Chapter 3-4 Blog - Stories

"These are the stories you hear from your grandmother with the dry rattle in her throat, her teeth stained red from pan and betel leaves; from your abba when he's in a quiet mood and smoothes you hair over and over.
You're only little, but you know it's there: that feeling that you never know what terror will pulse from the ground." -page 22

I chose this quote because it describes really well the way you see people telling the stories. The things grandmothers would say are reminding them of what happened, which could have been terrible. I really like the way she said: "with the dry rattle in her throat, her teeth stained red from pan and betel leaves" because it is very descriptive and you can really imagine her grandmother telling the stories.
When I read this part of the book, it struck me as an intense quote. "You're only little, but you know it's there: that feeling that you never know what terror will pulse from the ground." This sentence made me think for a minute to understand its depth.
I felt that the whole third chapter was a good break from the story to describe the background of Nadira's family and country. It shows you how she might feel about going back or not, and why she thinks that way. I believe she wants to go back, but is afraid of what she might find there when she does.

Chapter 2 Blog - Home

"We weren't supposed to do this. We were supposed to stay and then one day roll the word in our mouths: home. Every inch the car moves forward the word seems to crack, crushed under our tires." -page 12

I chose this quote because of the way she felt about the word home. She wants so badly to find a place that she can belong, and feel like she matters. But in her situation now, she feels as if she is never going to find a place to call home.