Kabul, Afghanistan

The whole of the novel takes place in Afghanistan, but Kabul is one of the main settings within the country. Kabul is much different than both Shekiba and Rahima’s villages; it is busier, has more shops, more people, and is a means of escape for both girls.

Kabul is the location of Arg, the palace where Shekiba is a guard for the king’s harem. She does not see much of Kabul, but she sees enough to be excited when she sees how different it is than her village.

Kabul is also where Badriya and Rahima go to parliament sessions, and thus it is home to the resource center that is paramount to Rahima’s escape from Abdul Khaliq. To Rahima, Kabul is an exciting, bustling place full of possibilities.

Rahima's house and village

Rahima’s village is not named, but it is an important setting...