gabriel shadar

I have gained deeper insights from this book. It has opened my eyes to a lot of loopholes in the liberal interpretation and accounts that have tried to explain violence and war, especially in the Third World. Bottom line is: no single encompassing explanation to civil war, and there is a sense of continuity in every conflict as much as proponents have rational incentives to go for war, and violence can paradoxically lead to some some unintended developments.

A revealing and captivating account about a country ravaged by war, but also about how traditions, customs and beliefs play a major part in the unfortunate events that ravaged Afghanistan and her people in a span of forty years. The author has skillfully portrayed the situation and the characters, including power relations, gender perceptions, the conflict between traditions and modernity, ingenuity and resilience are some of the strongest themes of the novel. I learned much about Afghanistan from this novel and I loved the experience.