Sparks Like Stars: A Novel

The narrator, Sitara, and her best friend, Neelab, are playing in the library of the presidential palace, called Arg. Sitara is interested in The Book of Fixed Stars written by an ancient astronomer. Neelab is the granddaughter of Daoud Khan, the president of Afghanistan. She and Sitara frequently play games re-enacting Afghan history and “the never-ending fight for our country’s independence from foreign invasion” (10).

Sitara is summoned by her mother to stay with her younger brother, Faheem. Sitara admires her beautiful mother as she dresses for an evening function. Sitara’s father is an advisor to the president, who has been welcoming both American and Soviet diplomats into the country, though Sitara has heard whispers of dissent among the people. Sitara is proud of her heritage and her culture. She wrote an essay for school that referenced Rudyard Kipling’s poem, written about the fierceness of Afghan women as the country fought off the British, and the essay won a prize. Her mother is particularly tender toward her because when she was first married, when they lived in the United States while her father studied engineering in Oklahoma, they had a daughter who died young. Sitara feels content and protected by her loving parents.

Sitara and Neelab sneak downstairs to spy on the president and the diplomats, military, and guests, including representatives from Russia. The group gathers around a crate that contains items found in excavations of the ancient city of Ai-Khanoum. Sitara marvels that “a kingdom capable of erecting cities in far-off lands [could] be reduced to a few trinkets in a crate” (23). Sitara notices a gold ring set with turquoise and garnet. While a Russian dignitary shows off items in the crate, the president and Sitara’s father, his right-hand man, stand apart under an enormous tapestry of riders playing buzkashi, the national sport of Afghanistan.

The soldiers who guard Arg have nicknames the children gave them. Shair, or Sham, seems the most disciplined and intimidating. Sitara’s mother is kind to all the soldiers and sends Sitara’s outgrown clothes with Shair for his daughter. Shair overhears Sitara and Neelab discussing the artifacts and says he thought Sitara and her family were leaving that day. Sitara recalls how they discovered a general brutally chastising a soldier one day, and she thinks it is odd that they do not know anything about the people guarding them.

Sitara asks her father to see the treasures from Ai-Khanoum. He opens a safe in a secret storeroom in the basement while Sitara watches. Among other items from the ancient kingdom that blend Grecian style with Afghan, Sitara is most impressed by the garnet and turquoise ring. Her father explains that the ancient civilization ended with invasion, which their country seems to attract. As they return to the garden, the girls overhear the president and his advisors arguing that Moscow has suggested doing away with prisoners in the new prison. The president insists that Moscow does not control their country. Sitara finds her mother playing by the fountain with her brother, Faheem.

On April 27, 1978, the palace is dark and foreboding, and security has increased. Seeing that her mother and Faheem are napping, Sitara goes to the kitchen for food and hears whispers that the tanks outside the walls have turned their guns on the palace. She returns to their room just before the bombardment begins. There is gunfire, and jets fly overhead. Her father learns that a faction of the army has turned on the president. They attempt to sleep, but Sitara wakes and tiptoes into the presidential library to look at the stars. She sees army trucks crossing the yard and hears footsteps, then gunshots in the hall. Her father opens the door to the bedroom and is shot by the soldiers. Behind him, Sitara sees her mother holding Faheem. Her mother sends Sitara a loving, anguished look, and Sitara wants to cry out.

Sitara hides behind a curtain in the library. A soldier finds her and tells her she must leave. Sitara goes to the basement, and he locks her downstairs. The soldier is Shair.

Hiding in the basement, terrified, Sitara reflects on how her father told her of the fury and power of Afghan women and would recite the poetry of Rumi. She opens the safe and takes the turquoise and garnet ring. As she sneaks out of the basement, Sitara steps on glass, cutting her foot. She finds a window and sneaks out of the palace but runs into another soldier.

Shair hides Sitara under a blanket in his car and takes her to his apartment. Sitara shouts that he is a killer. His wife, Tahera, stitches the gash in Sitara’s foot. Sitara asks to go to her uncle, who lives nearby, but is not allowed. Shair has three children: a boy a couple of years older than Sitara, a younger daughter who is wearing Sitara’s old clothes, and a toddler. Sitara stays in their apartment for several days. A radio announcer says that the Communist Party will take over the government. Tahera is afraid of what will happen if the new government finds Sitara in their home.

Sitara begins menstruating and feels ashamed when Shair’s son sees her blood. She believes Shair killed her family and is angry that she cannot go to her uncle, even though she is not certain he would take her. She learns many of those she thought were her father’s friends have positions in the new government. Shair takes Sitara driving and tells her that her Kabul is gone.

Shair drives her to Chicken Street. At gunpoint, he makes Sitara get out of the car with him and approaches two women, one her mother’s age, and one older. In English, Shair asks them to help Sitara and leaves her with them. The younger woman introduces herself as Antonia. They take Sitara to their apartment above a bakery. Antonia introduces Tilly, her mother. The two women speak to each other like no mother and daughter Sitara has ever met. Sitara wishes she could ask her parents if she can trust this stranger. She sees a booklet with the word “Oklahoma” and tells them her name is Sitara.