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.
The Wasted Vigil is one of the most
beautifully written books I have read in the past ten years, with striking
imagery and flashing colors and complex references to the past, as far back as
Homer. The fates of the main characters who live through the multiple invasions
of Afghanistan, keep the reader glued to the book, but it is the writing that
causes one to reread the text again. This is a novel that I could not put down,
twice.
These days writing about Afghanistan
seems to be the trend and surely a means to quick fame for South Asian
writers.Upon reading the book I was taken aback by numerous misquotes
attributed to the Quran. Aslam, in describing the mindset of his jihadi
character, misquotes from the Quran by splitting the verses and taking them out
of context. He italicizes (parts of) the Quranic verses and does not reference
them anywhere in the book. This is done on page 105, 112, 115 and 116 among
other pages.
He also uses polemics to describe Islam, for example "Islam at it's core
does not believe in the study of science". Those unfamiliar with Islam may
attribute Aslam's characters'psyche to a faith which is already being
stereotyped around the world.
He, being a fictional writer may have the liberty to write whatever he wants.
My only contention with him is that he should do so responsibly, especially
when quoting a Holy Book. He should have given footnotes with the entire verse,
wherever the Quran was quoted. Another suggestion is that he could have written
in his prologue a line or two saying he has misquoted from the Quran to fit the
mindset of the jhadi terrorist. This way he would have separated his
character's mindset from the doctrine itself. Afterall, Aslam's book is based
in reality, he claims to have done extensive research on Afghanistan. He quotes
from a real book and he should properly reference it, EVEN IF it is fiction.
The
author makes an instrumental use of the Koran and of Afghani history to convey
a melodramatic, outdated, and pointless sense of tragedy. The author somehow
feels entitled to talk about everything in every way he likes filling the pages
with repetitive images and banal stream of consciousness of the characters who
never really come to life in the book. The author perpetuates the contemporary
wrong ideology of the conflict of cultures which is an invention of the
imperialist and zionist countries that constantly profit from the poor
imagination and lack of insight of common readers always ready to shade a tear
and call for the masterpiece as soon as the read of a rape, a dead child, or
war crimes. People who enjoy this kind of books are responsible for the
obscurantism surrounding Islam and the false ideology of a clash of culture.
Also, I could not figure out where the admired lyricism of this book is to be
found. Images are obvious, no figures of speech at all, unnecessary
repetitions. Again: whoever sees poetry in this book has a scarce knowledge of
literature.
Nadeem Aslam has woven exquisite
beauty out of great tragedy. It is easy to fall into despair when dealing with
the last 30 years of Afghanistan's history, yet Aslam not only navigates away
from despair, he imbues this tragedy with both delicate beauty - both human and
natural. This book is more complex than "A Thousand Splendid Suns,"
and should be read by anyone who loved that book and wants to move
further...This is a remarkable novel to savor and linger over...
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.
It is a rare book that can bring so
many amazing attributes to the telling of a life changing story. Aslam accomplishes
much in this heartbreaking yet beautiful tale. Numerous books have been
published over the last few years that have focused on the Middle East, the
Taliban, Muslim Fundamentalists, and the general mistreatment of women and
children in that part of the world. I honestly thought nothing new could be
said, but Aslam has done a magnificent job of shining a new light on the mayhem
and injustice. Taking place in today's Afghanistan, the story includes a
diverse band of characters. An English ex-pat, his Afghani wife and daughter,
and the stories from their village lend their voices to the tale. An American
ex spy, the sister of a dead Soviet from the 80's, an American Special Forces
agent, and a young jihadi infuse their backgrounds into the tapestry..each life
is significant in creating the final image. The narrative is infused with the
details and events of complex and often tragic lives. In his picture on the
back cover of the book, Aslam looks to be under 30. His perception and
understanding of the human spirit and ability to tell this story without
prejudice has completely amazed me. He is too young to have accomplished this
wise endeavor! All the characters pulled me into the story, but I was
especially interested in the young terrorist. Casa's educational process was
"devoid of literature, history and politics" and certainly helped to
create this pitiless killer of innocents. He had been separated from his
parents at a young age and had no contact with women. How can a soul develop
when deprived of all the beauty and complexity that is life? The Special Forces
character also revealed prejudices born of these terrible times. Specifically,
his inability to see torture as an evil onto itself provided an insightful look
at the viewpoint these men have as they try to protect and defend our freedoms.
The cultures continue to clash with out much discussion or understanding of
each other. This novel in all its melancholy softly protests the outcomes of
war. It silently screams at the injustices that have become so prevalent
through the actions of extremists and it lends a voice that quietly pleads for
the splendor of different lands, traditions, and people to rise up and erase
the evil that so often seems to triumph. It is after all our stories that show
the truth and beauty that we were all created to celebrate.
