I read Shabanu: Daughter of the Wind and it's sequel Haveli. They are awesome. They are about a girl in Pakistan who comes over age to be married. Lots of bad things happen. The second book is about her a few years later. What I thought was cool was the cultural differences. This book is supposed to be present day and in a completely different part of the world. It's like...O.o Whoa.


Official Summary of Shabanu:
Set against the backdrop of desert life in present-day Pakistan, this book offers a passionate and deeply personal portrait of a young girl's struggle for identity in a culture that forbids even token expressions of independence by women.


I have Shiva's Fire and maybe I'll read it. Here's a summary though:

A Newbery Honor author writes with power and assurance in this story of a dancer who sacrifices her friends and family for her art. When a great guru invites Parvati to study with him, she devotes her life to the dance. Then she meets a gentle-eyed boy who turns her life upside down.