The Swallows of Kabul

The Swallows of Kabul, by Yasmina Khadra
 
Readers who have an interest in Afghanistan as well as life in a repressive religious-based society will find The Swallows of Kabul a totally engaging book. Yasmina Khadra writes extremely well as he describes life in Taliban-controlled Kabul. Two married couples - Moshen and Zunaira and Atiq and Musarrat - are the main characters. Moshen happens to witness the stoning death of a woman convicted of prostitution and the aftermath of that event is the catalyst for Khadra's story. The desperation, bleakness, and rigorously-controlled life under the Taliban for these four are all vividly created for the reader to absorb. While a sad story at times, The Swallows of Kabul succeeds very well in holding the reader's attention to this compelling story. A twist at the end adds greatly to the power of the story. It is interesting to note that Yasmina Khadra is the nom de plume for Mohamed Moulessehoul, who was an officer in the Algerian army. He now lives and writes in southern France. The Swallows of Kabul is recommended for its skillful writing and interesting story and particularly for those who enjoyed reading The Kite Runner and Bookseller of Kabul. All three of these books are available at Greenwich Library.
-Roy