The Wasted Vigil by Nadeem Aslam is
as impressive as books like A Fine Balance and A Thousand Splendid Suns. It
takes place in contemporary Afghanistan and links together the stories of five
very different characters, all of which I loved for their own flaws and beauty.
This is an intense and sad story of people being controlled by their
circumstances. It's one of the best that I've read.
Book Summary
The author of Maps for Lost
Lovers gives us a new novel—at once lyrical and blistering—about war in our
time, told through the lives of five people who come together in post-9/11
Afghanistan.
Marcus, an English doctor whose progressive, outspoken Afghani wife was
murdered by the Taliban, opens his home—itself an eerily beautiful monument to
his losses—to the others: Lara, from St. Petersburg, looking for evidence of
her soldier brother who disappeared decades before during the Soviet invasion;
David, an American, a former spy who has seen his ideals turned inside out
during his twenty-five years in Afghanistan; Casa, a young Afghani whose hatred
of the West plunges him into the depths of zealotry; and James, the Special
Forces soldier in whom David sees a dangerous revival of the unquestioning
notions of right and wrong that he himself once held.
In mesmerizing prose, Nadeem Aslam reveals the complex ties—of love and
desperation, pain and salvation, madness and clarity—that bind the characters.
And through their stories he creates a timely and achingly intimate portrait of
the “continuation of wars” that shapes our world.
In its radiant language, its depth of feeling, and its unflinching drama, The
Wasted Vigil is a luminous work of fiction.
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Marrying breathtakingly beautiful imagery with the ugly
brutality of violence, Aslam navigates the troubled history of Afghanistan over
the past two decades.
Reader
Reviews
Maggie
Heart-breaking Insight into Afghanistan
This is probably one of the most profound books I have ever read. It breathes
life into the endless news coverage of Afghanistan over the past decade. The
horror and degradation suffered on all sides, the seeming hopelessness of
finding a way back.... Read More
Kim
Five stars plus!
The Wasted Vigil is without doubt one of the best-written books I’ve read this
year. The writing is positively stunning, the imagery so rich the reader has to
pause to simply enjoy the picture the author has painted. This book is one to
be savored.... Read More
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Beyond the Book
Afghanistan
1979 - 1994
At the beginning of the novel, Lara,
a character reminiscent, in her painful past and gracefulness, of Lara in Dr.
Zhivago, arrives on Marcus's doorstep to uncover the fate of her brother
Benedikt, who came to Afghanistan with the 1979 Soviet invasion...
The Soviets invaded Afghanistan at the request of the largely unpopular,
pro-Soviet Afghan government, who sought military assistance against the
Mujahideen* (various Afghan opposition groups who eventually formed one aligned
political bloc). The Mujahideen were partially funded by the CIA during the
Carter and Reagan administrations, and by a number of other countries. In 1979,
the Soviet Union ...
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Readalikes
Readalikes
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Published Feb 2013
At once an incredible chronicle of
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faith, and the salvation to be found in love.
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Published Feb 2013
Unfolding against the deeply
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- Nadeem Aslam has been widely praised for his richly
poetic prose style. What passages in the book seem especially beautifully
written? What makes these passages so powerful?
- Early in the novel, readers learn that Marcus has lost
his hand. Why does Aslam withhold the story of precisely how he
lost that hand until much later in the book?
- When David confronts James about torturing Casa,
telling him that it's illegal, James replies: “Illegal? This is war,
David. You've been looking into the wrong law books. These are battlefield
decisions” [p. 305]. How else does James justify torture? Why is David so
fiercely opposed to it? How do their arguments relate to the current
controversy about the United States' use of torture in the “war on
terror”?
- James says of Casa and fundamentalists like him: “They
are children of the devil. They have no choice but to spread destruction
in the world.” David counters: “He is the child of a human, which means he
has a choice and he can change” [p. 306]. Discuss these differing points
of view.
- How does The Wasted Vigil deepen our
understanding of both the Soviet and American conflicts in Afghanistan?
What does the novel suggest about the motives and methods of American and
Soviet involvement in the region?
- How is the Taliban depicted in the novel? Why are they
so violently repressive of women and so fiercely opposed to education?
- What aspects of his personal and family history draw
Casa to become a jihadi? How does Aslam manage to make him a sympathetic a
character?
- What does The Wasted Vigil say about how war
damages human relationships—between parents and children, wives and
husbands, lovers and friends?
