fereiba and Saleem struggle to reunite, and ultimately find a place where they can begin to reconstruct their lives… (more)
User reviews
LibraryThing member lit_chick
“Maybe this is how it is meant to be: a wife without a husband. Children without a father. perhaps incomplete is the very definition of a normal family. Where did my lofty expectations come from anyway? Afghanistan is a land of widows and widowers, orphans and the missing. Missing a right leg, a
Fereiba , school teacher in Kabul, is surprised to find love in an arranged marriage. Having lost her mother at birth, her childhood was troubled, her relationship with her father’s second wife imbalanced – and her father either unwilling or unable to upset his wife’s rule. She and Mahmood, a gifted engineer, are delighted to welcome three children: the first a son, Saleem, followed by a daughter and a second son. But their comfortable life implodes when the Taliban rise to power in Kabul, and their family becomes a target for the fundamentalist regime. Travelling with forged papers, Fereiba and her three children make a dangerous crossing into Iran under cover of darkness. But their road to freedom has only just begun; before they reach the safety of England, they need still traverse Turkey, Greece, Italy, and France. In Athens, Saleem becomes separated from his family – and his mother must make a dreaded decision to carry on with her young daughter and son, hoping upon hope that she will see Saleem again.
When the Moon is Low is a compelling read, both frightful and triumphant – and resplendent with the bravery of one woman to save her family. An impressive novel from Nadia Hashimi – an author new to me – but whose other work I will certainly explore. Highly recommended.
“We need only a chance. Somewhere in the world, there must be a place where we will be welcomed as a long-lost sister, not stoned away like an unwanted snake in the garden.” (223)
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left hand, a child, or a mother. Everyone was missing something …” (221)Fereiba , school teacher in Kabul, is surprised to find love in an arranged marriage. Having lost her mother at birth, her childhood was troubled, her relationship with her father’s second wife imbalanced – and her father either unwilling or unable to upset his wife’s rule. She and Mahmood, a gifted engineer, are delighted to welcome three children: the first a son, Saleem, followed by a daughter and a second son. But their comfortable life implodes when the Taliban rise to power in Kabul, and their family becomes a target for the fundamentalist regime. Travelling with forged papers, Fereiba and her three children make a dangerous crossing into Iran under cover of darkness. But their road to freedom has only just begun; before they reach the safety of England, they need still traverse Turkey, Greece, Italy, and France. In Athens, Saleem becomes separated from his family – and his mother must make a dreaded decision to carry on with her young daughter and son, hoping upon hope that she will see Saleem again.
When the Moon is Low is a compelling read, both frightful and triumphant – and resplendent with the bravery of one woman to save her family. An impressive novel from Nadia Hashimi – an author new to me – but whose other work I will certainly explore. Highly recommended.
“We need only a chance. Somewhere in the world, there must be a place where we will be welcomed as a long-lost sister, not stoned away like an unwanted snake in the garden.” (223)
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LibraryThing member Smits
Novel about Feriba and her children especially her son Saleem who flee kabul in a harrowing journey with England as their ultimate destination. Feriba finds love in her arranged marriage and joy in her children until the Taliban changes their world. Saleem is a regular boy until he becomes the man
I enjoyed the novel but somehow it did not really grip me. I liked the characters and found the travelling and danger elements very good and I was keen to learn more about what life is like for people uprooted and thrown into such a struggle. i just don't think it is as well written as say the novels of Khaled Hosseini.
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when his father is marched away never to return. They journey into the world of undocumented refugees,living with no shelter, little money or food and a ill child . Saleem becomes separated from his mother and sister and brother and the novel continues following the two separate journeys.I enjoyed the novel but somehow it did not really grip me. I liked the characters and found the travelling and danger elements very good and I was keen to learn more about what life is like for people uprooted and thrown into such a struggle. i just don't think it is as well written as say the novels of Khaled Hosseini.
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LibraryThing member whitreidtan
The news doesn't show us much about Afghanistan anymore. Other places and concerns have replaced this particular Middle Eastern country in the public consciousness. But many of the issues that brought it to the fore still exist. The Taliban, women's rights violations, extremism, and so forth
Fereiba grew up in Kabul with her father and stepmother, her own mother having died giving birth to her. Her stepmother favored her own children, using Fereiba to help her with housework and childcare, and Fereiba's father never intervened on her behalf in order to keep peace with his wife. Without the love and support that every child deserves, Fereiba had a solitary and sad childhood. Only after the unexpected love she finds in marriage does it look like her life is changing for the better. She and her husband live a comfortable life, she works as a teacher, and they start a family. But when the Taliban arrive, everything is thrown into chaos and Fereiba must learn to live with fear and haunting tragedy. Following the plan her husband set in motion, she makes the difficult and dangerous choice to leave Kabul with her children to try and make their way to her sister in London. Traveling on forged documents, the journey is arduous and exacting. As a mother, Fereiba must watch as her oldest son, Saleem, struggles to become a man without a father and before his time and as her youngest son, a medically fragile infant, suffers and weakens. The small family faces indignities and hardship that they have no choice but to endure and accept as they make their way through an unwelcoming and sometimes hostile Europe. But when Saleem is caught by police without papers, separated from the family, and deported, the blow is horrible. The only option is for Fereiba to go on with the other two children and for Saleem to make his own way.
