What a remarkable story! Hashimi has created a story that is so realistic that I could envision it happening, although labeled as fiction. Although I know the basics of Afghanistan's history, this book adds such depth and detail to a history of the land. Sitara, the main character, takes us on a journey beginning with her role as the daughter of an advisor to the reigning Afghan government and then being privy to the utter destruction of that life. The plot is so intricate but follows such detailed moves that must fit together perfectly in order to succeed. It most certainly succeeds!

The incorporation of Afghan history with that of the role of the United States is examined from all aspects. Sitara, through so many lucky twists that must fit, is adopted by an American diplomat, and successfully grows up in the US. Yet, no matter how devoted she is to her American mother, the depths of loss of her Afghan family, never dissipates and this book involves that story of reconciliation.

The writing is beautiful! I listened to the audio version and the narrator was perfect. Her vocal interpretation of the characters and plot were right-on-target. I came away with a greater appreciation of the subject matter and intend to read more on the subject. What better tribute is there than that!

From the bestselling author of The Pearl That Broke Its Shell comes a scintillating new novel about family, loss, survival and our innate tendency to seek out the truth. Nadia Hashimi’s Sparks Like Stars shines and soars.

This latest novel by Hashimi, an American writer of Afghan decent, follows Sitara Zamani after her entire family is assassinated and she is left alone to survive what no ten year old should ever have to face. Following the assassinations, Sitara is aided by a palace guard in Kabul who brings her to the home of an American diplomat. With the promise of safety in a new country Sitara changes her name to Aryana Shepard, moves to America, becomes a surgeon and leads the life of a mostly normal American-Afghan woman. But her past and her unanswered questions are brought to the forefront of her life when a familiar figure reappears 40 years after the fateful events in Kabul.

Spanning over 40 years, Sparks Like Stars begins in 1978 Kabul then subtly jumps to New York in the year 2008. The story is masterfully written, researched and told as Hashimi remains true to the history of Afghanistan. Hashimi is an excellent storyteller with the rare ability to describe taut situations with just a sprinkle of hope. I found the story haunting and vivid as I reflected on the age of young Sitara and the distress she faces in searching for someone to trust. While the events of the story are traumatic, Hashimi handles this with care and eloquence.

I would like to comment that the book’s synopsis gives too much away. I felt as if I knew the order of events due to the synopsis I’d read so when I actually got to new information the book was almost over. I chose to be concise with my synopsis because I would have liked to find out most of the details as I read or in this case listened (to the audiobook). This by no means makes the story itself less powerful.

Sparks Like Stars is a noteworthy novel that truly shimmers. It is highly recommended for fans of Khaled Hosseini and Amita Trasi.

Sparks Like Stars is out on March 2nd, 2021. Thank you to NetGalley, William Morrow, Harper Audio and Nadia Hashimi for this advance review copy.

I don’t usually do audiobooks but I loved this one. I loved the characters and the stories. If you haven’t read this one yet don’t sleep on it. I think people are gonna adore this one. I can’t wait to share with family and friends

I wasn’t entirely sure what to expect going into this book, but I can tell you one thing I learned coming out of it: You must have tissues handy at all times while you are reading it.

Sparks Like Stars chronicles the life of Sitara Zimani, a ten year old girl who witnesses the murder of her family in Afghanistan during the assassination of the president and his family. Her father had been the president’s right hand man. The story takes the reader through her baffling and terrifying rescue, journey to the United States, and growth into adulthood, living now as Aryana Shepherd, a surgeon in NYC who unexpectedly encounters the soldier who saved her so many years before.

This fascinating story is filled with historical detail, breathtaking prose, and morsels of wisdom. I enjoyed it far more than I’d expected to. I try not to request ARCs impulsively, but it seems I had an impetuous moment when I asked for this particular book. The synopsis certainly sounded intriguing, but I wasn’t sure this was the type of story that would hold my interest. I did not need to worry. I was deeply invested in Sitara’s saga all the way through.