- What does Marcus mean when he thinks of himself: “He is
alive but has been buried in many graves”? [p. 317].
- Why is the overturned giant stone head of the Buddha
that rests in what was once Marcus's perfume factory given such a
prominent place in the novel? What is the symbolic value of this statute?
- The narrator writes: “This is among the few things that
can be said about love with any confidence. It is small enough to be
contained within the heart but, pulled thin, it would drape the entire
world” [p. 307]. In what ways is The Wasted Vigil as much about
love as it is about violence, hatred, and war?
- What is it that brings Lara, David, Marcus, Casa, and
James to Marcus's house? In what ways is the house itself symbolic?
- What are some of the most tense and shocking moments in
the book? Why does Aslam include such graphic depictions of violence in
the novel? What effects do these depictions have on the reader?
- Near the end of the novel, Marcus reflects: “Both sides
in Homer's war, when they arrive to collect their dead from the
battlefield, weep freely in complete sight of each other. Sick at heart.
This is what Marcus wants, the tears of one side fully visible to the
other” [p. 314]. Why does Marcus want this? What good might come of each
side witnessing the grief of the other?
·
In
the opening chapter of The Wasted Vigil, we meet Marcus, an Englishman gone
native in Afghanistan. His left hand is missing: "It would be no surprise
if trees and vines of Afghanistan suspended their growth one day, fearful that
if their roots were to lengthen they might come into contact with a landmine
buried nearby." Later we find out, in an unflinching scene, that Marcus
didn't lose his hand to a mine but to something far more cruel.
·
But
the stunning opening sets up what is to follow: in this sprawling epic of a
novel, Nadeem Aslam's poetic narrative takes in the explosive realities of
Afghanistan. He navigates this minefield with sharp reflexes and a rare poise.
The book is beautiful and brutal; butterflies, moths, flowers, gems, paintings,
poetry and stone Buddhas keep erupting in the middle of this desolate
landscape.
·
The
Wasted Vigil spans 30 years of what the media used to call the "Afghan
conflict", which has now transformed into the front line of the West's war
on terror. Occasionally it harks back to missing GIs in Vietnam, the early days
of Soviet space programme and, more ambitiously, the spread of Buddhism in
Afghanistan. But the core is made up of intersecting lives destroyed by the
ongoing Afghan war: a "companionship of the wound", as Aslam puts it.
·
Russians,
Americans and Afghans come together in a series of immaculately researched and
brilliantly rendered set-pieces. But it would be wrong to read the novel as a
primer on the history of this forsaken land; it's more of a poetic mediation on
the destructive urges that bind us together, and a literary quest to find
humanity in the most unlikely of places.
·
In
a disused perfume factory, a Russian woman, Lara, arrives to look for her
brother, who deserted the Soviet Army. David, a former CIA operative and
veteran of America's covert war, has his own demons to fight. And Marcus, the
sage-like former perfume maker and lover of all things fine, mourns his Afghan
wife, a victim of the Taliban's war on women. He also searches for a grandson
who may or may not be alive.
·
Just
when the reader begins to wonder why are there so few Afghans in a novel about
Afghanistan, in walks Casa – a young Talib seeking refuge from his warlord
after a botched mission. The West's warped ideas about freedom and Casa's own
warped ideas about deliverance collide. The Wasted Vigil doesn't shy from
telling these stories from the other's perspective. Afghan tribals are not the
rugged and independent fighters of colonial narratives. They kill their own
with the same brutality with which they hunt invaders. The US operators dream
of the suburbs and debate the government's foreign policy but have no qualms
about taking a blowtorch to an Afghan boy's eye: he may or may not be the
enemy.
·
Aslam
skilfully weaves in key moments from a tortured history. We are there when the
communist President Najibullah's body is strung from a traffic light; we travel
with the Taliban as they prepare to invade Kabul; we are given ringside seats
at a hand amputation, a stoning and book burnings. A game of Buzkushi with a
Soviet soldier used as a goat will remain seared in this reader's memory. But
the novel is is also full of tender moments in unlikely places; a fated love
blooms between Casa and Dunia, a confident Afghan girl on the run from
warlords, as they pass each other a prayer mat. Casa may crave martyrdom, but
what he really craves is a childhood and family he never had.
·
There
are episodes in the book so intense, so gruesome, that you have to close it and
breathe before you can start again. Similarly, there are poetic images so
stunning that you pause and read again to savour the sheer beauty of the
language. This will be read as a novel about Afghanistan, but it should be read
as a book about love. Nadeem Aslam has said that his father advised him to
"always write about love". In this third novel he has shown absolute
commitment to that advice. He would make any father proud.
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