I have read a few other books from this oppressed time/country, so I knew it would not necessarily have a happy ending. What I found most interesting is that after reading the blurb on the back of the book, I assumed I would end up feeling sorry for the bookseller. To my surprise I wound up hating him. He was greedy, selfish and entirely unable to break free from his ways of life, even though he thought himself to be a liberal.

Two thumbs up, though, to this book set in before, during and after the Taliban in Afghanistan.

Interesting, not compelling. As others have said, I think the reader gets a good glimpse into a little of what life must be like for a woman in a Muslim society. To have no dreams. Not that it seems any better for the boys. Just don’t expect a narative.

The terror, the wars, the competing factions . . . I wonder how much life might be like this everywhere in a few years when oil (and thus food) gets seriously short in the Western world.

This book was interesting, and definitely gives a bit of flavor of life in Kabul, especially for those that aren’t in the forefront of society (women, children, the poor, etc.). I found it depressing because nothing was ever resolved and the downtrodden stayed down, but I still liked it. Pretty good. Yep.