First published 2016
Aziz and his older brother Ali live in a mountain village in eastern Afghanistan until armed men destroy their world. The brothers flee to a nearby city and slowly rebuild their lives. When US forces arrive and militants retaliate, a market bomb severely injures Ali. Aziz joins the Special Lashkar, a militia funded by American forces, to pay for his brother's medical care. As he advances within the organization, Aziz witnesses the war's brutal complexities. He sees Afghan groups attack each other in "green on green" violence and watches Afghan soldiers turn their weapons on US troops in "green on blue" strikes. Caught between loyalty to his brother and revulsion at the carnage around him, Aziz must choose his path. He can accept the war's savagery or abandon his position, knowing that decision could endanger both Ali and the woman he loves.
Genres: fiction, war, military-fiction, contemporary, action
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: enemies-to-lovers, found-family
Setting: Afghanistan, United States
Period: Contemporary
272 pages · Paperback · Scribner
Content warnings: violence, war