Farishta

(Paperback)

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Description

An American diplomat is forced to confront the devastation of her past when she is assigned to remote northern Afghanistan. Twenty-one years ago, diplomat Angela Morgan witnessed the death of her husband during the bombing of the U.S. Embassy in Beirut. Devastated by her loss and suffering from untreated post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), she fled back to America, where she hid in the backwaters of the State Department and avoided the high-profile postings that would advance her career. Now, with that career about to dead-end and no true connections at home, she must take the one assignment available-at a remote British army outpost in northern Afghanistan. Unwelcome among the soldiers and unaccepted by the local government and warlords, Angela has to fight to earn the respect of her colleagues, especially the enigmatic Mark Davies, a British major who is by turns her staunchest ally and her fiercest critic. Frustrated at her inability to contribute to the nation's reconstruction, Angela slips out of camp disguised in a burka to provide aid to the refugees in the war-torn region. She becomes theirfarishta, or "angel," in the local Dari language-and discovers a new purpose for her life, a way to finally put her grief behind her. In the same way that Kevin Powers drew on his own experience in Iraq for The Yellow Birds, in Farishta Patricia McArdle uses her time spent as a diplomat to create an on-the-ground account of the war in Afghanistan.Farishtais a deeply moving and fast-paced story of a woman struggling to move beyond a past trauma, and finding a new community, a new love, and a new sense of self in the process.

Reviews

""Farishta," Patricia McArdle's first novel, is a compelling and readable book about the challenges faced by soldiers and civilians stationed in Afghanistan-the constant fear of attack; the unforgiving landscape; the hostile and often corrupt warlords; the uncertain loyalties of Afghan colleagues; the efficacy of their mission; and the constant isolation. . . . But this book is more than a book about one woman and her desire to help Afghans find their own way. It is a well told story of the daily dangers that Angela and her male colleagues face, the trauma that can accompany their work, and the difficulty they have reentering society."
-"The Huffington Post"
"Combining the emotional insight of "Three Cups of Tea" with the narrative intensity of a Jason Bourne story, "Farishta" is the gripping story of a female US diplomat living and working in Afghanistan. Met with open hostility not only by the Afghan males, but also within her own all-male mission team, over the courseh
"Combining the emotional insight of "Three Cups of Tea" with the narrative intensity of a Jason Bourne story, "Farishta" is the gripping story of a female US diplomat living and working in Afghanistan. Met with open hostility not only by the Afghan males, but also within her own all-male mission team, over the course of her year there, she has to overcomes their antagonism and confront real danger and tragedy."
-Valerie Plame Wilson, author of the "New York Times"-bestselling "Fair Game"

""Farishta" opens a window into the challenging life of a diplomat. Patricia McArdle accurately portrays life in the northern regions of Afghanistan. Her written wealth of knowledge and experiences enhances the reader's ability to understand and appreciate a complex career and multifaceted culture. "Farishta" is an outstanding read!"
-Deborah Rodriguez, author of the "New York Times"-bestselling "Kabul Beauty School" and "A Cup of Friendship"

Author Bio

Patricia McArdle is a retired American diplomat. During her career, she was posted around the world, including northern Afghanistan.