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Nothing Good Happens in Wazirabad on Wednesday
In this novel about peace in a time of war, debut author Jamaluddin Aram masterfully breathes life into the colourful characters of the town of Wazirabad, in early 1990s Kabul, Afghanistan.
It is the early 1990s, in Kabul, Afghanistan. The Russian occupation has ended, and civil war has broken out, but life roars on in full force in the working-class town of Wazirabad.
A rash of burglaries has stolen people’s sleep. Fifteen-year-old Aziz awakens from a dark dream that prompts him to plant shards of glass along the wall surrounding his house to protect his family against theft. Aziz’s sister, Seema, decorates kites with her calligraphy and sells fresh scorpions to spare her mother from servicing the local soldiers. Along the main street, three militiamen wait for the fighting to resume, while the Baker, the Watchmaker, the Tailor, and the Vegetable Seller make their modest living and the Bonesetter reads poetry to his cat. And every day at noon, a flaming red rooster walks three blocks to visit his favourite hens.
But tensions rise among the town’s people. The burglaries have put everyone on edge. The militiamen are on the hunt for the thief who stole their dog—and their ammunition. And a widow, who is the target of men’s lust and women’s scorn, soon finds herself on the periphery of a terrible violence. While the armed conflict rages on in the background, rumours swirl with a feverish frenzy, culminating in the collective chorus of the town’s living, breathing dreams.
In this brilliantly kaleidoscopic, darkly funny, and wholly captivating novel about peace in a time of war, Jamaluddin Aram breathes life into the families and friends, lovers and loners, neighbours and sworn enemies who wander the winding alleys of Wazirabad.
It is the early 1990s, in Kabul, Afghanistan. The Russian occupation has ended, and civil war has broken out, but life roars on in full force in the working-class town of Wazirabad.
A rash of burglaries has stolen people’s sleep. Fifteen-year-old Aziz awakens from a dark dream that prompts him to plant shards of glass along the wall surrounding his house to protect his family against theft. Aziz’s sister, Seema, decorates kites with her calligraphy and sells fresh scorpions to spare her mother from servicing the local soldiers. Along the main street, three militiamen wait for the fighting to resume, while the Baker, the Watchmaker, the Tailor, and the Vegetable Seller make their modest living and the Bonesetter reads poetry to his cat. And every day at noon, a flaming red rooster walks three blocks to visit his favourite hens.
But tensions rise among the town’s people. The burglaries have put everyone on edge. The militiamen are on the hunt for the thief who stole their dog—and their ammunition. And a widow, who is the target of men’s lust and women’s scorn, soon finds herself on the periphery of a terrible violence. While the armed conflict rages on in the background, rumours swirl with a feverish frenzy, culminating in the collective chorus of the town’s living, breathing dreams.
In this brilliantly kaleidoscopic, darkly funny, and wholly captivating novel about peace in a time of war, Jamaluddin Aram breathes life into the families and friends, lovers and loners, neighbours and sworn enemies who wander the winding alleys of Wazirabad.
288 pages, Paperback
Published June 6, 2023
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730 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews
March 6, 2024
"Nothing Good Happens in Wazirabad on Wednesday" by Jamaluddin Aram intrigued me from the start, promising an immersive experience. However, I found myself struggling to connect with the story and fully grasp its intricacies. Despite my efforts, I felt distracted and found myself turning pages without fully absorbing the content—a case of the wrong book at the wrong time.
I received a copy from the publisher through NetGalley
I received a copy from the publisher through NetGalley
June 3, 2024
Very refreshing to read a novel by an author who is so intimately familiar with the experiences of his characters and the space they occupy.
How often do you get to read a novel set in an Afghan city written by someone from that city? Not often. Being an Afghan myself, I felt so blessed to see so much familiarity come to live in the form of this literary work - i devoured subtle cultural references, enjoyed the phrases in the local language, and was in awe of a story so well written, so rich, and so authentic.
The beautiful characters of Husnia and Sikander and their forbidden romance, and Seema’s swagger and commitment to learning will stay with me for a long time.
P.S. This is a collection of short and powerful stories, that are interconnected. Characters live in the same neighborhood and know each other. Sometimes one story offers a much anticipated update on another story or character.