The story of their flight is emotionally wrenching. Their strength and determination in the face of so many obstacles, including racism and suspicion towards those seeking asylum, is impressive. They do find kind and helpful people to help them along the way so they can maintain hope even in the darkest of times. Hashimi has drawn vivid pictures of the squalor in which refugees live, their desperation and sometime solidarity, and has captured the ever present nagging fear of the displaced extremely well, especially in the character of Saleem. The novel does have a bit of a split personality feeling to it after spending so much time on Fereiba's childhood and courtship and then jumping almost straight into their refugee life with just a tiny bridge over her many years of happiness with Mahmood, her husband and soulmate. The early story is told by Fereiba in the first person while sections focused on Saleem, told in the third person, take precedence in the second half of the novel, although Fereiba continues to narrate the occasional chapter as well. This is an ingenious way to show their experiences as two different faces of the refugee crisis. The story is a compelling and fast read which highlights the continued human cost of oppression and intolerance on a very personal level.
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haven't stopped. We've turned our attention elsewhere but people continue to suffer and Afghans still make the difficult and dangerous choice to flee their homeland in search of asylum elsewhere. The only times that the desperate plight of these refugees is brought to our attention is when a horrible tragedy happens, humanitarian groups shine an uncomfortable light on refugee camps, or a large protest or mass exodus occurs. Otherwise this ongoing crisis is conveniently and quietly ignored. Nadia Hashimi's latest novel, When the Moon Is Low, examines this crisis on a personal level with the tale of an Afghan mother who flees with her three children in tow to try and find a better life for them in London.Fereiba grew up in Kabul with her father and stepmother, her own mother having died giving birth to her. Her stepmother favored her own children, using Fereiba to help her with housework and childcare, and Fereiba's father never intervened on her behalf in order to keep peace with his wife. Without the love and support that every child deserves, Fereiba had a solitary and sad childhood. Only after the unexpected love she finds in marriage does it look like her life is changing for the better. She and her husband live a comfortable life, she works as a teacher, and they start a family. But when the Taliban arrive, everything is thrown into chaos and Fereiba must learn to live with fear and haunting tragedy. Following the plan her husband set in motion, she makes the difficult and dangerous choice to leave Kabul with her children to try and make their way to her sister in London. Traveling on forged documents, the journey is arduous and exacting. As a mother, Fereiba must watch as her oldest son, Saleem, struggles to become a man without a father and before his time and as her youngest son, a medically fragile infant, suffers and weakens. The small family faces indignities and hardship that they have no choice but to endure and accept as they make their way through an unwelcoming and sometimes hostile Europe. But when Saleem is caught by police without papers, separated from the family, and deported, the blow is horrible. The only option is for Fereiba to go on with the other two children and for Saleem to make his own way.
The story of their flight is emotionally wrenching. Their strength and determination in the face of so many obstacles, including racism and suspicion towards those seeking asylum, is impressive. They do find kind and helpful people to help them along the way so they can maintain hope even in the darkest of times. Hashimi has drawn vivid pictures of the squalor in which refugees live, their desperation and sometime solidarity, and has captured the ever present nagging fear of the displaced extremely well, especially in the character of Saleem. The novel does have a bit of a split personality feeling to it after spending so much time on Fereiba's childhood and courtship and then jumping almost straight into their refugee life with just a tiny bridge over her many years of happiness with Mahmood, her husband and soulmate. The early story is told by Fereiba in the first person while sections focused on Saleem, told in the third person, take precedence in the second half of the novel, although Fereiba continues to narrate the occasional chapter as well. This is an ingenious way to show their experiences as two different faces of the refugee crisis. The story is a compelling and fast read which highlights the continued human cost of oppression and intolerance on a very personal level.