As I’ve already warned, this is a tearjerker. I was crying by the time I hit the 11% mark in the audiobook and teared up many times after that. Sparks Like Stars takes the reader into the heart of the main character’s grief and trauma, demonstrating the effect of them as she grows into a woman who still desperately needs closure. How many of us can relate to that? Although it’s a story beyond anything I can fathom experiencing, I felt great empathy for Sitara/Aryana and hoped for a good outcome at the end of her tragic tale.

I am so glad that I did request this on a whim! Had I put too much thought into what best suited my tastes, I would have missed out on a magnificent story. Sparks Like Stars is a wonderful “own voices” narrative that taught me a lot and deeply touched my heart. I’d like to read more by Nadia Hashimi in the future.

I am immensely grateful to William Morrow and NetGalley for my audio review copy. All opinions are my own.

I really enjoyed this one! Hashimi has a way of making you connect to her characters and feel what they’re feeling. There weren’t so many characters that it was confusing. I loved the historical aspects and that it learned a lot while reading.

There were only a few things I didn’t love. I am not sure what the “problem” of the story was, or what she was trying to solve. Was it finding her family? Surviving in the US? Finding love? I do wish it was a little clearer.

I love learning more about Afghanistan and Kabul! I definitely want to read more of her books so I can travel there with her characters!

I am so grateful to Netgalley for the audio copy of this book. I also received a physical copy of this book. It is one I will read again for sure.

This would be a great book club book. I will be recommending it to my book club for sure.

I really enjoyed the audio version. The narrator was fantastic. The voice was soothing and a great story teller. She brought me to tears and kept my interest. Sitara's story is so incredible. It is sad to think that many people have been through the struggles that she went through. It is a story of heartbreak and also promise.

I was drawn into this story and I loved it from the beginning. This is probably one of my favorites that I have recently read. This is the first book I have read from this author and I will be reading more for sure.

Sparks Like Stars by Nadia Hashimi⁣
Read by Mozhan Marno⁣
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I loved this novel. LOVED IT. ⁣
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It is difficult to find the words in order to adequately convey the haunting beauty of this novel. It is utterly breathtaking.⁣
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A short non-spoiler synopsis: ⁣
Initially taking place in Kabul, Afghanistan in 1978, Hashimi tells the story of Sitara, a ten year old survivor of a political coup massacre that murdered her entire family. The story follows Sitara through the trials of her escape to America and the decades long struggle of her loss and survival. Forty years later, fate brings her face to face with a solider from that night, sending her back to Kabul in search of answers.⁣
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I listened to this audiobook while driving through the Mojave Desert and Joshua Tree National Park. This aspect was meant to be. The story in combination with the expansive desert landscape added visual sensory to the words of grief and longing so beautifully written by Hashimi and spoken by Marno. ⁣
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There is an aching honesty to the words Hashimi has given. I felt every emotion. I saw every landscape. I felt every pain. So much so, that I more than once thought this had to be an actual account from a real person. ⁣
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This book crushed my soul more than once and I loved it even more for it. ⁣
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Thanks to @netgalley, @williammorrowbooks, and @harperaudio for this advanced reader audiobook. ⁣
A heartfelt thank you to @nadiahashimibooks for this amazing novel and @mozhanmarnowastaken for bringing Sitara to life so perfectly.⁣
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Sparks Like Stars

5/5

Some books stay with you long after you finish. Sparks Like Stars by Nadia Hashimi is the haunting tale of the resilient Sitara. The book opens in 1978 where Sitara’s father is the trusted advisor to Afghanistan’s President Sardar Daoud. 10 year old Sitara spends more time in the palace in Kabul than in her own family home.

Her life changes its entire trajectory when a coup erupts while her family is staying at the palace. The violence ends the lives of her entire family as Sitara hides out of sight. She manages to escape with the assistance of Shair, a palace guard. He places her in the care of an American Diplomat, who eventually gets her to safety in the US.

Now under the identity, Aryana Shepherd, is a prominent surgeon, specializing in oncology. The trauma of her past starts to appear in her day to day life. She buries her pain with long runs, but Aryana is unable to share her life even with her boyfriend. She is shocked when Shair, the palace guard who saved her life, appears in her exam room, dying from cancer. This interaction is the stimulus to her return to Kabul, to hopefully bury the remains of her past.