How often do you get to read a novel set in an Afghan city written by someone from that city? Not often. Being an Afghan myself, I felt so blessed to see so much familiarity come to live in the form of this literary work - i devoured subtle cultural references, enjoyed the phrases in the local language, and was in awe of a story so well written, so rich, and so authentic.
The beautiful characters of Husnia and Sikander and their forbidden romance, and Seema’s swagger and commitment to learning will stay with me for a long time.
P.S. This is a collection of short and powerful stories, that are interconnected. Characters live in the same neighborhood and know each other. Sometimes one story offers a much anticipated update on another story or character.
August 19, 2023
An amazing debut novel! Beautiful, lyrical writing style. It was like poetry.
I enjoy reading books written by those who have lived in the area and time period where the book is taking place. Jamaluddin Aram has these qualifications. I hope to see more work from him.
The is not chronological. It reads very much as a book of short stories following the same timeline and events taking place in Wazirabad, a suburb of Kabul, Afghanistan in the early 1990s. The war with Russia was over and the Civil War was just beginning. Each character must find a way to survive under very harsh conditions. All are linked as a whole and sometimes a similar story is retold by another character, giving a different perspective and more depth on the same event. We see both the town as a whole and also small vignettes of everyday life for each person in the town.
A beautiful read full of the sadness and mundaneness of civil war.
I enjoy reading books written by those who have lived in the area and time period where the book is taking place. Jamaluddin Aram has these qualifications. I hope to see more work from him.
The is not chronological. It reads very much as a book of short stories following the same timeline and events taking place in Wazirabad, a suburb of Kabul, Afghanistan in the early 1990s. The war with Russia was over and the Civil War was just beginning. Each character must find a way to survive under very harsh conditions. All are linked as a whole and sometimes a similar story is retold by another character, giving a different perspective and more depth on the same event. We see both the town as a whole and also small vignettes of everyday life for each person in the town.
A beautiful read full of the sadness and mundaneness of civil war.
April 14, 2024
Rep: Afghan cast & setting
November 23, 2023
One mouse ate the sliced grapes in our attic. The second mouse only ate part of a grape, later it left the attic in a plastic bag. The garbage-truck-driver kicked the bin back to the curb. It wasn’t completely empty but he had other bins to tip. The bin rolled down the street, with a slap slap slap as the plastic bad dropped from the top to bottom.
Some stories start in the middle and don’t have a definite end. Most stories were connected to previous and the future stories if in setting only.
The war, the city, the culture were not things I was familiar with. You could read this book and enjoy it like I did.
Some stories start in the middle and don’t have a definite end. Most stories were connected to previous and the future stories if in setting only.
The war, the city, the culture were not things I was familiar with. You could read this book and enjoy it like I did.
April 9, 2024
Despite the extremely long title of this book, it’s actually a quick read. Nothing Good Happens in Wazirabad on Wednesday by Jamaluddin Aram is a novel that encompasses a variety of genres; humour, literary fiction, even magical realism. It doesn’t get its own chapter, but the rooster on the cover is a pivotal character too. Unfortunately we never hear his perspective directly, but he makes appearances within every other character’s section, somehow gaining respect from every single person, no matter their circumstance. This magnificent rooster is just one of the quirks of this very odd little novel.
Plot Summary
Wazirabad Afghanistan is a town like many others surrounding it. It’s the early 1990s, and a civil war has broken out around it, but none of the fighting happens on the page, it’s all ‘in the distance’, so instead this book focuses on what happens in between the fighting. First we meet Aziz and his sister Seema, whose mother is the local washerwoman, but it’s hinted that she does more with the soldiers than wash their clothes in order to keep her children fed. Next is the Mason, who buys live scorpions to smash up and smoke, as the high is better that way. Husnia is a young woman who married an older man, and desperate to get pregnant, she falls in love with a younger man (boy really) who has inherited the vegetable stand from his deceased grandfather. This boy, Sikandar, is faced with an even bigger burden when his father’s temper finally goes too far, killing a family member that Sikandar has to help bury. This is only a handful of the entire cast of characters we meet throughout the book. Much like a short story collection, we spend a limited amount of time with each, learning more about their life, while at the same time hearing about the developments of other characters, so the story is continuously moving forward for everyone, even those we never hear from directly. In Wazirabad, everyone knows everyone, and secrets are difficult to keep.
