Alabaster: What Is Most Precious Is Also Most Fragile - Paperback

by Chris Aslan (Author)

Maryam is stuck in an abusive marriage, living with her in-laws in a conservative, toxically religious village. A few years back, her father was given a jar of priceless perfume by a dying leper and it seemed as if their fortunes would improve, but then Maryam's father contracted leprosy and was exiled from the village. Maryam and her siblings, Eleazar and Marta, experience the shame and ostracism this brings. The precious jar that was meant to bring them freedom has only brought destruction. But rumors abound concerning a new doctor; perhaps hope is on the horizon. . . .

Alabaster brings a first-century Middle Eastern village and its culture to life for modern-day readers.

Back Jacket

I still hear the voice of my mother telling me what all women in our village tell their daughters: 'Mariam, a woman's honour is as fragile and as beautiful as a butterfly's wings. What is a butterfly without wings, except a worm?' It's probably a good thing that my mother didn't live to see me now. A beautifully crafted novel about two sisters who face the stigma of shame, the sorrow of loss, and the startling hope one can find when someone shows you a different way of seeing the world.

Author Biography

Chris Aslan is based in the UK, where he writes fiction and non-fiction, lectures for the Art Society, and leads tours to Central Asia whenever he can. He is the author of Alabaster and Mosaic.