Life is both sweet and cruel to strong-willed young Shabanu, whose home is the windswept Cholistan Desert of Pakistan. The second daughter in family with no sons, she's been allowed freedoms forbidden to most Muslim girls. But when a tragic encounter with a wealthy and powerful landowner ruins the marriage plans of her older sister, Shabanu is called upon to sacrifice everything she's dreamed of. Should she do what is necessary to uphold her family's honor--or listen to the stirrings of her own heart?
"Shabanu is an unforgettable heroine set like a fine jewel in a wonderfully wrought book."
--Kirkus Review, Starred--
"Through an involving plot Staples has given readers insight into lives totally different from their own, but into emotions resoundingly familiar."
--The Bulletin, Starred--
"A remarkable new novel...a riveting tour de force."
--The Boston Globe--