Which character in Daughters of Smoke and Fire would you like to speak to and what would you say to them?

Which character in Daughters of Smoke and Fire would you like to speak to and what would you say to them? What would you say to Leila if you ran into her at a café?

I would tell Leila to be strong and to not give up on life as she has so much to offer. Being treated as something even lower than an insect is difficult to live through but it isn’t who you are

I think I would like to speak to Shiler. She and her mother endured so much. What kept them going? Leila's mother considered Joanna a "whore" and throws them out. I just think Shiler and Joanna had such fortitude against the odds in a country that looks down on women.

All the women characters were extremely strong. I would want to have a conversation with all of them. I would tell them they are stronger than they think they are resilient. That change doesn’t happen if you accept status quo. Change happens when you challenge things that are wrong and fight for the right to be treated as a human and not as a sub-servant.

I would want to talk to Leila. I would ask her to tell me more about her life. She and the rest of the women in this book are such amazingly interesting women. I would thank her for giving me new insight into a group of people that, before I read this book, I knew little to nothing about.

Leila, I would want to tell her that I was sorry that these things happen to her, to tell her she is so brave and strong and to tell her I heard her… that she as a survivor has a brilliant voice and it is being heard!

I'd ask Karo why he was not more open with Leila sooner.

I'd like to speak to the Father and ask him, why he carried his pain alone all those years, and, if he had to do it all over again, with no negative physical threats to his family, would he do that differently.

I would like to thank Joanna for acting with compassion toward Leila and her daughter Shiler; finding ways to console and educate and encourage when the challenges in her own existence were overwhelming. What a remarkable amount of courage!

I would like to speak to Leila. Thank her for sharing her story with us. Her memories are very painful. I would like to ask her what she feels, we, as American women can do to change these ancient beliefs. Is there some specific ways in which we can help?