The Dressmaker of Khair Khana

3 Stars There are two plot jumps that should have been further explained. These are examples of weak writing and editing. First Kamila’s older sister Malika is very pregnant when Malika teaches Kamila how to sew. However, perhaps, 2 or 3 months later she is caring for premature twin girls. There is no explanation or description of her child birth experience. This would have been interesting b/c she would have had to travel to the hospital and may have been without a male escort at the time. Further, it would have been enlightening to learn of the Afghani capacity for caring for premature twins. Perhaps, 75 pages later we learn something about her childbirth. In the context of a description of how one of the few female doctors in Kabul fared under Taliban rule, Malika’s childbirth experience is mentioned. However, it is not as fleshed out as it should have been. Next we see Mrs. Sidiqi, Kamila’s mother, keeping the home fires burning for her daughters. She receives a letter from her husband assuring everyone in the family that he is fine. Then she is suddenly absent from the house without further explanation. The reader can surmise that she joined her husband in the north, but there is no mention of how she took her leave or how she traveled the perilous journey to the north. Another instance occurs when the author describes Kamila and her crew as cutting material and arranging patterns. One places the patterns first and then one cuts the fabric. The oversight of timely explanations about Malika’s pregnancy and Mrs. Sidiqi’s absence are glaring writer’s errors in the book. More careful editing would have exposed these as well as the unfortunate phrasing about patterns and fabric cutting. Had the story not been so compelling, the mediocre writing would have been too much of a turn off.