Jasmine Aimaq

An Afghan-born American diplomat Daniel Sajedi is posted to Kabul in the 1970’s to head a U.S. foreign aid agency whose agenda is to eradicate poppy fields. He accidentally kills a young Kochi nomad girl (Telaya), who runs in front of his car. In trying to make reparations, he meets a powerful opium khan, Taj Maleki, who uses Daniel’s guilt to blackmail him. Strong beginning, that goes sideways for most of the remainder of the book, with an excellent reveal at the end. It was hard to care about the characters, but the political chaos of the time period is faithfully recounted. I found that the chapters in italics about Boy also interrupted the slow developing story. At times though, Aimaq's descriptive writing was captivating, and Daniel's final mission really captures America's primary directive in Afghanistan.… (plus d'informations)

This may have been published as a crime novel, but it is so much more. Jasmine Aimaq’s debut novel is mystery and historical fiction about international relations. When Afghan-born American diplomat is posted to Kabul in 1970 to head the poppy eradication program, he finds himself enmeshed in a nightmare after killing a young girl when she ran in front of his car. When trying to make reparations for her death, he meets an opium kingpin, Taj Makeki who uses Daniel’s guilt to blackmail him. Tensions between the communists and the Islamic fundamentalists grow and their lives are thrown into danger. Its also a glimpse into the complicated Afghan political and cultural situation. And one thing the reader learns is that there really are no good guys in white hats. People often wear both hats. I was surprised at the humor in the book, its not a humorous subject portrayed in this page turner.… (plus d'informations)

A man hired by the US to encourage growing things other than opium poppies passes by a field where workers are tending poppies; he hits and kills a young girl in Afghanistan shortly before the Russian invasion. The novel deals with the aftermath: his sense of guilt, the girl who haunts him, and his capitulation to the opium dealer who blackmails him. It's an odd book in that the main character and his milieu isn't very sympathetic, while the horrible blackmailer has a more engaging story. The setting was interesting but I ended up skimming through some of the middle section.… (plus d'informations)