My Thoughts
Even though I picked up this book to learn about its setting (which from what I can tell, is a fictitious place, although there is a Wazirabad in Pakistan, but I don’t think that’s the town this book is referring to – let me know if I’m wrong in the comments!), I quickly realized this book is more about its inhabitants, and this story could take place in any number of towns caught up in civil war at that time. And even though I liked getting to know multiple characters, I found that I would have preferred to be anchored down into the narrative by one single person. As certain situations unfolded in the village I kept wondering to myself how certain characters were reacting to the drama, and I realized how much I missed hearing from previous people. Some characters like the militiamen we only meet briefly, and its when they are hurting another person, so we aren’t meant to ‘connect’ with them the way we are with other positive people we spend more time with, but I resented being pulled away from those more interesting storylines. The women in particular lead a richer life in these stories; they are generally ignored by the men, but their inner lives are full of desire and hope, so I would have preferred their narratives dominated the book. While the men seemed mostly concerned with talking about what they and others should have been doing, the women were actually doing.
Dreams play a critical role in the lives of Wazirabad’s citizens, and they often speak about them out loud to others, analyze them, and use them to predict what’s going to happen next. Husnia takes a new lover based on her dream, and another young woman dreams of snow piling up around the town, which is quite unusual for that area, but it comes true, and Wazirabad is hit with a snowstorm that lasts for days, burying it for an extended amount of time. People go to The Bonesetter to talk about their dreams and he helps pick them apart and make sense of them. This reverence and respect is also offered to the aforementioned rooster, as he too is a symbol of life’s bizarre machinations; no one understands why these things happen, but they rely on them,
The elements of humour come through in the individual quirks of each person, so although I didn’t necessarily want to get to know so many different people, I enjoyed learning about their odd little habits which only become more solidified as the town’s resources and distractions dwindle. For example Dr. Jamal is the town’s only doctor, but no one trusts him because he spends all his time talking to his cat, so everyone goes to the Bonesetter for medical assistance, even though he is using traditional medicines and knowledge that arguably, isn’t much help. Malem the Calligrapher is looked upon with suspicion because he apparently went insane by reading a specific book, but he’s the only adult to still show up at school. Like every small town, Wazirabad features a.cast of colorful characters that have learned to live with one another however I could have done without the wide net and would have preferred a tighter focus on just a few plot threads.
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Plot Summary
Wazirabad Afghanistan is a town like many others surrounding it. It’s the early 1990s, and a civil war has broken out around it, but none of the fighting happens on the page, it’s all ‘in the distance’, so instead this book focuses on what happens in between the fighting. First we meet Aziz and his sister Seema, whose mother is the local washerwoman, but it’s hinted that she does more with the soldiers than wash their clothes in order to keep her children fed. Next is the Mason, who buys live scorpions to smash up and smoke, as the high is better that way. Husnia is a young woman who married an older man, and desperate to get pregnant, she falls in love with a younger man (boy really) who has inherited the vegetable stand from his deceased grandfather. This boy, Sikandar, is faced with an even bigger burden when his father’s temper finally goes too far, killing a family member that Sikandar has to help bury. This is only a handful of the entire cast of characters we meet throughout the book. Much like a short story collection, we spend a limited amount of time with each, learning more about their life, while at the same time hearing about the developments of other characters, so the story is continuously moving forward for everyone, even those we never hear from directly. In Wazirabad, everyone knows everyone, and secrets are difficult to keep.
My Thoughts
Even though I picked up this book to learn about its setting (which from what I can tell, is a fictitious place, although there is a Wazirabad in Pakistan, but I don’t think that’s the town this book is referring to – let me know if I’m wrong in the comments!), I quickly realized this book is more about its inhabitants, and this story could take place in any number of towns caught up in civil war at that time. And even though I liked getting to know multiple characters, I found that I would have preferred to be anchored down into the narrative by one single person. As certain situations unfolded in the village I kept wondering to myself how certain characters were reacting to the drama, and I realized how much I missed hearing from previous people. Some characters like the militiamen we only meet briefly, and its when they are hurting another person, so we aren’t meant to ‘connect’ with them the way we are with other positive people we spend more time with, but I resented being pulled away from those more interesting storylines. The women in particular lead a richer life in these stories; they are generally ignored by the men, but their inner lives are full of desire and hope, so I would have preferred their narratives dominated the book. While the men seemed mostly concerned with talking about what they and others should have been doing, the women were actually doing.
