FICTION

The Watch

by Joydeep Roy-Bhattacharya
Hogarth: Crown. Jun 2012. c.304p. ISBN 9780307955890. $25. F
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The American forces at Combat Outpost Tarsandan, Afghanistan, are recovering from a bloody battle in Kandahar Province when they notice a veiled figure in the distance, moving inexorably toward the base. This is a Pashtun woman named Nizam, who's on a mission to collect her brother Yusuf's body for a proper burial. Her request sets off a chain of events, as we move from her perspective to that of the base medic, then a young interpreter, and finally the various American soldiers who witness her Sophoclean plight and record their observations in journal entries. Indian-born novelist Roy-Bhattacharya (The Storyteller of Marrakesh) has a sensitive ear for dialog as he deftly juggles this diverse cast.
VERDICT The horror and futility of war—on both the battlefield and the home front—weave their way through this timely achievement. Recommended for fans of Khaled Hosseini's The Kite Runner and particularly for readers interested in international settings or military issues.
Reviewed by Jenn B. Stidham, Houston Community Coll.-Northeast, TX , Apr 01, 2012
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