Maryam was not yet fifteen when she was sent to Kabul to marry Rashid. About two decades later, a friendship develops between Maryam and a young girl from Kabul, as strong as the bond between a mother and her daughter. When the Taliban seize power, life turns into a desperate struggle against starvation, brutality, and fear. But love can cause people to act in unexpected ways, and lead them to overcome the most terrifying obstacles with amazing heroism.