Show Less
LibraryThing member whitreidtan
The news doesn't show us much about Afghanistan anymore. Other places and concerns have replaced this particular Middle Eastern country in the public consciousness. But many of the issues that brought it to the fore still exist. The Taliban, women's rights violations, extremism, and so forth
Fereiba grew up in Kabul with her father and stepmother, her own mother having died giving birth to her. Her stepmother favored her own children, using Fereiba to help her with housework and childcare, and Fereiba's father never intervened on her behalf in order to keep peace with his wife. Without the love and support that every child deserves, Fereiba had a solitary and sad childhood. Only after the unexpected love she finds in marriage does it look like her life is changing for the better. She and her husband live a comfortable life, she works as a teacher, and they start a family. But when the Taliban arrive, everything is thrown into chaos and Fereiba must learn to live with fear and haunting tragedy. Following the plan her husband set in motion, she makes the difficult and dangerous choice to leave Kabul with her children to try and make their way to her sister in London. Traveling on forged documents, the journey is arduous and exacting. As a mother, Fereiba must watch as her oldest son, Saleem, struggles to become a man without a father and before his time and as her youngest son, a medically fragile infant, suffers and weakens. The small family faces indignities and hardship that they have no choice but to endure and accept as they make their way through an unwelcoming and sometimes hostile Europe. But when Saleem is caught by police without papers, separated from the family, and deported, the blow is horrible. The only option is for Fereiba to go on with the other two children and for Saleem to make his own way.
The story of their flight is emotionally wrenching. Their strength and determination in the face of so many obstacles, including racism and suspicion towards those seeking asylum, is impressive. They do find kind and helpful people to help them along the way so they can maintain hope even in the darkest of times. Hashimi has drawn vivid pictures of the squalor in which refugees live, their desperation and sometime solidarity, and has captured the ever present nagging fear of the displaced extremely well, especially in the character of Saleem. The novel does have a bit of a split personality feeling to it after spending so much time on Fereiba's childhood and courtship and then jumping almost straight into their refugee life with just a tiny bridge over her many years of happiness with Mahmood, her husband and soulmate. The early story is told by Fereiba in the first person while sections focused on Saleem, told in the third person, take precedence in the second half of the novel, although Fereiba continues to narrate the occasional chapter as well. This is an ingenious way to show their experiences as two different faces of the refugee crisis. The story is a compelling and fast read which highlights the continued human cost of oppression and intolerance on a very personal level.
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haven't stopped. We've turned our attention elsewhere but people continue to suffer and Afghans still make the difficult and dangerous choice to flee their homeland in search of asylum elsewhere. The only times that the desperate plight of these refugees is brought to our attention is when a horrible tragedy happens, humanitarian groups shine an uncomfortable light on refugee camps, or a large protest or mass exodus occurs. Otherwise this ongoing crisis is conveniently and quietly ignored. Nadia Hashimi's latest novel, When the Moon Is Low, examines this crisis on a personal level with the tale of an Afghan mother who flees with her three children in tow to try and find a better life for them in London.Fereiba grew up in Kabul with her father and stepmother, her own mother having died giving birth to her. Her stepmother favored her own children, using Fereiba to help her with housework and childcare, and Fereiba's father never intervened on her behalf in order to keep peace with his wife. Without the love and support that every child deserves, Fereiba had a solitary and sad childhood. Only after the unexpected love she finds in marriage does it look like her life is changing for the better. She and her husband live a comfortable life, she works as a teacher, and they start a family. But when the Taliban arrive, everything is thrown into chaos and Fereiba must learn to live with fear and haunting tragedy. Following the plan her husband set in motion, she makes the difficult and dangerous choice to leave Kabul with her children to try and make their way to her sister in London. Traveling on forged documents, the journey is arduous and exacting. As a mother, Fereiba must watch as her oldest son, Saleem, struggles to become a man without a father and before his time and as her youngest son, a medically fragile infant, suffers and weakens. The small family faces indignities and hardship that they have no choice but to endure and accept as they make their way through an unwelcoming and sometimes hostile Europe. But when Saleem is caught by police without papers, separated from the family, and deported, the blow is horrible. The only option is for Fereiba to go on with the other two children and for Saleem to make his own way.
The story of their flight is emotionally wrenching. Their strength and determination in the face of so many obstacles, including racism and suspicion towards those seeking asylum, is impressive. They do find kind and helpful people to help them along the way so they can maintain hope even in the darkest of times. Hashimi has drawn vivid pictures of the squalor in which refugees live, their desperation and sometime solidarity, and has captured the ever present nagging fear of the displaced extremely well, especially in the character of Saleem. The novel does have a bit of a split personality feeling to it after spending so much time on Fereiba's childhood and courtship and then jumping almost straight into their refugee life with just a tiny bridge over her many years of happiness with Mahmood, her husband and soulmate. The early story is told by Fereiba in the first person while sections focused on Saleem, told in the third person, take precedence in the second half of the novel, although Fereiba continues to narrate the occasional chapter as well. This is an ingenious way to show their experiences as two different faces of the refugee crisis. The story is a compelling and fast read which highlights the continued human cost of oppression and intolerance on a very personal level.
