Mariam
- Daughter of Nana and Jalil
- Loses mother to suicide - Father is never their for her - Married off to an abusive man named Rasheed - Longish, plain face that is not altogether unpleasant - Not easily provoked to shouting - Either named after her mother's mother, or after a flower - Rationalizes the wrong in people due to her lack of self esteem - Sacrifices herself for the life of Laila, Aziza, and Zalmai - Experienced many miscarriages; never had kids - Killed Rasheed with a shovel to save Laila and herself - Endured many years of abuse from her husband Rasheed - Grew very close to Laila after a rough start - Became mother figure to Laila |
Nana
- Mother of Mariam
- Ex-maid of Jalil - Had an affair with Jalil - Lives a poor life in a hut - Hates Jalil for how he treats Mariam and herself - Emotionally abusive towards Mariam - Suicidal/ commits suicide - A sad miserable woman - Teaches Mariam that all women need is endurance - Claims that a man's blaming finger always finds a woman - Has few friends - Doesn't want Maraim to get an education; says it's useless |
Jalil
- Mariam's father
- Wealthy businessman of Herat/ Owns a movie theater - Has (three or four) wives and 11 children including Mariam - Selfish for marrying Mariam off instead of raising her - Wears the same ensemble: brown/tan suit, red tie, and white handkerchief - Dies without Mariam's acceptance to his apologies - Only saw Mariam once a week on Thursdays - Kept Nana and Mariam hidden in a hut far up a hill - Has his brothers bring Nana and Mariam's necessities once a week in a wheel barrow - Constantly lies to Mariam - Acts like a good father, but is actually ashamed of Mariam - Dies from a weak heart - Has to live through the death of nearly all his wives and children |
Aziza
- Very obedient and loyal
- Clever and observant; understands what is going on around her - Daughter of Tariq and Laila - Intelligent and strong - Endured Rasheed's harsh treatment - Sister of Zalmai - Instantly connected with Tariq when she met him - Didn't feel safe until after living with Tariq for a while - Fulfills Mariam's need/want for a child to raise and love |
Rasheed
- Abuses Mariam, Laila, Aziza, and his first wife
- In his 50s-60s - Has a murderous streak - Believes women are subordinate to men - Treats all women poorly - Owns a shoe store, where he makes and repairs shoes - Zalmai is his son - Mudered by Mariam with a shovel - Strict Pashtun beliefs and lifestyle - Hypocritical - Disregards Aziza - Treats Zalmai as royalty, and spoils him - Uses Zalmai to get information about Tariq's visits to the house - Can't seem to hold a job during the Taliban reign |
Tariq
- Lost a leg in a landmine incident at age 3
- Protects Laila at a young age from the bully Khadim - Has a big heart and is loving - Shows he is a great husband and father through his actions and words - Never has eyes for any girl other than Laila - After a failed proposal before he leaves, he promises to come back for Laila when he can - Spends many years in a prison after his parents die - Got into the habit of smoking - Says he'll follow Laila to the ends of the world - Moves back to Kabul with his wife Laila and children Aziza and Zalmai, and takes a job in helping other people with missing limbs due to war |
Hakim / Babi
- Laila's father
- Feminine hands - Favored by Laila over his wife - Believed in equality for both genders - Brought Laila and Tariq to the Giant Buddhas - Enjoys reading, and owns many books - Profession in teaching, and is intelligent - Is killed with his wife when a rocket blows his house to pieces - Is adamant in Laila getting an education, and not marrying off at a young age - Constantly degraded by his wife Fariba - Cousin and husband to Fariba |
Fariba / Mami
- After her sons were drafted, she became bipolar
- Wasn't there for Laila as a mother should be - Becomes extremely depressed after her sons die in war - Reclusive; locks herself in her room and keeps shutters closed - Blames her sons deaths on her husband Hakim - Admits she's thought about suicide - After nearly losing her daughter, she agrees to leave the soil her sons died on to try and save her last child - On moving day, both her and Hakim are killed by a rocket shot at the house |
Ahmad and Noor
- Ahmad and Noor are Laila's brothers, and Fariba and Hakim's sons
- They were drafted into the military - They both died, and were buried by - Neither Ahmed or Noor got to know Laila - Their mother mourned many years over them - Ahmad is the most religious member of the family - Noor said Laila's eyes were like gemstones - Ahmad whispered azan in Laila's ear right after she was born |
Zalmai
- Son to Laila and Rasheed
- Pampered and spoiled by his father Rasheed - Two-faced; nice when around Laila and Mariam, but mean and short-tempered when Rasheed is around - Learning to be like Rasheed - After his father dies, he is told a lie that Rasheed left the house and hasn't come back - Doesn't accept Tariq at first, but soon becomes comfortable around him |
Mullah Faizullah |
Giti
|
- Concerned for Mariam's being
- Reads the Koran to Mariam as a child nearly every day - Older man, in his 70s-80s - Supported Mariam's getting an education - Usually clashed with Nana - Mariam's 'teacher' |
- Bony figure
- Wore her hair in pigtails often - Held a scowl on her face a lot - Walks with books close to her chest - Planning to marry a boy that she chose - Before he could propose, she was struck by a rocket |
Khadim
- Cruel and brash
- Had a crush on Laila - Same grade as Tariq - A bully, but a coward - Feigned strength and toughness that fooled no one. |
Tariq's Parents
- Warm and accepting
- They're older than your average parents - Parenting style is relaxed - The father survived a multiple strokes - The mother wore the same black wig everyday - Both peacefully passed away |
Hamza- Son of Mullah Faizullah
- An honest, good man like his father was - Informs Laila on Mariam's childhood, and gives Laila a box from Jalil that was supposed to go to Mariam - Leads Laila to the hut Mariam grew up in |
Nilofar
- Spoiled by Jalil
- Daughter of Jalil and one of his other wives - Tries to be friends with Mariam - Dies in war |
Bibi Jo- Visits the kolba
- Fills Nana in on latest rumors and gossip - In poor physical condition - Apologizes and comforts Mariam after Nana's suicide |
Ticket Guy
- Sneaky and underhanded
- Betrayed Laila and Mariam to the police - A theif; he stole the money Laila saved after promising to get their tickets and act as family |
Zaman- The teacher at the orphanage Aziza resides at for a while
- Loves and cares for the children - Attempts to teach the kids in the orphanage something everyday, despite it being against Taliban law - Protects the children from the Taliban |
Hasini
- Three years older than Laila and Giti
- Wasn't intelligent - Her father marries her to her cousin at a young age - Sense of humor; tells Laila and Giti to keep the boys away by eating four cans of beans the night he is going to propose |
Khala Rhangmaal- Laila's teacher during the Soviet power
- Strict, and believed in equality between genders - Wouldn't allow girls to cover up in class - Called Laila 'Revolutionary Girl' - Much later, Laila ran into her, dressed in a full burqu at Zaman's orphanage |
Mushin, Afsoon, and Ramin- All three are married to Jalil
- Mariam is the source of their embarrassment - All try to sell the idea of marrying Rasheed to Mariam - One of them answers yes for Mariam when Rasheed and Mariam are getting married |