The Wasted Vigil (Vintage International)
by Nadeem Aslam
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Book Summary Information
Author: Nadeem AslamEdition: Paperback
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 2009-09-08
ISBN: 0307388743
Number of pages: 336
Publisher: Vintage
Book Reviews of The Wasted Vigil (Vintage International)
Book Review: Heart-breakingly beautiful, sad story...
Summary: 5 Stars
I couldn't put this book down - the lyrical descriptions of the lost beauty of Afghanistan & the suffering which the Afghan people have survived through years of war - honestly, this story was both inspiring, captivating, yet also very sad! Aslam clearly has done his research into the history of the region - he touches on geo-political issues which are often ignored when hearing about Afghanistan as reported in today's media. He is sympathetic to the people of the region while deftly illustrating the folly of the invaders/occupiers who all use the country for their own means - both the Soviets as well as the Americans.
His characters came across as authentic & vivid to me - I sympathized with their inner turmoil as they reacted to outside events with dignity & hope, yet they ultimately trod the paths which they seemed destined to follow. As a Muslim, I have to agree with an earlier reviewer in that it would have been helpful if Aslam had included the chapter/verse references when he quoted from the Quran - I think his intention in quoting out of context was to highlight the fact that this is precisely what the Taliban or extremists frequently do in order to justify their interpretation, yet to an non-Muslim, it would appear that the Quran actually condones such abhorrent behavior (when it DOES not!) Other than this one quibble, the book successfully portrays the upheaval of war, the high cost to the average citizen, & also the human striving for survival against all odds...really beautifully written.
Summary of The Wasted Vigil (Vintage International)
In The Wasted Vigil, Nadeem Aslam, the award-winning author of Maps for Lost Lovers, brilliantly knits together five seemingly unconnected lives to create a luminous story set in contemporary Afghanistan.There?s Marcus, an English expat who was married to an outspoken Afghani doctor; David, a former American spy; Lara, from St. Petersburg, looking for traces of her brother, a Russian soldier who disappeared years before; Casa, a young Afghani whose hatred of the Americans has plunged him into the blinding depths of zealotry; and James, an American Special Forces soldier. Aslamreveals the intertwining paths that these characters have traveled, constructing a timely and intimate portrait of the complex ties that bind us and the wars that continue to tear us apart.Literary Books
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