Dreams play a critical role in the lives of Wazirabad’s citizens, and they often speak about them out loud to others, analyze them, and use them to predict what’s going to happen next. Husnia takes a new lover based on her dream, and another young woman dreams of snow piling up around the town, which is quite unusual for that area, but it comes true, and Wazirabad is hit with a snowstorm that lasts for days, burying it for an extended amount of time. People go to The Bonesetter to talk about their dreams and he helps pick them apart and make sense of them. This reverence and respect is also offered to the aforementioned rooster, as he too is a symbol of life’s bizarre machinations; no one understands why these things happen, but they rely on them,
The elements of humour come through in the individual quirks of each person, so although I didn’t necessarily want to get to know so many different people, I enjoyed learning about their odd little habits which only become more solidified as the town’s resources and distractions dwindle. For example Dr. Jamal is the town’s only doctor, but no one trusts him because he spends all his time talking to his cat, so everyone goes to the Bonesetter for medical assistance, even though he is using traditional medicines and knowledge that arguably, isn’t much help. Malem the Calligrapher is looked upon with suspicion because he apparently went insane by reading a specific book, but he’s the only adult to still show up at school. Like every small town, Wazirabad features a.cast of colorful characters that have learned to live with one another however I could have done without the wide net and would have preferred a tighter focus on just a few plot threads.
To read the rest of my reviews, please visit my blog:
https://ivereadthis.com/
Sign up for my newsletter here: https://ivereadthis.com/subscribe/
Or follow me on social media!
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Ivereadthis/
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May 23, 2023
This is a story or collection of scenes of working-class people trying, as usual, to carry on everyday lives within a background of war. The time is the early 1990s in a small town in Afghanistan. Russian forces have withdrawn, but civil war has broken out and is drawing closer. The people all know one another or are connected in some way. The author, Jamaliddin Aram, was a documentary filmmaker and writer from Kabul, Afghanistan, and now lives and writes in Canada. His writing is vividly descriptive. It is a tale of friendship, love, lust, yearnings, tragedy and death.
This dark, comic, sometimes alarming story gives glimpses of its citizens, their dreams, frustrations, hate, and worries. It is told in non-linear mode, going back and forth and describing events from various perspectives. People wander the streets and ally ways, always trying to avoid bullets whizzing through the town. Theft has become prevalent in homes and the mosque, and electric power is frequently cut off, causing fresh food to spoil, women failing to produce children, wells drying up, and rats invading homes and businesses. Rumours prevail that blame certain citizens for causing the deteriorating conditions.
For medical concerns, there is a woman who offers herbal cures, a medical doctor who is seldom consulted, and a bonesetter who reads poetry to his cats, prescribes medicines for illnesses, interprets dreams, and sometimes sets broken bones. Both he and the doctor warn patients about using herbal treatments. A washerwoman makes a living by washing soldiers' clothes but must also meet their sexual demands. Her teenage son is adding shards of broken glass to the top of a wall to deter burglars. The daughter earns money by decorating flags with her beautiful calligraphy. She catches scorpions to sell to a man who prefers to crush and smoke their bodies instead of his usual hashish. A pretty young widow is the target of men's longing. She owns a rooster that wanders through the street daily to visit a nearby henhouse. The egg supply is failing as the hens are eating their eggs. The hens later die from poison after scrounging in the garbage for food. Three militiamen stand guard in the main street, and their ammunition is missing, the casings being sold for scrap metal. Their guard dog has been stolen. Rumours suggest they are thieves and have murderous plans.
Various quirky and fascinating characters pop in and out of the story. It can be confusing when they are identified by name or their occupation. Near the end of the book, shocking violence erupts. It was unclear how much was reality, the result of dreams and visions, mass hysteria, or hallucinations brought about by smoking scorpions. War is drawing closer, and I suspect nothing good will happen on days other than Wednesdays in Wazirabad but that its citizens will prevail.
Thanks to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for introducing me to an interesting writer. The book is due to be published on June 6.
