How do Leila and Shiler respond to their plight as Kurds differently? Could you relate more to one of these characters than the other? 

How do Leila and Shiler respond to their plight as Kurds differently? Could you relate more to one of these characters than the other? 

I'm probably not as brave as Shiler, so I'm probably more like Leila. Shiler was willing to take a stand and fight. Leila was afraid, although she became braver as the story went on. She spoke up at the prison and also made sure Chia's writing got out. I think she and Shiler both contributed in a positive way.

If you thought Shiler's story was interesting, check out BookBrowse's Beyond the Book article about the women of the Peshmerga, it's really interesting: https://www.bookbrowse.com/mag/btb/index.cfm/book_number/4108/daughters-of-smoke-and-fire#btb

I think that both characters are two faces of the same coin. Leila and Shiler both end up doing something against the injustice. One though, chooses to pick up a camera and the other chooses a rifle -- both revolutionary acts in the region where they come from that fights armed resistance and prohibits freedom of expression, more so when its women doing either/both.

I can relate more to Shiler. Though dangerous I totally respected her dedication to their cause.

Both girls resist differently a d befitting their personalities. Shiler fights back ferociously with determination, courage and a gun and Leila fights back more subtly through speech, writings and eventually film.
I think I might be more inclined to physically fight back like Shiler, but that girl has courage in spades and I guess you never really know what your made of until you have to face an unbelievable threat as these girls had to.

I guess Leila but both were courageous. I really don't know that I could be as brave as either.

They each fought with what felt most natural to them. Shiler's way was more aggressive, perhaps needing to see immediate response. Leila's way was to move towards action through empathy and communications, and to get the word out. She planned and plotted in a different way; both ways being essential.

I’m probably more Leila with a tiny bit of Shiler. I consider myself adventurous with a bit of rebellion but in those circumstances I would not look anything like Shiler.

Both girls fought, but in different ways. Shiler was much more out in the open and rebellious, while Leila was fighting her own demons, created by her family and her personality. Her fighting was putting out the word, trying to make others aware, trying to save her brother's life.
I can't say who I would be more like. I think I would first have to walk a mile in their shoes.

These two characters attack oppression in different ways, Shiler through physically fighting and with a gun and Leila by trying to get the world to pay attention to the situation for Kurds and changes things that way. I think it takes both kinds of people to make change.

I would probably be more like Leila, I'm not all that comfortable around guns.

Shiler felt more rebellious from the start. Her personality would not allow her to sit by and watch the persecution and she felt compelled to join in with the revolutionaries as someone who would act and not just watch. I think Leila had similar feelings but did not feel as compelled to act on them. She felt that in supporting her brother she was doing her part in the push against the persecution of her people. I would definitely relate more to Leila in the support of others and not taking a role in the front of the action.,

Shiler looked her circumstances in the face and challenged them right back. Leila seemed buried under the the circumstances of her family and didn't seem to have the ability to climb out from under them. Both were brave and resilient in their own way. Shiler had a mother's support and Leila did not.