Neither Mariam or Laila experience the typical, loving mother figure, both of their mothers are neglectful in their own ways. Mariam’s mum, Nana, calls her a “harami” (bastard) from the age of five which ends up haunting her throughout her life, even up until her death. Nana neglects Mariam in the sense of not fulfilling Mariam’s wishes to be “allowed to go to school”, verbally abusing and manipulating her and not allowing her to go away from the kolba. In contrast, Laila’s mum, Fariba, neglects her through not really caring about what she does, forgetting to pick her up from school and also neglecting her emotionally - “Mammy’s heart was like a pallid beach where Laila’s footprints would forever wash away”. They also both end up losing their mothers to death early in their lives.
Laila + Fariba
“Mammy’s heart was like a pallid beach where Laila’s footprints would forever wash away”
simile
"pallid" = pale / lacking vigour or intensity -
"where Laila's footprints would forever wash away" - no matter what Laila tries to do, she will never imprint emotionally on Mammy, Mammy will always place Laila's brothers over her.
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both of their mothers' (and dad for Laila) death is the initial major turning point within their narratives