This dark, comic, sometimes alarming story gives glimpses of its citizens, their dreams, frustrations, hate, and worries. It is told in non-linear mode, going back and forth and describing events from various perspectives. People wander the streets and ally ways, always trying to avoid bullets whizzing through the town. Theft has become prevalent in homes and the mosque, and electric power is frequently cut off, causing fresh food to spoil, women failing to produce children, wells drying up, and rats invading homes and businesses. Rumours prevail that blame certain citizens for causing the deteriorating conditions.
For medical concerns, there is a woman who offers herbal cures, a medical doctor who is seldom consulted, and a bonesetter who reads poetry to his cats, prescribes medicines for illnesses, interprets dreams, and sometimes sets broken bones. Both he and the doctor warn patients about using herbal treatments. A washerwoman makes a living by washing soldiers' clothes but must also meet their sexual demands. Her teenage son is adding shards of broken glass to the top of a wall to deter burglars. The daughter earns money by decorating flags with her beautiful calligraphy. She catches scorpions to sell to a man who prefers to crush and smoke their bodies instead of his usual hashish. A pretty young widow is the target of men's longing. She owns a rooster that wanders through the street daily to visit a nearby henhouse. The egg supply is failing as the hens are eating their eggs. The hens later die from poison after scrounging in the garbage for food. Three militiamen stand guard in the main street, and their ammunition is missing, the casings being sold for scrap metal. Their guard dog has been stolen. Rumours suggest they are thieves and have murderous plans.
Various quirky and fascinating characters pop in and out of the story. It can be confusing when they are identified by name or their occupation. Near the end of the book, shocking violence erupts. It was unclear how much was reality, the result of dreams and visions, mass hysteria, or hallucinations brought about by smoking scorpions. War is drawing closer, and I suspect nothing good will happen on days other than Wednesdays in Wazirabad but that its citizens will prevail.
Thanks to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for introducing me to an interesting writer. The book is due to be published on June 6.
June 18, 2023
Welcome, or Welcome back! My name is Amanda and this is where I share spoiler-free book reviews and other bookish things. Not every book is my cup of tea - and that's ok. Even if I didn't like it, I attempt to find readers that would. Thanks for visiting. Let's get Smitten For Fiction.
Today I'm sharing my thoughts about a book written by Jamaluddin Aram who was born in Afghanistan and now lives in Toronto, Canada. I received a digital arc from Netgalley of this debut novel.
“This is a moving and original debut novel from a very talented writer. I loved its inventive structure, which guides the reader through the linked lives of the people of Wazirabad. Chapter by chapter we’re invited into their dreams, to experience the tenderness and troubles of their lives. The result is resonant and communal storytelling about people and a place that will stick with you for a long time.”
— ALIX OHLIN, award-winning author of We Want What We Want and Dual Citizens
About The Book 📚
Title: Nothing Good Happens in Wazirabad on Wednesday
Author: Jamaluddin Aram
Publication Date: June 6, 2023
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Genre: Literary Fiction
Pages: 287
PG-13 Some material may be inappropriate for children under 13. May include profanity, violence, sexual situations, or drug use.
About The Author
"Jamaluddin Aram is a documentary filmmaker, producer, and writer from Kabul, Afghanistan. His works have appeared in Numero Cinq, The Write Launch, and Cagibi literary magazine among others. Jamaluddin’s short story “This Hard Easy Life” was a finalist for RBC Bronwen Wallace Award for Emerging Writers in 2020. He was selected as a mentee by Michael Christie for the Writers’ Trust of Canada Mentorship program for his book Marchoba, now titled Nothing Good Happens in Wazirabad on Wednesday, his debut novel. He is the associate producer of the Academy Award–nominated film Buzkashi Boys. Jamaluddin has a bachelor’s degree in English and history from Union College in Schenectady, New York. He lives in Toronto. Connect with him on Facebook @Jamaluddin.Aram or on Instagram and Twitter @JamaluddinAram." https://www.simonandschuster.ca/books/Nothing-Good-Happens-in-Wazirabad-on-Wednesday/Jamaluddin-Aram/9781668009857
My Review
› The stories in this novel take place in the 1990s during the civil war in Kabul, Afghanistan after the Russian occupation.
› "In Wazirabad the walls had mice and the mice had ears and listened when people talked."
