Mariam and Laila are “poles apart in their disposition and conduct” (Akhtar, Rauf, Ikram, Raees). If the novel had been set in Afghanistan in peace, it would have been a “ story of contrasts,” a life of “stark deprivation” for Mariam and a privileged, professional career for Laila ((Akhtar, Rauf, Ikram, Raees). But war drags the two women to the same level, destroying both their families. While Mariam remains passive, Laila refuses to back down, punching Rasheed after he tries to hurt her and ignoring his rules. By contrast, Mariam seems even more submissive until the novel’s climax, when Mariam chooses to kill Rasheed to save Laila’s life.…