9780063008311
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Sparks Like Stars audiobook

  • By: Nadia Hashimi
  • Narrator: Mozhan Marno
  • Category: Asian American, Fiction
  • Length: 12 hours 3 minutes
  • Publisher: HarperAudio
  • Publish date: March 02, 2021
  • Language: English
  • (11536 ratings)
(11536 ratings)
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Sparks Like Stars Audiobook Summary

“Suspenseful…emotionally compelling. I found myself eagerly following in a way I hadn’t remembered for a long time, impatient for the next twist and turn of the story.”NPR

An Afghan American woman returns to Kabul to learn the truth about her family and the tragedy that destroyed their lives in this brilliant and compelling novel from the bestselling author of The Pearl That Broke Its Shell, The House Without Windows, and When the Moon Is Low.

Kabul, 1978: The daughter of a prominent family, Sitara Zamani lives a privileged life in Afghanistan’s thriving cosmopolitan capital. The 1970s are a time of remarkable promise under the leadership of people like Sardar Daoud, Afghanistan’s progressive president, and Sitara’s beloved father, his right-hand man. But the ten-year-old Sitara’s world is shattered when communists stage a coup, assassinating the president and Sitara’s entire family. Only she survives.

Smuggled out of the palace by a guard named Shair, Sitara finds her way to the home of a female American diplomat, who adopts her and raises her in America. In her new country, Sitara takes on a new name–Aryana Shepherd–and throws herself into her studies, eventually becoming a renowned surgeon. A survivor, Aryana has refused to look back, choosing instead to bury the trauma and devastating loss she endured.

New York, 2008: Thirty years after that fatal night in Kabul, Aryana’s world is rocked again when an elderly patient appears in her examination room–a man she never expected to see again. It is Shair, the soldier who saved her, yet may have murdered her entire family. Seeing him awakens Aryana’s fury and desire for answers–and, perhaps, revenge. Realizing that she cannot go on without finding the truth, Aryana embarks on a quest that takes her back to Kabul–a battleground between the corrupt government and the fundamentalist Taliban–and through shadowy memories of the world she loved and lost.

Bold, illuminating, heartbreaking, yet hopeful, Sparks Like Stars is a story of home–of America and Afghanistan, tragedy and survival, reinvention and remembrance, told in Nadia Hashimi’s singular voice.

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Sparks Like Stars Audiobook Narrator

Mozhan Marno is the narrator of Sparks Like Stars audiobook that was written by Nadia Hashimi

Nadia Hashimi was born and raised in New York and New Jersey. Both her parents were born in Afghanistan and left in the early 1970s, before the Soviet invasion. In 2002, Nadia made her first trip to Afghanistan with her parents. She is a pediatrician and lives with her family in the Washington, DC, suburbs. She is the author of three books for adults, as well as the middle grade novels One Half from the East and The Sky at Our Feet. Visit her online at www.nadiahashimi.com.

About the Author(s) of Sparks Like Stars

Nadia Hashimi is the author of Sparks Like Stars

Sparks Like Stars Full Details

Narrator Mozhan Marno
Length 12 hours 3 minutes
Author Nadia Hashimi
Category
Publisher HarperAudio
Release date March 02, 2021
ISBN 9780063008311

Subjects

The publisher of the Sparks Like Stars is HarperAudio. includes the following subjects: The BISAC Subject Code is Asian American, Fiction

Additional info

The publisher of the Sparks Like Stars is HarperAudio. The imprint is HarperAudio. It is supplied by HarperAudio. The ISBN-13 is 9780063008311.

Global Availability

This book is only available in the United States.

