Cheating (Dramatic Irony)
When Noura tells her father, "Everybody cheats. Everybody" (46), she gives him a look. It is unclear if she knows anything about what her father does, but there is dramatic irony in that the reader knows that Larbi does indeed "cheat" in his job. He gives certain people cushy positions, calls in favors, and is often a hypocrite.
Trust (Verbal/Situational Irony)
When Halima seeks out the judge for her divorce and realizes how unlikely he is to be of any help to her, she "wondered whom she should trust, the courts or the magicians" (55). Her tone is ironic because trusting magicians is a foolhardy and ridiculous thing to do. But it is also ironic in another way, for grouping the courts together with magicians—courts supposedly being objective, professional, fair, and efficient places to moderate disputes—is absurd.
Classes (Verbal Irony)
Halima is taking literacy classes but she is less than impressed with them and their applicability: "So far, the only use she had gotten out of the classes was that she could now read the rolling credits at the end of the soap operas she watched every night" (69). Halima is using verbal irony, for their is no practical value in being able to read the credits of soap operas.
Saint (Verbal/Situational Irony)
Halima is unconvinced by her neighbors' claim that Farid is a saint. When the boy blesses a neighbor boy reluctantly, Halima muses wryly, "His first blessing and already an unwilling saint" (121). She is being ironic in her tone, of course, for Farid isn't really a saint, but there if he were, there would also be situational irony in a saint being "unwilling" to bless someone, as that is what saints are supposed to do.