This book is beautiful. And heartbreaking. A lesson in how ones heart is shattered into a million pieces but slowly put back together through the love of others and time.

Sparks Like Stars touches on so many issues. The rise and fall of Afghanistan due to foreign influences. The flawed American foster home system. 9/11. Cancer. Grief. I could go on and on. Saying all this, it doesn’t come across as heavy or having an agenda. It is merely following the life of an Afghan woman who chose to not let her circumstances hinder her future.

I highly recommend Sparks Like Stars!

Sparks and Stars is a gem and masterpiece of an Afghani child spared during a massacre at the presidential palace where she lost her entire family. Based off true events of the coup in Afghanistan in the 1970s, this historical fiction follows the life of this child and what eventually brings her back to her homeland country. The narration was perfection as was the book. An easy 5 star review for me. Thank you Netgalley, Harper Audio and most importantly the author Nada Hashimi, for this unforgettable novel.

Nadia Hashimi's writing will always sweep you away; she is a fantastic writer and her characters are always phenomenal. I was super thrilled to find out she has another book coming out and <i>Sparks Like Stars</i> was just as good as I'd hoped. In 1978, Sitara Zamani was living a privilege life in Kabul, Afghanistan the daughter of one of the President's advisors. her life is turned upside down when a political coup ends in the massacre of her entire family. She is the sole survivor and must fight for her life to get out of the country and to the United States. Eventually we reach 2008, where Sitara is now a doctor. When her newest patients ends up being the solider that both saved her life and may have been responsible for murdering her family, she must reckon with her turbulent past.

Sitara is a complicated character but seeing her grow up over the course of the novel was magical. This book was organized differently than I anticipated. I thought we would have two storylines unfolding together but instead, we experienced Sitara's childhood, the coup, and her escape before fast forwarding to 2008. We learn quickly about what passed since we last saw Sitara, including her experience of 9/11. Hashimi admits in her Author's Note that a lot more of herself went into shaping Sitara which I though was fascinating. Hashimi was also a physician in NYC on 9/11 and experience firsthand the islamophobia and racism that followed. I thought adult Sitara's reckoning with her dark past was beautifully written and honest. The novel just swept over you as you read and ended sadly but also in a beautiful full circle.

There are just so many things that I loved about this book - the relationship between Sitara/Antonia/Tilly, the covering of the political unrest that completely changed the course of Afghan history and shaped the way the country is seen today, and the beautiful narration by Mozhan Marno (her voice was both calming and engaging and gave perfect characterization Sitara across her life story). This book is fabulous and I highly recommend it to all, both historical fiction and literary fiction fans alike! It lends itself so nicely to open discussion so is also a great pick for book clubs

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Audio for the ALC!

What a beautiful and heartbreaking story of family, tragedy, survival, culture and growth.

This was an audiobook that I could not stop listening to. The story begins in Kabul in 1978. Sitara is the daughter of a privileged family in Afghanistan. Her father, working directly with president Sardar Daoud, until her family and all of President Sardar’s team are killed during a communist coup.

Sitara finds herself adopted and raised by an American Diplomat who was in Afghanistan at the time. And takes on a new name, Aryana Shepard. Aryana doesn’t look back and works hard in American to become a physician.

In 2008, Aryana finds herself as the doctor of the soldier who saved her life in Kabul, 40 years earlier. This takes her on a journey to discover what exactly happened to her family that night. And a trip back to Afghanistan has her searching for answers - during a time when the government and the Taliban are fighting for control.

This was an incredible story - heartbreaking and informative. The personal journey that Satara/Aryana goes through to find closure between the two countries that she calls home is unreal. You will find yourself crying through the course of her story and the growth that she experiences!

Thank you to Netgalley, Harper Audio and Nadia Hashimi for the Advanced Reader (audio) Copy!

Sparks Like Stars by Nadia Hashimi is a gorgeous and heartwrenching novel. Hashimi's ability to depict loss and the ability to overcome that loss is beautiful. The audiobook was engaging and very well done. Sparks Like Stars is highly recommended.

