Charity and cruelty survive in the rubble of Afghanistan’s wars

The Wasted Vigil. By Nadeem Aslam, Faber, €14

The Wasted Vigil. By Nadeem Aslam, Faber, €14

About 40 pages into The Wasted Vigil, an American character, who has been a frequent visitor to Afghanistan throughout his life, watches a camel walk along a Jalalabad street with the burned-out shell of a car fastened upside down to its back.

In a novel layered with magnificent imagery and recurring symbols, this contained, almost incidental snapshot encapsulates some of the central themes.

The Wasted ...