Goodreads Reviews

jessica

April 02, 2021

‘my soul is from elsewhere and i intend to end up there.’ oh my goodness. the writing in this is ✨ s t u n n i n g ✨i dont annotate my books but, if i did, this would be covered in highlights. so many wonderful sentences.this story is on the slower side of things, but the narration and complex characters make up for it. for me, personally, i find thats exactly what i need in historical fiction. i prefer stories that focus on the people and emotion, rather than a factual basis. this may be first book by NH, but it definitely wont be my last. i honestly cant get enough of her writing. ↠ 4.5 stars

Jennifer ~ TarHeelReader

April 24, 2022

Thanks to my NC book friends for the buddy read!My first novel by Nadia Hashimi made for a terrific buddy read. Roughly the first half of the story is set in Afghanistan in the 1970s when a coup occurs. Sitara’s father is the right hand of the president, so this affects her family directly. She loses her entire family, in fact.A guard leads her out of the palace to safety in an unexpected away, and eventually she lands in the United States where she is adopted and becomes a doctor.Decades later, an elderly patient from the past seeks her care.My favorite parts of the book were during the first half. I loved the culture and atmosphere brought to the story in Afghanistan. Sitara is a character to champion. I also loved Nia and especially Tilly. The story left a mark on me, and it made me want to read more books by this author, and more involving Afghanistan’s history. I highlighted many noteworthy quotes. Overall, I can’t wait to read more from this author.I received a gifted copy.Many of my reviews can also be found on my blog: www.jennifertarheelreader.com and instagram: www.instagram.com/tarheelreader

Katie

April 07, 2021

Sparks Like Stars is the second book I have read by this author. If you are a fan of the historical fiction genre, I highly recommend checking her books out. The plot of this one keeps your eyes glued to the pages and despite the fact it runs over 450 pages in length, it doesn't feel like a long read. The only issue I had with the story is I missed out on having an emotional connection to the main character. In 1978, ten year old Sitara is living in Kabul with her family. Her father is the right hand man for Afghanistan president, Sardar Daoud. Sitara's life changes in the blink of an eye when the president and her family are assassinated after communists stage a coup. She is smuggled out of the palace by a guard and ends up living with a female American diplomat. In order to leave Afghanistan, Sitara takes on a new identity, Aryana Shepherd. She eventually winds up in the United States. Fast forward 30 years and Aryana is living in New York and is a doctor. She believes now is the time to seek out answers about her past.This historical fiction read is a combination of fact and fiction. The story is so rich in cultural info about Afghanistan which make it a valuable read. So even though some characters and situations are products of the author's creativity, the story is worth reading especially if are interested in learning about what what going on in that country in the late 1970s as well as in 2008.There is so much tragedy in Sitara's life and that's why I find it so odd I didn't feel invested in her on an emotional level. I was fascinated with her life and admired her strength and courage but I also felt detached from her. Maybe the best way to explain it is at some point in the story I should have shed a tear when she was hurting but that wasn't the case. I do think I'm in the minority when it comes to that opinion judging by some of the other reviews. I will continue to seek out more books by Nadia Hashimi as I love what she is bringing to the historical fiction genre.I received a free copy of this book as part of #WMTastemakers. All thoughts expressed are my honest opinion.

Nancy

September 14, 2021

"She would be brave because her father had once told her that the world lived within her. That her bones were made of mountains. That rivers coursed through her veins. That her heartbeat was the sound of a thousand pounding hooves. That her eyes glittered with the light of a starry sky. I am that girl, and this is my story."Nadia Hashimi has proven yet again that she is a very talented author. Her writing is beautiful and as with her other books, this one is full of quote worthy text. Sparks Like Stars is the story of Sitara/Aryana whose family was very close to the President of Afghanistan due to her father being a high ranking official. It all begins with the 1978 coup known as the Saur Revolution where President Daoud and Sitara's entire family are killed. This is definitely not a light read, but it is a timely one."Let people serve you information, but never let them serve you your opinion."This book is a little slower moving than her previous books that I have read, but the focus is clearly on the characters. Aryana's journey to make peace with her past is an emotional one which is understandable given what she endured at the age of 10. This book addresses the long-lasting effects of childhood trauma, loss, and grief. Nadia Hashimi will continue to be a go-to author for me. Her stories never disappoint and are always filled with resilient characters that are fleshed out really well. 4 stars.