Show Less
LibraryThing member mmoj
I received an ARC copy of this book from The Reading Room. It was well worth the read. Right from the beginning I enjoyed learning about the culture but I had a little trouble with the book because the main character, Fereiba was so much like Cinderella I kept waiting for the fairy godmother
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(instead it was a kindly old man). But once Fereiba was able to start school I felt the story really hooked me. Ms. Hashimi does a wonderful job of describing the character's surroundings without taking away from the movement of the story. I enjoyed hearing from both Fereiba and then about half-way through the book Saleem's point-of-view. What the family had to go through made them so strong, perhaps why I got the feeling at times that they are too taciturn I was hoping to hear more about their feelings and interactions with each other but as was said in the book they had to compartmentalize themselves to survive. The ending was exactly as it should be. Show Less
LibraryThing member mmoj
I received an ARC copy of this book from The Reading Room. It was well worth the read. Right from the beginning I enjoyed learning about the culture but I had a little trouble with the book because the main character, Fereiba was so much like Cinderella I kept waiting for the fairy godmother
Show More
(instead it was a kindly old man). But once Fereiba was able to start school I felt the story really hooked me. Ms. Hashimi does a wonderful job of describing the character's surroundings without taking away from the movement of the story. I enjoyed hearing from both Fereiba and then about half-way through the book Saleem's point-of-view. What the family had to go through made them so strong, perhaps why I got the feeling at times that they are too taciturn I was hoping to hear more about their feelings and interactions with each other but as was said in the book they had to compartmentalize themselves to survive. The ending was exactly as it should be. Show Less
LibraryThing member mmoj
I received an ARC copy of this book from The Reading Room. It was well worth the read. Right from the beginning I enjoyed learning about the culture but I had a little trouble with the book because the main character, Fereiba was so much like Cinderella I kept waiting for the fairy godmother
Show More
(instead it was a kindly old man). But once Fereiba was able to start school I felt the story really hooked me. Ms. Hashimi does a wonderful job of describing the character's surroundings without taking away from the movement of the story. I enjoyed hearing from both Fereiba and then about half-way through the book Saleem's point-of-view. What the family had to go through made them so strong, perhaps why I got the feeling at times that they are too taciturn I was hoping to hear more about their feelings and interactions with each other but as was said in the book they had to compartmentalize themselves to survive. The ending was exactly as it should be. Show Less
LibraryThing member mmoj
I received an ARC copy of this book from The Reading Room. It was well worth the read. Right from the beginning I enjoyed learning about the culture but I had a little trouble with the book because the main character, Fereiba was so much like Cinderella I kept waiting for the fairy godmother
Show More
(instead it was a kindly old man). But once Fereiba was able to start school I felt the story really hooked me. Ms. Hashimi does a wonderful job of describing the character's surroundings without taking away from the movement of the story. I enjoyed hearing from both Fereiba and then about half-way through the book Saleem's point-of-view. What the family had to go through made them so strong, perhaps why I got the feeling at times that they are too taciturn I was hoping to hear more about their feelings and interactions with each other but as was said in the book they had to compartmentalize themselves to survive. The ending was exactly as it should be. Show Less
LibraryThing member BookDivasReads
Fereiba is a teacher, wife, and mother. Her adult life in Afghanistan is better than even she expected until the Taliban came into power. In a short time she's lost her job and then her husband. Her sole concern is to make a better life for all of her children, the two that are already born and the
Fereiba had a sad childhood. Her mother died in childbirth and she was raised by her stepmother. The only real love she received was from her paternal grandfather. Her stepmother convinced Fereiba's father that she was needed at home to help with her younger half-siblings. Even when they her sisters were older and all attending school, her stepmother felt there was no need for Fereiba to attend school. It is a testament to Fereiba's will that she began first grade at age 13 and quickly advanced to graduate on schedule. Unfortunately for Fereiba, her mother's death was seen as a negative in Afghani culture. Her first fiancé, an ugly bully, died shortly after the engagement. She had met a young man in her father's orchard and it was presumed that he would seek her hand in marriage, but he marries her oldest half-sister. Just when thought all was lost, she becomes engaged to Mahmoud Waziri. His family ensures she furthers her education and she becomes a teacher. Their marriage was childless for a number of years before she had two children and became pregnant with a third child. Then war breaks out and she is no longer allowed to teach. And then the Taliban comes for her husband, he subsequently disappears and is presumed dead. Without a husband, brother, or father as a protector and no income, the only option Fereiba sees for herself and her children is to immigrate to England. The journey is long and arduous, as the family travels from Afghanistan to Iran, onto Turkey, and then Greece. Fereiba is forced to rely upon her son Saleem and his efforts to work and provide for this family of four. Will they be able to make it to England?
