Chapter 17 Summary

When a Muslim boy is stabbed, the estate buzzes with rumors, speculation, and lies about the incident. Even the boy's name is in dispute. Nazneen, Razia, and some of the other mothers talk about it outside the grocery store. Nazma and Sorupa soon hint maliciously at Razia's troubles with Tariq, and their barbs depress her for the rest of the day. Nazneen and Razia continue on together, and Nazneen suddenly realizes that none of the women had spoken to her. She wonders if she is being shunned for her un-Islamic behavior with Karim, as Hanufa was for taking a massage class. As they pass by the stores and look at the window displays, Nazneen and Razia marvel at the high prices that white women are willing to pay for ethnic clothes.

That evening, Chanu adds more of his traffic fines to the envelope...