This book tells about the struggles of a bookseller's family living in Afghanistan, a country torn apart by several wars and oppressive regimes. The focus moves from the uphill battle of the bookseller to save Afghan culture to the incredibly brutal treatment of women and the conflicts arising from the patriarchial family structure. The appalling injustice and tragedy left me horrified more than once. Seierstad's attentive description of small details shines from every page and helps the reader to imagine what life was like in Afghanistan.

However, several passages made me wondering whether everyone involved was aware of what had been written about them in the book. Seierstad states the family she lived with knew that she was there to write a book, and that she was told if something she heard about shouldn't appear in it. Nonetheless, a little bit of online research revealed an intricate aftermath following the book's publiciation and translation into the local language.

In conclusion, the book is a compelling read; still, it made me feel uneasy about the consequences for everyone involved.