› Aziz has a strange dream that motivates him to build a wall made from clay and glass. He told his friends, Sikandar and Hossain, the grandsons of store owner Baba Gul Ahmad about the dream. Hossain works for the "Bucktoothed Tailor" and has a crush on "the Widow". He wears his best jacket every day in case he runs into her. Sikandar likes the "Water Seller's Wife".
› Aziz's father was killed in the war and Aziz has a leg injury from when one of the Militiamen let their dog loose which chased and attacked Aziz. His mother is a sex worker. Children bullied Aziz and his sister, Seema, about this which is why Aziz decided to quit school to look for a job and Seema decorates flags with calligraphy and catches scorpions to sell.
› "At that moment, Seema returned from school and the Widow's Welsummer rooster appeared on the wall. It was a big, beautiful, flaming-red bird with a magnificent crimson comb and long green tail feathers."
› At first glance, the rooster's appearances seem random, but, the rooster shows the passage of time and by paying close attention to when each character mentions the rooster and how it helps them you'll be able to piece together the linear story. To name just a few instances: the rooster confirms that Aziz's wall of glass works, it tells Husnia when to take the herb, and it enables the Water Seller's wife to give him eggs.
The novel is written in a non-linear, vignette style, with different narrators and overlapping stories. This is a snapshot of a small town in Afghanistan and how their lives are affected by war.
› I rate reviews similar to the CAWPILE method
0-3 Really bad
4-6 Mediocre
7-9 Really good
10 Outstanding
› Characters: 5
There is a large cast: The Vegetable Seller, the Mule, the Bucktoothed Tailor, the Widow, the Water Seller's Wife, the Calligrapher, the Watchmaker, the Bonesetter's Shop, the Bakery Owner, the Porter, the Old Barber, the three Militiamen, the Electrician.
I didn't feel connected to any of the characters. I felt confused about their goals and motivations, and I was hoping for more character development showing their strengths, flaws, characteristics and backstory.
› Atmosphere: 5
I wanted more description and found it hard to picture the settings. I didn't feel emotion.
› Writing Style: 10
Beautiful writing style. I didn't find it wordy or repetitive. Great readability and enjoyed the point of view.
› Plot: 6
The story is told in a non-linear manner, which is a little confusing at times.
› Intrigue: 6
› Logic: 7
The same story is sometimes re-told from another character's perspective which can be confusing.
› Enjoyment: 6
Overall, this is a good debut. I didn't laugh or cry, but I do enjoy the writing style and creativity.
Average 6.4
1.1-2.2 = ★
2.3-4.5 = ★★
4.6-6.9 = ★★★
7-8.9 = ★★★★
9-10 = ★★★★★
My Rating ★★★
› Final Thoughts
• Nothing Good Happens in Wazirabad on Wednesday is a hopeful novel about how civil war touches the lives of the townspeople and whose tales weave into one narrative about survival, peace, family, and love. I recommend this novel to fans of literary fiction or historical fiction.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for sending this book for review. All opinions are my own.
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June 2, 2023
This novel of 1990s Afghanistan focuses its lens on the stories of community in a time of civil war.
Jamaluddin Aram is a writer originally from Kabul, Afghanistan, now living in Toronto. He writes stories and essays, some of which can be easily found on the internet, and they’re good! This is his debut novel.
In the early 1990s the Soviet war in Afghanistan had ended, and civil war had broken out. This is the backdrop, but Aram focuses his story on Wazirabad, a suburb of Kabul. There are a myriad of characters: teen boys who work to support their families; a sister who makes money doing calligraphy and selling scorpions (that men smoke!) to soldiers; the Widow, the Bonesetter….so many. Some recur chapter to chapter, and some we see only once, then fade into the background.
What struck me is how each person must find their way to survive in this pretty harsh world, but all are inextricably linked as an integral whole. Aram takes his lens to pan the whole of the village, then zooms in on one scene and one character at a time. From these small stories, a canvas emerges of life for these people in this place.
My favourite characters were the Bonesetter, with his interesting mix of common-sense, science and mysticism; and Sikandar, a teenage boy with a good heart who has to grow up awfully fast. The book rose in my estimation in the last chapter, "On the Hill, the Graves," which featured Sikandar. It was a moving, poignant look at trauma, war, peace, grief and solace.
