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Sparks Like Stars

Nadia Hashimi

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Feb 15, 2021 Cynthia rated it really liked it

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, journ 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.

Sparks Like Stars is available preorder and will be published on March 2, 2021. ...more

8 likes · Like · see review

Jan 07, 2021 ImScared3222 marked it as to-read

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Mar 09, 2025 Jess Penhallow marked it as to-read

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Jun 28, 2023 fatou marked it as to-read · review of another edition

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