Kyle S. reviews The Watch by Joydeep Roy-Bhattacharya

Set on a United States Army Combat Outpost in the Kandahar Province of Afghanistan, The Watch is an incredible story told from multiple perspectives.

An Afghani woman who has lost not only her legs, but, her entire family save one brother, to an American drone strike, wheels herself on a cart down out of the mountains to the outpost to claim the body of her brother. He has been killed during an assault on the outpost and it is her intention to bury him in the tradition of her religion.

The various voices in which this story is told are what make it such a wonderful read. Being a retired Army Sergeant First Class myself, I can relate with the perspectives of the Army characters portrayed in this novel. I was initially skeptical about reading this, I was afraid it was going to be an American-bashing, anti-war rant. I was pleasantly surprised to find that is was not either of these. It was a portrayal of the type of heroes that have answered the call to serve our country. It shows that not only are these young men and women prepared to lay down their lives for something bigger than themselves, but also show that there is a humanitarian aspect of the war in which they find themselves.

I suggest that no matter what your stance on our involvement in Afghanistan, no matter your politics, no matter what genre you enjoy reading, do yourself the favor of taking the time to read The Watch. You will not be disappointed.