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Mariam is born a harami of Nana and Jalil. Her parents each have a drastically different story of her birth, with Nana saying that she was in labor on the floor of the kolba, alone, and Jalil saying that she was delivered in a hospital.
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Mariam's father places her into an arranged marriage with Rasheed after being pressured to by his wives. Rasheed is around fourty five years old, while Miriam is only sixteen, and is very focused on having a son, after his last one drowned.
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Nana hangs herself after Mariam leaves to visit Jalil and see Pinocchio at his cinema. Mariam believes that he had promised to take her, despite him never doing such.
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Members of the People's Democratic Party of Afghanistan wish to overthrow the self-proclaimed ruler Mohammed Daoud, and establish a communist system of government. Daoud is killed and Soviet forces provide aid, leading to the Soviet-Afghan War.
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Laila is born the third child of Fariba and Hakim.
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Mujahideen rebels fought the Afghan army with Soviet troops, wishing to end communist oppression. Both of Laila's brothers are part of the Soviet-Afghan war fighting for the Mujahideen forces. -
After defeat against the mujahideen in the Soviet-Afghan war, in which Laila's brothers were killed, the Communist government is ousted, only to later be replaced by the Taliban following a period of civil war.
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After the resignation of Afghanistan's communist ruler, different factions fought for control. Eventually, the Taliban, an Islamic Extremist party, gained control of the nation, and enforced a harsh form of Sharia Law.
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Tariq and his family leave for Pakistan. He asks Laila to go with him, but she refuses to leave her father.
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A rocket hits Laila's house as they were preparing to leave for Pakistan, killing her parents and severly injuring her.
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After recovering from her injuries, Laila realizes she is pregnant and is told that Tariq is dead, leaving her little choice but to marry Rasheed.
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Laila gives birth to her first child, Aziza, who is actually Tariq's child, not Rasheed's.
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The Civil War ends with the Taliban gaining power. Life under the Taliban was incredibly harsh, especially for women of the time.
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Laila's second child, Zalmai, is born of a c-section without anesthetic. He is Rasheed's second biological child, after his son who drown years before.
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Brock Vonderheide is born the second child of Todd and Kim Vonderheide. This is not relevant to the story at all.
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Veronica Southworth is the first child born of James and Vickie Southworth. This is also not relevant, but whatever.
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After finding out that Tariq is back in town, Rasheed tries to kill Laila and Mariam kills him to save Laila's life.
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Laila marries Tariq after moving to Pakistan.
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Mariam is publicly executed for having killed Rasheed.
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The attacks on the World Trade Center, orchestrated by terrorist group Al-Qaeda, who were being harbored by the Tailban, led to the American "War of Terror" and US troops being deployed throughout the Middle East.
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After the Taliban lose control of Afghanistan, Laila wishes to return to Kabul, and to visit the homes of Miriam and herself.
