Chapter 11

Atiq is still depressed. I guess he has just become another man in Kabul who has no purpose in life. Zunaira is going to be publically excecuted on Friday because she killed her husband. I really am hoping that she doesnt get killed. That would make this story even more sad, but i guess it is supposed to be a sad book. Kabul is going down hill and there is nothing anyone can do. Even if they would try to fight back, the taliban would definately kill them first. It is kind of strange that in Kabul you can hear battles taking place. That would be very scary but i guess if people can deal with the taliban watching their every move they can probably deal with a distant battle and detonations.

Chapter 10

Wow..... I feel so bad for Mohsen! Zunaira is very stubborn. Is she mad at Mohsen because he didn't defend her in the streets? If i do believe he did try but he was whipped twice and he was hit with a club. I realize that Zunaira was publically humiliated and that she should be mad at Mohsen but not talking to him for 10 days is crazy. It is childish and she needs to see that he is her husband. A man who will admit that he is wrong is more of a man then many of the taliban ever will be. He was so upset he even cried in front of her. That seems like it would be unheard of in Kabul. I hope Mohsen isnt dead, but something is telling me that he is. How could Zunaira live with herself. I surely wouldnt be able to. Maybe Zunaira will fight for womens rights now and use all of that negative energy towards something useful.

Chapter 9

Quassim Abdul Jabbar and his driver talked about their mothers on the way home from Quassim's mother's funeral. I feel bad for Quassim because he never really got to know his mother, but i guess it would have been hard because she was deaf and mute. The driver really wanted to get to know Quassim. I was very surprised at that. Whenever Quassim was buying the driver's meal he saw Atiq who was trying to get away un noticed. Quassim told him that he was acting strange lately and that he should snap out of the mode that he is in. Atiq listens but i do not think he really heard what Quassim was telling him. I also feel bad for Mussarrat. Atiq treats her so badly. He even seemed dissapointed that his wife was still alive when he got home. How could he be "trying to peirce it with his eyes" when he has lived many years of his life with her and she has saved his own life. In my eyes Atiq is worthless.

Chapter 8

Mullah Bashir is annoying. I didnt like his sermon at all. He has complete tunnel vision, not seeing a lot of other factors in the world. I also feel bad for Mohsen because he was forced to go to the sermon and he had to sit there with a worry for his wife. He even got caught looking back at her. Even though, at the same time i feel bad for Zunaira because she had to be publically humiliated for 2 hours while the sermon was going on. She had to sit on the steps in fear of the taliban. One false move and she could be accused of something that she might not have done. She also had to sit there with her face covered. That is enough humiliation in itself. I think that Zunaira and Mohsen should leave Kabul still because it is bad for their relationship and their lives. I still hate the taliban.

Chapter 7

What happened to Atiq? It seems as though the taliban has taken a huge tole on him, as well as many other people in Kabul. Is he going to be the next crazy man in the street? He used to want children, but all the children are in the streets. Sick from the trashy state of the city and the negative attitudes of everyone around. What is he still doing in Kabul? Zunaira and Mohsen ran into Atiq when he was shoving through everyone with anger. I think it is stange how these two people keep bumping into each other, but there is not conversation. Mohsen was laughing in the street and a man from the taliban hit him with a club telling him that the streets were not a circus. The taliban makes me angry. They are total fun suckers. To limit a person from laughing is like taking their life away. They also hit Mohsen with a whip when he tried to tell the taliban what he was doing with his wife in the street. The taliban made Mohsen separate with his wife and go to the mosque to see Mullah Bashir preach a serman. If i were Mohsen i would be afraid to leave my wife. Especially with the taliban everywhere.

Chapter 6

I like Zunaira. She sees that Mohsen needs her support but also is not afraid to tell him how she feels. The women of Kabul are now nothing. The taliban has put some harsh rules against them showing who they really are. The can not hold hands! They must wear a burqua in public, not showing their face or hair. Mohsen wants things to be like they were but Zunaira believes that that is not possible. He wants to go for a walk but Zunaira feels that would degrade her in ways that, back in the good times, would not be possible. Was Zunaira fired from her job because of the taliban? Even though, Zunaira goes on a walk with Mohsen because she loves him and he needs her. I agree so much with Zunaira and i hope that her and Mohsen can somehow become what they once were. Kabul is such a horrible place.

Chapter 5

After praying at the mosque, Atiq goes to the jail instead of his home. While he is there, Nazeesh, a man who once was a mufti in Kabul comes to talk with Atiq. Naseesh and Atiq both do not want to go home for different reasons. Naseesh is sick of his one hundred year old father around the house. He says his father will not shut his mouth. Atiq doesn't want to go home because of his wife. He doesn't understand that she loves him and thinks he should be more stern with her. Nazeesh says he is going to run away, but Atiq convinces him that he is not going to because he has been saying that he is going to run away but never does. Nazeesh says how Kabul is full of widows and orphans. He also says that everyone is dieing here and that no one can be saved. Atiq adds that it is the taliban too. I think that the taliban is the main problem here. Kabul could be saved but with people being killed by the taliban and disease, it seems almost impossible now. I feel very bad for the people in Kabul.