The Wasted Vigil

Nadeem Aslam

The differences between ethnicities seem to be becoming more evident as we move closer towards total globalisation - which seems illogical; but truth. In a media-driven world, the West’s ‘War on Terror’ is something that plagues our lives.

Nadeem Aslam’s novel ‘The Wasted Vigil’ spans 30 years: set in Afghanistan, the story progresses from ‘The Afghan Conflict,’ through to ‘The War on Terrorism’, and includes flashes from Vietnam and the Soviet Union. Aslam also makes the suggestion of an Islamic-Western war being in Afghanistan since the early 18^th century.

The story revolves around Lara, a Russian girl from St Petersburg, in Afghanistan looking for her brother – who deserted the Soviet Army and has been missing for 25 years. Taking refuge with a British doctor near the infamous White Mountains Lara finds herself in a town called Usha among an intriguing mix of people: the sage-like Doctor, an American gem-dealer and an Afghani boy.

American, British and Russian – immaculately researched and created characters paint a vivid picture of the recent players in the creation of Afghanistan’s current situation. Lyrically written, Aslam conveys unflinching images of the country without being too obvious. Interestingly, all of the non-Afghani characters are mercilessly wedded to the country by loss. Poignantly housed in damaged dwellings, paralleling the country (destruction caused by the Taliban), the people living inside represent the ideology of Afghani people.

The sorrow in The Wasted Vigil is at times unbearable. The intensity of emotion that is described by the author is harrowing even to the most stoned-faced kind of person. From the subtlety of the township’s translation (Usha means ‘teardrop’), the description of single shoes being sold, to the brutal revelation of how Lara’s brother died, one often needs to shut the book and take a deep breath. The implication of human strength is not only amazing but inspirational. ‘Only the dead have seen the end of war.’

Nadeem Aslam is from Pakistan, and takes no sides. It has been said that his father told him to ‘only write love stories’; this advice has been followed with an amazing book that truly captures life.

Vinny Heera