I read When the Moon is Low in one sitting. I found it to be a captivating and wholly engrossing read. I became invested in the trials and tribulations of Fereiba and her son Saleem. I felt despair when times were hard and cheered them on when they moved on against all odds. The reader is given Fereiba's backstory featuring her childhood and the circumstances of her marriage. We're also given a fascinating glimpse into the present with Saleem's story as a migrant, teenage refugee seeking work in Turkey and Greece. Ms. Hashimi has provided an extraordinary glimpse into the hardships that Afghan refugees faced in their attempts to find freedom. I felt all of the characters in this story were well developed and realistic. There are plenty of people that helped Fereiba and Saleem out of the goodness of their hearts, and there are those that took advantage. At its heart, I felt that When the Moon is Low was a story of a search for a better life and survival. This isn't an overly sad story although there are plenty of sad elements, yet it remains a story of hope. If you enjoy reading about other cultures or are simply seeking a good story, then I strongly urge you to grab a copy of When the Moon is Low as soon as possible (yes, it is just that good!).
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one she is carrying. Her eldest child is a boy, Saleem, and he agrees with his mother that they need to leave Afghanistan. Their struggles and quest for freedom are revealed in When the Moon is Low by Nadia Hashimi.Fereiba had a sad childhood. Her mother died in childbirth and she was raised by her stepmother. The only real love she received was from her paternal grandfather. Her stepmother convinced Fereiba's father that she was needed at home to help with her younger half-siblings. Even when they her sisters were older and all attending school, her stepmother felt there was no need for Fereiba to attend school. It is a testament to Fereiba's will that she began first grade at age 13 and quickly advanced to graduate on schedule. Unfortunately for Fereiba, her mother's death was seen as a negative in Afghani culture. Her first fiancé, an ugly bully, died shortly after the engagement. She had met a young man in her father's orchard and it was presumed that he would seek her hand in marriage, but he marries her oldest half-sister. Just when thought all was lost, she becomes engaged to Mahmoud Waziri. His family ensures she furthers her education and she becomes a teacher. Their marriage was childless for a number of years before she had two children and became pregnant with a third child. Then war breaks out and she is no longer allowed to teach. And then the Taliban comes for her husband, he subsequently disappears and is presumed dead. Without a husband, brother, or father as a protector and no income, the only option Fereiba sees for herself and her children is to immigrate to England. The journey is long and arduous, as the family travels from Afghanistan to Iran, onto Turkey, and then Greece. Fereiba is forced to rely upon her son Saleem and his efforts to work and provide for this family of four. Will they be able to make it to England?
I read When the Moon is Low in one sitting. I found it to be a captivating and wholly engrossing read. I became invested in the trials and tribulations of Fereiba and her son Saleem. I felt despair when times were hard and cheered them on when they moved on against all odds. The reader is given Fereiba's backstory featuring her childhood and the circumstances of her marriage. We're also given a fascinating glimpse into the present with Saleem's story as a migrant, teenage refugee seeking work in Turkey and Greece. Ms. Hashimi has provided an extraordinary glimpse into the hardships that Afghan refugees faced in their attempts to find freedom. I felt all of the characters in this story were well developed and realistic. There are plenty of people that helped Fereiba and Saleem out of the goodness of their hearts, and there are those that took advantage. At its heart, I felt that When the Moon is Low was a story of a search for a better life and survival. This isn't an overly sad story although there are plenty of sad elements, yet it remains a story of hope. If you enjoy reading about other cultures or are simply seeking a good story, then I strongly urge you to grab a copy of When the Moon is Low as soon as possible (yes, it is just that good!).
Show Less
LibraryThing member BookDivasReads
Fereiba is a teacher, wife, and mother. Her adult life in Afghanistan is better than even she expected until the Taliban came into power. In a short time she's lost her job and then her husband. Her sole concern is to make a better life for all of her children, the two that are already born and the
Fereiba had a sad childhood. Her mother died in childbirth and she was raised by her stepmother. The only real love she received was from her paternal grandfather. Her stepmother convinced Fereiba's father that she was needed at home to help with her younger half-siblings. Even when they her sisters were older and all attending school, her stepmother felt there was no need for Fereiba to attend school. It is a testament to Fereiba's will that she began first grade at age 13 and quickly advanced to graduate on schedule. Unfortunately for Fereiba, her mother's death was seen as a negative in Afghani culture. Her first fiancé, an ugly bully, died shortly after the engagement. She had met a young man in her father's orchard and it was presumed that he would seek her hand in marriage, but he marries her oldest half-sister. Just when thought all was lost, she becomes engaged to Mahmoud Waziri. His family ensures she furthers her education and she becomes a teacher. Their marriage was childless for a number of years before she had two children and became pregnant with a third child. Then war breaks out and she is no longer allowed to teach. And then the Taliban comes for her husband, he subsequently disappears and is presumed dead. Without a husband, brother, or father as a protector and no income, the only option Fereiba sees for herself and her children is to immigrate to England. The journey is long and arduous, as the family travels from Afghanistan to Iran, onto Turkey, and then Greece. Fereiba is forced to rely upon her son Saleem and his efforts to work and provide for this family of four. Will they be able to make it to England?