Sparks Like Stars is a heart wrenching but hopeful epic life story of Sitara, a girl who survived the communist coup in Afghanistan in 1978 after watching her entire family’s execution at the age of 10, and what she did to overcome her immense grief. This is the first book by Nadia Hashimi that I have read but after this epic journey I really want to read all her stories!

Mozhan Marnò's beautiful rendition of the audiobook only adds to its poignancy. Her voice is so heartfelt and true that I heard the first few chapters in Ana’s voice (from The Book of Longings, my favourite book last year, which she also narrated). But the strong personality of Sitara quickly took over as the story developed and she became so real I could hardly believe this wasn’t a true story.
Mozhan Marnò also narrated one of my other favourite books, The Stationery Shop, and starred as Samar on The Blacklist.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Audio for allowing me to listen to an advanced copy of the audiobook in exchange for my honest review

**plot spoilers included**

If I am familiar with an author, and like their work, I often won't read the back of a book or a blurb to see what the book's about - I just dive into it with no foreknowledge. I like the pleasant surprise that comes with the story unfolding.

This book was an amazing pleasure to read, like a hot cup of tea snuggled under a warm blanket. It's a sad story but also full of love and hope.

The most pleasant surprise was that the story dealt with American Embassies and the Foreign Service. My Dad was in the State Department and I worked for the Foreign Service in the 90's, although not in any of the countries involved in the novel's plot. It was a joy to read about Foreign Service agents and what they went through during the times that my Dad was in the service. Although it's not the central plot, it was still a great pleasure to read. The storming of the embassy in Pakistan was heart-rending and I could see myself there as events unfolded.

Aryana's story is heartbreaking. I didn't know any of Afghanistan's background or politics before reading. But I could see myself there, walking beside her and experiencing everything she did. It takes an incredible author to do that for a reader: put them there, doing the thing, instead of just reading about it.

I have few quibbles with the book. The brief end of part one, where Aryana is placed in a foster home, seems disjointed and out of place. What happened to those poor kids she was with? The abuse she experienced is almost thrown in there, like 'oh yeah this is what happened to every female child in foster care in the 70's.' It felt almost like a V.C. Andrews novel - I expected the "mom" to kill Aryana's hamster or something. And she was only there for a few days, so it didn't seem to fit in with the rest of her life.

I also enjoy that the book leaves you guessing about some things. It goes on with the story and leaves you wondering what happened to Tilly, and then the information comes out organically. It's shown, not told.

In summary, this book is wonderful, fantastic, gorgeous, and heartbreaking. I'm a devout follower of Ms Hashimi and strongly recommend it to anyone who wants to learn about women's history in the middle east.

Sparks Like Stars by Nadia Hashimi and performed by Mozhan Marno, is a beautifully written (and narrated), heart wrenching journey of a young Afghan girl immediately after she’s the lone survivor of a deadly coup. The prologue grabbed me from the start and I was with Sitara as she experienced the trauma of losing her family and navigated what came next. We catch up with her decades later as she’s an established surgeon in America. Is it fate that brings her face to face with a patient who may have had a hand in what happened to her family? She sees this as her final chance to find out what happened to her family and to finally lay them to rest. As many obstacles continue to block her path, we see that this is a story of resilience, connection, survival, and family. The bonds of family are strong, whether it’s by blood or if it’s from life’s circumstances.

I really enjoyed the Mozahn Marno’s engaging performance of this novel. I also appreciated the amount of research that went into writing this novel, the scenarios that are described are so detailed and mirror some actual events. While other events are masterfully constructed to extend emotion and depth to the characters the author has created. I’m looking forward to catching up on more stories of Afghanistan by Nadia Hashimi.

This book is fantastic! In the year 1978, 10-year-old Sitara loves her life as the daughter of President Sardar Daoud's top advisor. She plays in the halls of the palace with her best friend, the President's granddaughter, and patriotically reenacts Afghan history. Life is full of hope and promise, until a fateful night when a military coup storms the presidential residence and kills Sitara's mother, father, and baby brother, along with the President and most of his family. Sitara is saved when a solider takes pity on her and through a series of twists and tense moments, Sitara flees to America and becomes the adopted daughter of an American foreign service officer. Ariana, as she becomes known, pushes away her traumatic memory and her deep love for her family to focus on her future, becoming a successful oncology surgeon. But when a man from her past resurfaces, Ariana is forced to confront the night that destroyed her life and return to a Kabul that is a far cry from the happy, bustling city of her childhood.

