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A House Without Windows cover art

A House Without Windows

By: Nadia Hashimi
Narrated by: Ariana Delawari, Susan Nezami
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Summary

A vivid, unforgettable story of an unlikely sisterhood - an emotionally powerful and haunting tale of friendship that illuminates the plight of women in a traditional culture from the author of the best-selling The Pearl That Broke Its Shell and When the Moon Is Low.

For two decades Zeba was a loving wife, a patient mother, and a peaceful villager. But her quiet life is shattered when her husband, Kamal, is found brutally murdered with a hatchet in the courtyard of their home. Nearly catatonic with shock, Zeba is unable to account for her whereabouts at the time of his death. Her children swear their mother could not have committed such a heinous act. Kamal's family is sure she did and demands justice.

Barely escaping a vengeful mob, Zeba is arrested and jailed. As Zeba awaits trial, she meets a group of women whose own misfortunes have also led them to these bleak cells: 30-year-old Nafisa, imprisoned to protect her from an honor killing; 25-year-old Latifa, who ran away from home with her teenage sister but now stays in the prison because it is safe shelter; and 19-year-old Mezhgan, pregnant and unmarried, waiting for her lover's family to ask for her hand in marriage. Is Zeba a cold-blooded killer, these young women wonder, or has she been imprisoned, as they have been, for breaking some social rule? For these women the prison is both a haven and a punishment. Removed from the harsh and unforgiving world outside, they form a lively and indelible sisterhood.

Into this closed world comes Yusuf, Zeba's Afghan-born, American-raised lawyer, whose commitment to human rights and desire to help his motherland have brought him back. With the fate of this seemingly ordinary housewife in his hands, Yusuf discovers that, like Afghanistan itself, his client may not be at all what he imagines.

A moving look at the lives of modern Afghan women, A House Without Windows is astonishing, frightening, and triumphant.

©2016 Nadia Hashimi (P)2016 HarperCollins Publishers

What listeners say about A House Without Windows

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  • Overall
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    4 out of 5 stars

Pretty good overall…just a little drawn out at times

Worth a read would prefer a more authentic voice narration but was still good. I do enjoy the author’s books

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
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    2 out of 5 stars
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    2 out of 5 stars

confusing listen

the story could have been gripping as it was interesting to learn about the injustices. however, it was tedious to listen to as it didn't flow. and when you think you are finally getting somewhere, the crux is hidden from the listener. the narrator didn't help matters. the reading was so slow and boring to listen to

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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Fascinating insight.

Another great story by this author. Well built characters and insightful of culture and women’s rights and needs.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Unfinished

I could not cope with the narrator which was a great shame because I wanted to know what happened. I will read the book, rather than listen

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

A gripping story!

A great if terrible injustices. I recommend people to read the book rather than listening to it. I think the reader made listening a bit boring. The reader did not read with expected expression and emphasis, she sometimes ignored important punctuation.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Great story dreadful narrator

I enjoyed the storyline plot and the flow of the writing this kept me going, but sadly, the narrator I thought read it dreadfully and at times so annoying I had to turn off for a while, I nearly gave up listening and opt for reading but I didn’t have time to sit and read so persevered. Such a shame the book deserves a more accomplished narration.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Would recommend

The plot is well thought out, but sometimes it diverged is so many tedious ways with somewhat unnecessary detail about distant relatives etc. that it frustrated the story line.

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Story is good

book was good. I though there were some gaps in the story. I though there were too many characters as well.

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    5 out of 5 stars
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Great book

This is an absolutely great story - a fantastic book. It is so well written and in such a beautiful language.
Zeba is accused for having murdered her husband. Slowly steep by steep it is revealed what happend.

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