I read When the Moon is Low in one sitting. I found it to be a captivating and wholly engrossing read. I became invested in the trials and tribulations of Fereiba and her son Saleem. I felt despair when times were hard and cheered them on when they moved on against all odds. The reader is given Fereiba's backstory featuring her childhood and the circumstances of her marriage. We're also given a fascinating glimpse into the present with Saleem's story as a migrant, teenage refugee seeking work in Turkey and Greece. Ms. Hashimi has provided an extraordinary glimpse into the hardships that Afghan refugees faced in their attempts to find freedom. I felt all of the characters in this story were well developed and realistic. There are plenty of people that helped Fereiba and Saleem out of the goodness of their hearts, and there are those that took advantage. At its heart, I felt that When the Moon is Low was a story of a search for a better life and survival. This isn't an overly sad story although there are plenty of sad elements, yet it remains a story of hope. If you enjoy reading about other cultures or are simply seeking a good story, then I strongly urge you to grab a copy of When the Moon is Low as soon as possible (yes, it is just that good!).
Show More
one she is carrying. Her eldest child is a boy, Saleem, and he agrees with his mother that they need to leave Afghanistan. Their struggles and quest for freedom are revealed in When the Moon is Low by Nadia Hashimi.Fereiba had a sad childhood. Her mother died in childbirth and she was raised by her stepmother. The only real love she received was from her paternal grandfather. Her stepmother convinced Fereiba's father that she was needed at home to help with her younger half-siblings. Even when they her sisters were older and all attending school, her stepmother felt there was no need for Fereiba to attend school. It is a testament to Fereiba's will that she began first grade at age 13 and quickly advanced to graduate on schedule. Unfortunately for Fereiba, her mother's death was seen as a negative in Afghani culture. Her first fiancé, an ugly bully, died shortly after the engagement. She had met a young man in her father's orchard and it was presumed that he would seek her hand in marriage, but he marries her oldest half-sister. Just when thought all was lost, she becomes engaged to Mahmoud Waziri. His family ensures she furthers her education and she becomes a teacher. Their marriage was childless for a number of years before she had two children and became pregnant with a third child. Then war breaks out and she is no longer allowed to teach. And then the Taliban comes for her husband, he subsequently disappears and is presumed dead. Without a husband, brother, or father as a protector and no income, the only option Fereiba sees for herself and her children is to immigrate to England. The journey is long and arduous, as the family travels from Afghanistan to Iran, onto Turkey, and then Greece. Fereiba is forced to rely upon her son Saleem and his efforts to work and provide for this family of four. Will they be able to make it to England?
I read When the Moon is Low in one sitting. I found it to be a captivating and wholly engrossing read. I became invested in the trials and tribulations of Fereiba and her son Saleem. I felt despair when times were hard and cheered them on when they moved on against all odds. The reader is given Fereiba's backstory featuring her childhood and the circumstances of her marriage. We're also given a fascinating glimpse into the present with Saleem's story as a migrant, teenage refugee seeking work in Turkey and Greece. Ms. Hashimi has provided an extraordinary glimpse into the hardships that Afghan refugees faced in their attempts to find freedom. I felt all of the characters in this story were well developed and realistic. There are plenty of people that helped Fereiba and Saleem out of the goodness of their hearts, and there are those that took advantage. At its heart, I felt that When the Moon is Low was a story of a search for a better life and survival. This isn't an overly sad story although there are plenty of sad elements, yet it remains a story of hope. If you enjoy reading about other cultures or are simply seeking a good story, then I strongly urge you to grab a copy of When the Moon is Low as soon as possible (yes, it is just that good!).
Show Less
LibraryThing member BooksCooksLooks
This is a very timely book given the refugee situation in Europe as it is the story of family fleeing Afghanistan in the wake of the rise of the Taliban. But it starts at a happier time in that country’s history. A time when young women could still go to school and become teachers.
