An amazingly well told story about two women in Afghanistan, beginning before the Soviet invasion and ending during the American invasion, it's a tale that sheds light on the personal aspect of war, what it does to families, to people, and to relationships, the impossible positions it puts people in, the shattering of hope... It's a heart wrenching story. It's also well done, and as far as I can tell, very accurate in terms of the real situation in the country. If you want to get a deeper understanding of Afghanistan (particularly Kabuli Afghans) and its people, this book can help reveal another side of the country than what you'll find by just reading news reports, looking at statistics and charts, or from watching people discuss the politics of the place.