Part 1 Vocabulary
1. valiant:( adj.)very brave or bravely determined, especially when things are difficult or the situation gives no cause for hope: 勇敢的，英勇的
She said he fought valiantly.
Eg: Tom threw himself in front of a train in a valiant effort to save the child.
2. aloof: not interested or involved, usually because you do not approve of what is happening
（通常因为对所发生的事情不赞同而）漠不关心的，无动于衷的，不参与的
Was this her penalty, then, her punishment for being aloof to her own mother's suffering?
Eg: She kept herself aloof from her husband's business.
3. blatant: very obvious and intentional, when this is a bad thing 明目张胆的，公然的
a blatant lie 弥天大谎
contrived: artificial and difficult to believe 人为的，不自然的；牵强的
It wasn't so much what he said, the blatant lies, the contrived empathy
Rasheed 虚伪的嘴脸啊。。。
4. will: to try to make sth happen by thinking about it very hard. 设法用意志力驱动使（某事）发生。
She could will herself to absorb Mariam's derision and finger-pointing.
She was willing herself not to cry.
Part 2 Sentences
A hurtful silence would fill the room, and Laila could almost see the wordless hostility radiating from Mariam like waves of heat rising from asphalt.
描写两人冷战的场面
Part 3 Summary
A man called Abdul Sharif comes to Rasheed's house and insists on talking with Laila, bringing the news that Tariq has been dead. He explains that he gets to know Tariq in a hospital. Tariq has been badly injured in a crossfire and been sent to the hospital. Several days later, he dies from his wound. Understanding her own mother's true sorrow and anguish, Laila considers the news as the penalty for her aloofness to her mother's suffering.
Rasheed hypocritically shows his care and kindness to Laila. What he says and does to Laila is like a staged delivery and performance. In fact, Rasheed intends to marry Laila, a trick which is seen through by Mariam. Mariam eventually works up the nerve to ask Rasheed not to marry Laila, saying that Laila is too young. However, Rasheed gives the excuse that he needs to maintain Laila's and his reputation and marriage is the best solution for three of them. Unexpectedly, Laila agrees to marry Rasheed.
The reason why Laila agrees to marry Rasheed is that she finds herself pregnant. Thinking of the people in her life and her own situation, Laila decides to stay with Rasheed so as to protect Tariq's child. Even though Mariam disapproves of their marriage, she has no choice but to hold back her anger.
Mariam and Laila both avoid to meet each other in daytime. But at night, Rasheed insists that they should eat together as a family. He even despises Mariam by comparing their background and status and requires Mariam to keep watch on Laila. Offended, Mariam explains that she is not the servant of Laila and asks Laila to share the chores.
Laila tells Rasheed the news about the baby, which makes Rasheed happy. Again, he prays for a baby boy. Wars in Kabul continues escalate. Laila ambles abound the house and rarely goes out. Mariam shows her wordless hostility to Laila most of time. Finally the cold war between the two women breaks out when Mariam accuses Laila of hiding a spoon on purpose to aggravate her. Lying in bed, Laila feels the baby kicked for the first time.
Part 4 随感
1. 真的没想到Laila是如此有想法，坚强的女性。如果说前面她还是一个为爱情悲伤，为失去父母难过的小女生，现在她就是一名战士，一名为了自己的孩子，愿意牺牲一切的母亲。
2. 不知道为啥有这样的感觉，尽管这几章里，作者描述了Mariam怨恨Laila, 但是觉得后面这两同病相怜的女子会相互扶持，惺惺相惜，弄死Rasheed.
3. 小说中午看的，大概花了60m，晚上回来写笔记时，基本重新看了一遍。总是有要多看几遍的想法。第一遍时，总会漏掉很多信息……