Call Her Freedom

A "rich and beautifully crafted multigenerational epic" (Kristin Harmel, New York Times bestselling author of The Paris Daughter) following one woman's struggle to protect her culture and her family amidst the backdrop of a military occupation.

Aisha and her mother, Noorjahan, live on the outskirts of their remote mountain village nestled among the Himalayas--two women alone in a world dominated by men. As the village midwife, Noorjahan teaches Aisha how to heal using local herbs and remedies.

When Aisha's hand is betrothed to a local boy, she is forced to abandon her dreams of going to university. Soon her mother's secrets come back to haunt her, and Aisha's marriage and a growing military presence force her to make impossible choices in order to save her family and preserve the independence Noorjahan fought for. What follows is a family chronicle brimming with life, love, and humor, about sacrifice and honor and fighting for your home and culture in the face of occupation.

Call Her Freedom is a deeply moving novel about one woman's love for her family, and an epic investigation of colonialism, militarization, and loss of innocence on the journey to creating home. Spanning 1969 to 2022, this is a love story that untangles family secrets and heals generational wounds, announcing Tara Dorabji as a thrilling new voice in fiction.

Author: Tara Dorabji
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Published: 01/21/2025
Pages: 320
Binding Type: Hardcover
Weight: 1.05lbs
Size: 9.10h x 6.30w x 1.30d
ISBN: 9781668051658


Review Citation(s):
Library Journal 08/01/2024 pg. 3
Publishers Weekly 11/11/2024
Booklist 11/01/2024 pg. 41
Kirkus Reviews 12/15/2024

About the Author
Tara Dorabji is the author of the novel, Call Her Freedom, winner of the Simon & Schuster Books Like Us first novel contest. She is the daughter of Parsi-Indian and German-Italian migrants. Her documentary film series on human rights defenders in Kashmir won awards at over a dozen film festivals throughout Asia and the USA. Tara's publications include Al Jazeera, The Chicago Quarterly, Huizache, and acclaimed anthologies: Good Girls Marry Doctors and All the Women in My Family Sing. She lives in Northern California with her family and rabbit.