When the Moon
Fereiba is eventually married to a man she doesn’t know but together they create a loving family and strong bond of love. It is only as the Taliban starts to take control and many of their friends start to flee and her husband wants to remain that any friction occurs in their relationship. It turns that they should have left because one night men come for her husband and he never comes home leaving Fereiba with no money and no support in a country that now sees women as little more than chattel. She decides she must take the children and flee to her sister in London.
As they make the dangerous journey Fereiba finds she is stronger than she thought although her eldest, Saleem does not understand how they come to be in the position they are in. He just wants life to go back to what it was.
This was not an easy book to read at times. The author writes in her author notes that the travails of her characters came from stories of actual refugees. The things people will do to find a better life due to war or oppression are amazing. It certainly gave me perspective to what is going on with the Syrian refugees. The fear, the loneliness and the horrifying poverty. The book presents it all quite bluntly at times.
It’s one of those books that kept me turning the pages and that I was glad that I read but it would be hard to say I enjoyed it – the subject matter is too dark and the ending too ambiguous. It ends somewhat abruptly truth be told, I almost thought I was missing a chapter.
When the Moon
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is Low is a story of relationships more than anything. The relationships of parents and children, husbands and wives, brothers and sisters, and those that form quickly between strangers found together in difficult situations. At the heart of the tale are Fareiba and her son, Saleem; the book is told through their voices. Fareiba came into the world and her mother departed it and that left her feeling as if she was cursed. Her life is not what it should be as her father abandons her to the care of a less than loving stepmother who uses her in a very maid like way. It is only when she finally convinces her father to let her go to school that she finds herself.Fereiba is eventually married to a man she doesn’t know but together they create a loving family and strong bond of love. It is only as the Taliban starts to take control and many of their friends start to flee and her husband wants to remain that any friction occurs in their relationship. It turns that they should have left because one night men come for her husband and he never comes home leaving Fereiba with no money and no support in a country that now sees women as little more than chattel. She decides she must take the children and flee to her sister in London.
As they make the dangerous journey Fereiba finds she is stronger than she thought although her eldest, Saleem does not understand how they come to be in the position they are in. He just wants life to go back to what it was.
This was not an easy book to read at times. The author writes in her author notes that the travails of her characters came from stories of actual refugees. The things people will do to find a better life due to war or oppression are amazing. It certainly gave me perspective to what is going on with the Syrian refugees. The fear, the loneliness and the horrifying poverty. The book presents it all quite bluntly at times.
It’s one of those books that kept me turning the pages and that I was glad that I read but it would be hard to say I enjoyed it – the subject matter is too dark and the ending too ambiguous. It ends somewhat abruptly truth be told, I almost thought I was missing a chapter.
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LibraryThing member vancouverdeb
When the Moon is Low is the perfect read for insight and empathy into the Afghanistan / Syrian refugee crisis that we read about nearly everyday. Fereiba , her husband, and three children live a relatively happy life in Kabul. As the Taliban rises into power, Fereiba is forced to flee Afghanistan
Fereiba and her children travel from Afghanistan to Syria, to Turkey and Greece, relying on the kindness of strangers, and also experiencing many harrowing situations . The goal for Fereiba is to to get to England to start over again. Unfortunately son Saleem becomes separated from his family in Greece.
A very timely read, and I am certain that it depicts the desperation of the many refugees of fleeing the Middle East.
A wonderfully told story, as well as a gripping page turner.
Highly recommended . 4. 5 stars.
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with her three children. Her eldest child, son Saleem, is just 14 years old as they flee . Fereiba and her children travel from Afghanistan to Syria, to Turkey and Greece, relying on the kindness of strangers, and also experiencing many harrowing situations . The goal for Fereiba is to to get to England to start over again. Unfortunately son Saleem becomes separated from his family in Greece.
A very timely read, and I am certain that it depicts the desperation of the many refugees of fleeing the Middle East.
A wonderfully told story, as well as a gripping page turner.
Highly recommended . 4. 5 stars.
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LibraryThing member janerawoof
Heart-rending narratives by a mother and of her 15-year-old son, the family escaping the Taliban. The father had delayed their leaving Afghanistan; later we find out why. After he has been taken away and killed, the mother, Fereiba, and her three children decide to flee with false papers. The novel
Highly recommended.
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recounts their journey to freedom in England and her stepsister. Fereiba's narration read like a memoir, which I at first thought it was, until the first section concerning the lonely trek of her oldest son, Saleem. He has become separated from the family in Greece. To me the events rang true to life: something that might encapsulate the DP experience. Does Saleem cross successfully to England? We are left wondering [and hoping.] This insightful novel helped me empathize with the current Syrian and Afghan refugee crises. Highly recommended.