Jessica

March 02, 2021

Sparks Like Stars by Nadia Hashimi is an impactful and complex story. The first part of the story takes place in Afghanistan and this is the first book I’ve ever read set in Afghanistan. I was fascinated by their culture with both the good and bad described. Daily life is described as well as unrest. The second part of the story takes place after Sitara moves to the US and changes her name to Aryana. There is so much going on in Sparks Like Stars but Hashimi tells it in a way that is easy to keep up with. I had so many feels while reading Sparks Like Stars and felt all of Sitara/Aryana’s emotions. Family is one of the themes in Sparks Like Stars. Sitara has the family she was born with and Aryana has the family she chose. It is interesting to see how she reacts to both and how her family affects her decisions. The main character is a strong, independent woman that never gives up. She fights for answers and tries to help others. Sparks Like Stars is a must read for anyone that likes learning about other cutlures and reading about strong women.I listened to the audiobook narrated by Mozhan Marno and thought she did an excellent job. Marno was the perfect voice for Sitara. She used her voice to emphasize emotions.Thank you Harper Audio, William Morrow and NetGalley for Sparks Like Stars.Full Review: https://justreadingjess.wordpress.com...

Jennifer

April 25, 2021

Love of country and family are torn apart by tragedy as we get a glimpse into a woman’s life burdened with the past. Loved being so drawn in - always so incredible when it is written by Nadia Hashimi. “Untold histories live in shallow graves” and in Sparks Like Stars by Nadia Hashimi, life’s secret traumas hidden below the surface haunt Satira. As a young Afghan girl, Sitara loses everything and everyone in her beloved country; she was the sole survivor in a government coup where all her close friends and family were murdered. With the unexpected help of a soldier assigned to kill her, she was whisked off to a safe place. Antonia (Nia), an embassy worker, and her mother, Tilly, take Satira in to their home and help her escape the country. Satira starts anew in the United States, becomes a successful doctor and is in a flat romantic relationship. She chooses not to share stories from her childhood with anyone which has created barriers and limitations to her ultimate happiness and trust. When someone from her past shows up in her life, old wounds open and Satira feels a burning desire to face her past, get closure on the murder of her family and to travel back home to see for herself the destruction of her Afghanistan.A moving story about a beautiful culture forever changed by government and war, Nadia Hashimi gives us another wonderful dose of history with a vivid backdrop and deeply emotional characters. Sparks Like Stars had me from page one and all the special touches mined from Hashimi’s family’s culture, her experience with politics and her life as a physician enrich an already incredible story of Satira’s personal journey. I an a huge fan of Hashimi’s work and I loved this one! Visit Book Nation by Jen for incredible author Q & A!

Krista

April 02, 2022

Stunning book. I was captivated by Sitara's story. I loved learning Afghan history through the lens of this girl and events that happen to her. Every once in a while Hashimi would use imagery or write a sentence that just took my breath away. An easy 5 stars. Heartbreaking and beautiful.

Kari Ann

June 04, 2021

"Let people serve you information, but never let them serve you your opinion." SPARKS LIKE FIRE is a stunning historical fiction/coming-of-age story of survival and resilience, set in both 1978 Afghanistan and 2008 NYC. I loved nearly everything about it. The story had me enraptured. The characters took a piece of my heart. The eye-opening historical details and vivid setting jumped off the page.  The writing was remarkable and often left me at a loss for words. Some of the themes are heavy, but I was continually blown away by how Hashimi's prose masterfully unveiled the story in such a beautiful yet heartbreaking way.  I finished this book a couple weeks ago and still find myself thinking about the main character, Sitara. She felt so real to me that I catch myself wondering how she's doing, until I remember she's fictional. “I crossed scorched earth for the second time in my life, unsure if it would be my spirit or my knees to buckle first. Unsure which fire would shape my destiny and which would burn me. Unsure if what I was running toward was any better than what I was running from.”

