Super Short Summary

In The Wasted Vigil, Nadeem Aslam weaves a tale of Afghanistan's tumultuous history over thirty years through the lives of people who converge at an English expatriate’s home near the Tora Bora caves, exposing the interplay of love, trauma, and survival amid ongoing conflict. The narrative explores themes of cultural heritage, family bonds, and humanity prevailing over factional hate. This book contains scenes depicting violence, war trauma, and sexual assault.