Mirage

”There is a seductive shimmer on the horizon of life.Within it lies the promise of love, the joy of fulfillment, and the tranquility of peace. Approach it with great care, for it is as fragile as a mirage” ~ Layla K

In the lines of ‘Sleeping with the enemy’, ‘Not without my daughter’, ‘escape from Taliban’ etc. Mirage by Soheir Khashoggi deals with the struggle and courage of a woman against the middle east aristocracy. It is lively, provocative at times and offers a glamorous, exotic setting with a fast moving plot.

I quote a few lines which gave me goose bumps:

“Slipping her hand into his, she held it tight. He was whispering something, and as she strained to hear she realized it was a prayer. An official read a declaration of the crime and sentence. Then, at some signal Amira missed, Laila’s eldest brother stepped forward, a fist sized stone in his hand only a few feet from his sister, he suddenly hurled the rock with all his might straight at her forehead. This image burned itself into Amira’s brain. Did he throw with such strength out of hatred, for some shame Laila had brought her family or out of love, to kill her instantly and spare her what was to follow?”