Andrea Busfield

I loved this novel. The cover and title caught my attention, and I have been interested in novels set in the middle east for a while now. I am immensely glad I picked this up at the bookstore. Fawad is all you could ever hope for in a narrator. He is a very funny character, intelligent and observant. He is kind and interested in the people around him. And I fell in love with him in the first six pages.

Fawad's mother tells him he was born under a million shadows (the Taliban). His father and show more brother were killed in a raid, his sister was abducted (that same night) and he and his mother were forced to live with his aunt - not a particularly pleasant woman. They are poor and Fawad and his friends run around begging, stealing and working odd jobs after school. His mother finds work doing the cooking, cleaning etc. for three foreigners and she and Fawad head off to live with them. Fawad loves spying on them and the three of them befriend Fawad and his mother and welcome them almost as family.

Georgie, is a british woman in love with and afghani man. Fawad develops a great friendship (and bit of a crush) with her.


May, is an american lesbian who Fawad is afraid will never find a husband and will go to hell. (His conversations with her are very entertaining)


and finally, James, an american journalist who can barley speak any Dari whatsoever. He is a bit of a womanizer and a drunk and every interaction with him and Fawad is hilarious.


The novel spans about a year and I enjoyed every minute of it. The author is fantastic, she really draws you in, knows how to set the pacing, uses descriptive and beautiful imagery, and creates full, complex and interesting characters that the reader comes to love. I feel like I should mention, while this novel takes place in a country during a war, and war is apart of it, the story isn't really about war. Its about these characters and Afghanistan kind of sometimes feels like a character in itself. It sounds beautiful. I have a feeling I will end up reading my copy over and over. Its really a great story about a fantastic young boy. show less

Fawad is a charming boy. Smart, good-humored, brave and strong, you find yourself praying that life goes well for him. I mean, things are stacked against him, and you really want him to find a way to have everything he dreams of.

This book portrays the complex and dark beauty of Afghanistan's face, as well as its dark underbelly. At times you find yourself in awe at the kindness of the people, the love they have for their country, their humor and passion. At other times you cringe at the show more cruelty, the blatant disregard for humanity, the ugly complexity of their hierarchical and tribal society and its tenuous relationship with surrounding countries, primarily Pakistan.

This is a country that has spent much of its existence "occupied", under the rule of some governing power that is unwanted. There is such a dichotomy in the rich tapestry of Afghanistan. I just can't get over the complexity found in its simplicity. Or is it simplicity in its complexity? My mind is shaky with exhaustion in trying to wrap itself around it.

This story has a wealth of wonderful characters, from housemates Georgie, James and May, streetmates Spandi and Jamilla, the dark and tormented beauty of Haji Khan (who himself could represent for me the country of Afghanistan), the hope of Shir Ahmad, the quirky and endearing character of Pir Hederi, and even Pir the Madman.

In the end, I'm left with hope. Hope for Fawad and the realization of his dreams, hope for Jamilla and her happiness and freedom from the tyranny of men, hope for impossible romance, hope for compassion amidst such cruelty and beauty amid such horror-- hope for Afghanistan.

Andrea Busfield-- I think I'm in love with you... show less

Just finished reading a gem of a book called Born Under a Million Shadows by Andrea Busfield. Set in Afghanistan in recent years, it's narrated by an 11-year old boy, Fawad, telling the story of his family's near destruction by the Taliban and his new life in which he and his mother live in a compound with 3 foreigners for whom his mother cooks, cleans and launders (because apparently, among the many things that foreigners don't know how to do for themselves, is the laundry).

The entire show more story is told with such wit and charm that I found myself laughing out loud in places -- while gasping in horror and briefly setting the book aside in others. Busfield's writing is clear and utterly engaging whether describing the poverty and often brutal conditions of life in Afghanistan or the open-hearted, generous spirit of it's people.

BTW, I selected this for my real-life book group based on an author interview I'd read. Everyone in the group loved the book! show less

In all honesty, I was a little leery of this novel at first. It's a novel about Afghanistan written by a British journalist, and I was doubtful how authentic a picture of a country could be painted by someone who isn't a native. But Andrea Busfield's debut is a refreshing surprise. In an interview she indicated that she aimed to capture the indomitable spirit of the Afghan people, and she succeeded.

The protagonist is Fawad, an 11-year-old who lives with his mother in post-Taliban show more Afghanistan. They are a family haunted by tragedy and loss, as are many Afghan families. Their fortunes appear to turn when Fawad's mother accepts a position as housekeeper for three foreigners. One of them, Georgie, speaks fluent Dari and is in a serious relationship with Haji Khan, who had fought the Taliban himself. Through the relationships between Georgie and Fawad, and Georgie and Haji Khan, the novel looks at the complex connections between Afghans and Westerners. It also explores the stark juxtaposition of Afghanistan's overwhelming beauty and anguished history.

At times I was afraid the novel was trying to be too "feel good," but the author injects doses of the realities of Afghan life that are simply heartbreaking. Yet, the resilience and strength of the Afghan people shines through. The voice of Fawad as the narrator is refreshing and reminiscent of characters such as Tom Sawyer and Huck Finn. He is a typical 11 year old boy-- but he has lost most of his family and lives in a world in which people can die before his eyes without warning. How he keeps his spirit intact is one of the most compelling themes in this novel. Both heartwarming and heartbreaking, this is an excellent debut. show less