This book was stunning! Hashimi's love for Afghanistan is clear, even as she portrays the immense difficulties Afghans face daily. The writing is detailed and immerses the reader in Ariana's trauma. The plot is also quick-paced and constantly developing. There were so many moments I thought a resolution was eminent and then things got even worse than I thought they possibly could. I also thought it was very powerful as a memoir on trauma, showing the ways one horrific night continues to haunt Ariana and affects her habits and behaviors even as an adult.

Although the book constantly weaves in Afghan history and culture, this novel is a relatable story for other survivors of war, violence, and other traumas and explores well the search for closure and the return home.

Thank you to NetGalley, author Nadia Hashimi, William Morrow Publishing and Harper Audio for gifting me this magnificent audio ARC. It was a pleasure to immerse myself in Afghanistan’s history. In exchange for the ARC I offer my unbiased opinion.

Wow, this ended up being quite the saga. While I really enjoyed the journey of Sitara Zalmani and I found some of the passages truly exquisite, I thought this book could have been whittled down a bit. There was A LOT going on, which did make for a thrilling read. And yes, tears were shed.
The audio narration was very good.

We first meet Sitara, age 10 as she is living in Afghanistan, a daughter of privilege and prestige. Her father is the President’s top adviser until a military coup changes everything. With the help of a palace guard, she is able to escape the melee but her life in Kabul is shattered. The year is 1978.

Fast Forward to 2008, Sitara now with a new name & identity, is living in NY as an oncologist. By chance or perhaps fate, the very guard who saved her appears as a patient at her NY clinic. This meeting reawakens horrors and traumas that Sitara has tried to keep hidden. Thus leading Sitara to return to Kabul, to piece together the events that altered her world.

Thank you NetGalley for an ARC of Sparks Like Stars. This novel is a tale of a young girl whose elite family is murdered during the 1978 military in Afghanistan. Because of the actions of a soldier, she is the sole survivor of her family. Sitara eventually makes her way to America, is adopted by an American woman, and is continually haunted by the memories of her childhood. This story is as much a tale of Sitara's personal journey as it is Afghanistan's journey. They both search for answers in a history which has wreaked havoc to their futures and long to resurrect the normalcy of the past. Sitara finally unearths her ghosts and sets them free, thereby walking without shame amongst them.

I enjoyed this novel and appreciated the beautiful, descriptive writing. The way in which Hashimi describes Afghanistan in the early part of this novel and the joy felt within the palace walls is memorable. The story did seem to lag at certain points and I am unsure of what purpose Adam had in it. Those pages would have been better served focusing upon the relationship between Tilley and Sitara. Overall, a good read but not as memorable as The Kite Runner.

Oh what a beautifully written story. I was caught up in the story from the start. It was sad but also hopeful. I was only confused once when the main character went from a child to adult but that didn’t last long. I loved how everything flowed together so well. Also such a perfect narrator for the story.

The first half of the book was AMAZING – 5 stars! I could not stop listening to it, literally couldn’t put it down. The second half was very good, but not as amazing.
1978 Kabul, Afghanistan. Sitara, a 10-year-old girl from a family who works for the president in Kabul is the only one to survive the ambush. She is smuggled out of the grounds by a guard and given to an American mother and daughter living in Kabul. In order to enter into the United States, Sitara takes on the identity of her deceased sister who was born in America, Aryana, who would have been 12.
2008 New York City. Sitara / Aryana has come so far in her life, she is now an oncologist surgeon. One of her patients is from Kabul and strikes up all of these intense memories from her past.
This was a tragic, emotional and beautiful story about survival, family, culture and longing. The character development of Sitara / Aryana, was amazing. She grew and changed throughout the story without letting go of her past. What are the results of the choices you make? What does survival guilt do to you? This was such an emotional read from the first words through the last. I loved hearing about the cultural references in Afghanistan. The writing was wonderful and really drew the reader in. Even though it is a heavy read, I highly recommend you add this to your TBR.