Marilyn

January 28, 2021

4.5 strong stars! Sparks Like Stars by Nadia Hashimi read like a memoir but was actually a fine example of historical fiction. This book was beautifully written and captured the essence of Afghanistan before the Communist coup and after. Nadia Hashimi made it easy to picture the streets, people, shops, soldiers, gardens, and the life that occurred within the walls of the castle prior to the coup that was staged by the communists. Sparks Like Stars was very well researched. It was told in a dual time line. The story gripped my attention from the very beginning and held it until the very end. I listened to Sparks Like Stars on audiobook. It was brilliantly narrated by Mozhan Marno. Her voice was rich and captivating. I found it hard to turn the audiobook off. I was so engrossed in Sitara’s heart wrenching story. It ran for a little over thirteen hours. I listened to Sparks like Stars over the course of two days.The first part of Sparks Like Stars took place in Kabul in 1978. Sitara Zalmani was a ten year old smart and curious young girl who was living a privileged life. Her father was one of the prominent advisors to Sardar Daoud, Afghanistan’s progressive president. Sitara lived with her mother, father and little brother. Her family spent a lot of time at the castle because of Sitara’s father’s position. Life for Sitara and her family was good. All that changed in the course of one night. The communists staged a coup and multiple assignations occurred. The President was killed as were the members of Sitara’s family. Sitara was the only survivor from the brutal massacre. Shair, one of the castle guards, smuggled Sitara out of the castle. He was able to find refuge for Sitara with an American diplomat. Sitara witnessed the assignation of her family. She believed that Shair helped to kill her family. Her family was always kind to him. How could he have done this? Sitara was angry, sad, confused and scared. The American diplomat, Antonia and her mother, took her in and patiently waited for Sitara to learn to trust them, Antonia and her mother were able to get Sitara out of Kabul to America. Sitara took the name of her older sister who had been born in America but died before Sitara was born. Sitara became Aryana Shepherd. After a nightmarish start in the foster care system, Sitara now Aryana was finally adopted by Antonia. Aryana learned to love and care deeply for Antonia. She even came to call Antonia mom.Sparks Like Stars jumped ahead forty years to the year 2018. Aryana, now an accomplished surgeon, lived in Queens and worked in a hospital in New York City. Her patients had cancer. One day a much older version of the guard that saved her all those years ago, showed up in her clinic. Aryana still believed that Shair could have played a part in killing her family. When Aryana recognized Shair all the old bottled up feelings from long ago surfaced. Aryana was determined to get Shair to admit to his part in killing her family. She needed Shair to tell her where her family was buried so she could finally give them the burial they deserved. Aryana’s desire for answers was awakened. She decided to finally go back to Kabul to get her answers. Aryana was accompanied by Antonia and a photo journalist she had met at a book signing. Will she get closure? Sparks Like Stars by Nadia Hashimi was heart breaking, full of tragedy, and hopeful at the same time. The themes of survival, strength, healing, hardships, loss, anger, resentment, and resilience were evident throughout this book. Sitara became a brave, intelligent and resilient young woman who kept her memories of that fateful night hidden from most but always in her most private thoughts. Sparks Like Stars was a magnificent book. I highly recommend this book.Thank you to Harper Audio for allowing me to listen to the advanced copy of this audiobook through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Emily

February 17, 2022

A heartbreakingly beautiful tale of loss, and recovery. Painfully accurate in its depiction of trauma and war, and filled with scenes so vivid that they resonate long after the story’s end. This was also a love story in many ways, to family, to country, to memories, and to finding the courage to start over and begin healing. Sparks like Stars pays tribute not only to the destination, but to the journey of life, never shying away from its challenges and devastation, while also reminding us that there is always hope, and that the sun continues to rise. A wonderful novel, highly recommended.

Cynthia

April 21, 2021

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.

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