3.5 stars. ( )

This is a novel about a mother and her children who flee Afghanistan after the rise of the Taliban in the 1990s. The author was born in America but both of her parents are from Afghanistan.

In Kabul, we first meet Fereiba as a young girl growing up with an unloving stepmother and distant father. The story moves onto her thwarted love life, trying to avoid being married off to someone awful. She then settles down with Mahmoud and begins a family, she a teacher and he an engineer. Their life is turned upside down by the rise of the repressive Taliban regime, Mahmoud is killed, and Fereiba flees with her children, trying to seek asylum in England where she has some family. This perilous journey takes them through Iran, Turkey, Greece, and Italy and is fraught with hazard and difficulties at each step.

At this point Saleem, her teenage son, was introduced as a second narrator, a shift I did not enjoy as I had become more invested in Fereiba’s story. Saleem’s story focussed on his desire to be a man and I really did not take to him.

Overall the story sheds empathetic light on the plight of refugees. What the family went through though, is probably not a patch on the reality of what actually happens and somehow failed to make the emotional connections. This was a pleasant enough read but I think there are better refugee stories out there. ( )

Family Drama

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 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. ( )

I loved this author but this story was not as memorable as I hoped for. ( )