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LibraryThing member tinkerbellkk
This is a heart breaking story of refugees from Afghanistan during their escape from their home. It follows them as they travel through multiple countries and unfortunately through a necessary separation. This is of course very timely with the Syrian crisis happening at this time. While this is
This is the second book of the author's that I have read. I thoroughly enjoy her style of writing and the difficult topics she tackles. Well recommended.
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fiction, it shares closely what difficulty people are facing just to find a safe environment and the incredible hardships they must endure each day.This is the second book of the author's that I have read. I thoroughly enjoy her style of writing and the difficult topics she tackles. Well recommended.
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LibraryThing member jessibud2
When the Moon is Low by Nadia Hashimi. This was an audiobook, told in two voices, Fereiba and her teenaged son, Saleem. Both readers were very good, especially Sneha Mathan, who voiced Fereiba's character. The story is about a family from Afghanistan before and after the Taliban came to power. It
Towards the end of this 11-disc audiobook, I found myself feeling that perhaps it was being drawn out a bit too long. But I reminded myself that in reality, for people on the run, any amount of time is too long, when it comes to seeking asylum and safety. And home.
I don't want to say more than this, for spoiler alert reasons. But this was a gripping and heart-rending story, well-written and I think it will stay with me awhile.
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is the story of every refugee who tries to find a safer home and comes up against obstacles at every turn. We have seen this played out on the evening news, on the big screen and in literature. This book is fiction but it is fiction based on the truth of the times we live in. Fereiba's son Saleem is separated from his mother and 2 younger siblings early on and it is only the goal of reuniting that keeps them both moving forward as they strive to reach England where her sister and her family are living. This is also a story about the depths of strength and courage in the human spirit, resources we can only hope never to have to draw on, ourselves, to such a degree. Towards the end of this 11-disc audiobook, I found myself feeling that perhaps it was being drawn out a bit too long. But I reminded myself that in reality, for people on the run, any amount of time is too long, when it comes to seeking asylum and safety. And home.
I don't want to say more than this, for spoiler alert reasons. But this was a gripping and heart-rending story, well-written and I think it will stay with me awhile.
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LibraryThing member Headinherbooks_27
I loved this author but this story was not as memorable as I hoped for.
LibraryThing member scot2
There have been comments about how the ending left the reader hanging. I think the ending was strongly hinted at in the last couple of chapters. Fereiba's feeling her son was swimming, Saleem's laughter in the tunnel and what we were led to believe he was carrying in his pocket, all led me to
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foresee a happy ending although this was not actually spelled out for us. I enjoyed this book very much , however it does leave an aftertaste of sadness about the people who do undergo such hardships. Show Less
LibraryThing member DeltaQueen50
When the Moon is Low by Nadia Hashimi is one of the most moving books about the refugee experience that I have ever read. I’ve seen the thousands of migrants on the news, desperate to reach a safe place and start a new life but to actually read of the difficulties that these families must endure
Knowing she had to get out Afghanistan for the safety of her family, she, her thirteen year old son, eleven year old daughter and 3 month out baby begin the long, heart breaking journey to England where they have relatives. At this point the narrative switches between Fereiba and her son, Saleem as they become separated. Fereiba must make the difficult decision of continuing her journey in order to get her younger children to safety while Saleem must try to complete the journey by himself.
When the Moon is Low paints a vivid picture of the danger and despair that is experienced by displaced people. The book is very relevant as this scenario is being played out in many corners of the world today. This is a compelling, strong story that held my interest and I appreciated that the harshness of the story was softened somewhat by the author’s bittersweet ending.
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was eye-opening. The book opens by introducing Fereiba and her life in Kabul. Her mother died when she was born and she was raised by a distant father and more or less indifferent step-mother. She is given in marriage to a young man and is lucky enough to find love. Their early years are set against the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan which was a dangerous time but still Fereiba was able to work as a teacher and she and her husband flourished. When the Taliban gained control their life changed drastically and then came the night that her husband was taken.Knowing she had to get out Afghanistan for the safety of her family, she, her thirteen year old son, eleven year old daughter and 3 month out baby begin the long, heart breaking journey to England where they have relatives. At this point the narrative switches between Fereiba and her son, Saleem as they become separated. Fereiba must make the difficult decision of continuing her journey in order to get her younger children to safety while Saleem must try to complete the journey by himself.
When the Moon is Low paints a vivid picture of the danger and despair that is experienced by displaced people. The book is very relevant as this scenario is being played out in many corners of the world today. This is a compelling, strong story that held my interest and I appreciated that the harshness of the story was softened somewhat by the author’s bittersweet ending.
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Awards
Middle East Book Award (Winner — Youth Literature — 2016)
Language
Original language
English
ISBN
9780062411198
Other editions
When the Moon Is Low: A Novel by Nadia Hashimi (Paperback)