Synopsis: Elsa trained as a nurse and decides to go to Afghanistan as a volunteer. She has limited support and must navigate the culture and customs with almost no help. She meets locals and makes friendships during her 6 months of volunteering.

My Rating:

3/5

I learned so much about the culture and customs of Afghanistan. This was an incredibly eye opening book much like my previous experience reading the Kite Runner. The author is a humanitarian worker and her depiction of the people and customs was well researched and rang true. The setting was done well and was amazingly rich. Afghanistan is almost a character in this novel.

The exploration of women in Afghanistan was inspiring. The women in this book often must do incredible things with little power. Afghanistan is a country where women are suppressed and yet the women in this book are heroes. They risk everything to help other women and to care for their families. The bonds they form with one another touched my heart. The lipstick in the title is symbolic of female empowerment and I really appreciated the symbolism it held especially as Elsa struggles with how she and other women are treated. People don't understand why she is not married. They have no concept of a career woman.

While I loved the setting and the character depth I also had several issues with this novel.

This is a debut novel and I found the prose frustrating to read. It is written in 3rd person and at times there is more telling than showing. Just overall I didn't jive with the writing of this book.

I also thought the story started too early. The book opens when Elsa is a child and I felt that was unnecessary. Her background could have been woven through the story and worked better. I felt like the beginning of the novel just meandered.

Another major issue I had was with the plot of this book. This book felt more like loosely connected vignettes than a book with an overarching plot. The plot of the book is Elsa goes to Afghanistan. She is a nurse there. Stuff happens. After six months she leaves.

Especially near the end of the book it seemed to me the story was in the weeds and things got convoluted and weird.

I felt like the book was missing the glue to hold the story it was trying to tell together. We got some amazing fragments but missed out on the whole.

I also was not a fan of the romance sub plot in this book.

Overall I don't feel I can recommend this book as a novel read for entertainment. If you want a novel that looks at the culture of Afghanistan and you are less concerned about story then this book may work well enough for you. ( )

La conmovedora historia de una mujer de ofrecer ayuda y encontrar esperanza en el último lugar que esperaba. Atrapados por el frecuentar imágenes de revistas de los refugiados hambrientos, Elsa ha soñado con convertirse en una enfermera desde que era una adolescente. De dejar su humilde barrio obrero de Boston para ayudar a las personas cuyas vidas son mucho más difícil que la de ella. Nadie en su familia ha escapado alguna vez la pobreza, pero Elsa tiene un arma secreta: un lápiz labial que encontró en la oficina de su hermana mayor que no deja de aumentar su estado de ánimo y cimentar su determinación. Con el lápiz labial puede hacer cualquier cosa, incluso viajar sola a Afganistán desgarrado por la guerra como consecuencia de 9/11. Pero noches violentas como son las que vive una enfermera de urgencias en el sur de Boston no podrían preparar a Elsa de la devastación que es testigo en Kabul ( )

This novel is a light read on a dark topic. It is not very well written. It relies a lot on well worn phrases and expressions. Elsa, a Boston ER nurse heads to Bamiyan in Afghanistan. She has never done aid work before but quickly adapts to life in a war torn village. she makes friends and meets and falls in love with an American soldier.The novel does do a nice job of describing village life and the unfailing kindness of the Afgan people such as her friend Paween, Uncle Abdullah,and Hamid, It also shows how life is for women under the taliban, . An ill fated trip to check out a possible school site ends in tragedy and also marks the end of Elsa's mission.
It's too bad that the writing is so immature as the concept of the story is a good one. ( )

Molto coinvolgente l'inizio, poi la trama si dipana come in tutti i libri romantici che si rispettano. ( )

Lipstick in Afghanistan” by Roberta Gately is fictional picture of rural Afghanistan through the eyes of nurse, Elsa and young woman named Parween. They develop a friendship that breaks through cultural boundaries and gives hope to the one and growth to the other.

It was difficult for me to understand the part about the lipstick. There is an emphasis on a tube of lipstick giving women a sense of importance and beauty. Although makeup is very important in Afghani weddings, it is not that important in daily life. After reading the interview with the author, it, I know that lipstick makes her feel better. Lipstick has a bigger role in the author’s life than mine; I will let it go at that.

The story is very engaging and educational. I learned more about the Taliban, how they even banned some of the joys of childhood. Also, some of the language, including the standard greeting:
"As-salaam alaikum. Chetore asti? Khoob asti? Jona jurast" which means "May peace be with you. How are you? You are well? How is your health?". Page 61.

Elsa, the nurse, came from an impoverished and rough neighborhood, and her family role was taking care of her disabled sister. She was a lonely person. Somehow she was very naïve about the dangers of war but she learned what she needed to know in Afghanistan with the help of the friends that she made.

Parween was a very intelligent, rebellious tom boy who could stand up against the boys for herself, betrothed at the age of 12, but relieved to know that she could ask for a better husband. She was thrilled when husband encouraged her to learn English.

The two women became inspired by a recent legend of a woman warrior against the Taliban. Their experiences made their friendship grow strong as they faced the demonic Taliban.

I highly recommend this book to people who would like to learn more about Afghanistan culture and some about the Taliban. ( )