Aram writes the war as at once so traumatic, but also almost mundane. Perhaps it is so big and wearying and scary that the characters (those that have survived) can’t let it consume them. Truly horrific things take their place alongside the rhythm of daily life. The mini-wars they have with each other–the arguments, the grievances–are more immediate. But so are the loves, the intimacy, and the interconnectedness.
In fact, so much of the stuff of life seemed immediate. Love, passion, sex, aggression and dealing with death felt raw and close. Even the weather felt essential to the story and the characters: oppressive heat and ominous snow. It made me think of cultural context, especially in a time of long, seemingly endless war.
I liked this novel quite a bit because being immersed in the minutiae of daily life in Wazirabad was absorbing, but being shown the bigger picture–the panned out shot–was thought-provoking and showed me a different world. A solid debut!
Thanks Netgalley and Simon and Schuster Canada for this digital copy in exchange for my review.
Jamaluddin Aram is a writer originally from Kabul, Afghanistan, now living in Toronto. He writes stories and essays, some of which can be easily found on the internet, and they’re good! This is his debut novel.
In the early 1990s the Soviet war in Afghanistan had ended, and civil war had broken out. This is the backdrop, but Aram focuses his story on Wazirabad, a suburb of Kabul. There are a myriad of characters: teen boys who work to support their families; a sister who makes money doing calligraphy and selling scorpions (that men smoke!) to soldiers; the Widow, the Bonesetter….so many. Some recur chapter to chapter, and some we see only once, then fade into the background.
What struck me is how each person must find their way to survive in this pretty harsh world, but all are inextricably linked as an integral whole. Aram takes his lens to pan the whole of the village, then zooms in on one scene and one character at a time. From these small stories, a canvas emerges of life for these people in this place.
My favourite characters were the Bonesetter, with his interesting mix of common-sense, science and mysticism; and Sikandar, a teenage boy with a good heart who has to grow up awfully fast. The book rose in my estimation in the last chapter, "On the Hill, the Graves," which featured Sikandar. It was a moving, poignant look at trauma, war, peace, grief and solace.
Aram writes the war as at once so traumatic, but also almost mundane. Perhaps it is so big and wearying and scary that the characters (those that have survived) can’t let it consume them. Truly horrific things take their place alongside the rhythm of daily life. The mini-wars they have with each other–the arguments, the grievances–are more immediate. But so are the loves, the intimacy, and the interconnectedness.
In fact, so much of the stuff of life seemed immediate. Love, passion, sex, aggression and dealing with death felt raw and close. Even the weather felt essential to the story and the characters: oppressive heat and ominous snow. It made me think of cultural context, especially in a time of long, seemingly endless war.
I liked this novel quite a bit because being immersed in the minutiae of daily life in Wazirabad was absorbing, but being shown the bigger picture–the panned out shot–was thought-provoking and showed me a different world. A solid debut!
Thanks Netgalley and Simon and Schuster Canada for this digital copy in exchange for my review.
May 1, 2023
A month ago, I entered a Goodreads giveaway and a week later I received this advance reader’s copy in the mail. I had no idea what it was about but was going to discover it soon enough.
Nothing Good Happens In Wazirabad On Wednesday is a debut novel by Jamaluddin Aram. Set in Kabul, Afghanistan, in the 90s, it retells the story of a village where dreams predict the future and rumors are always true. During a civil war in a working-class town and thru the eyes and ears of many villagers we explore how it is to live in the Wazirabad district where everyone is someone’s grandson, wife, or apprentice. A story about peace in a time of war…
What I liked the most about this book is the way everyone and everything is linked together. From the first page to the last one we discover how every soul is intertwined. Thrue different point of view, the book presents to us many events and how they affect other people’s life.
Unfortunately, some parts were difficult to understand because of the overlapping narrators and the jumps in time. An event talked about in the beginning of the book could come up two hundred pages later because someone else retold how they experienced it differently. It’s an interesting concept but it was sometimes hard to follow.
The author, Jamaluddin Aram, is a documentary filmmaker, producer, and writer from Kabul, Afghanistan, now living in Toronto. He is known for his short story This Hard Easy Life who was finalist for RBC Bronwen Wallace Award for Emerging Writers. Nothing Good Happens In Wazirabad On Wednesday is his first novel and will be published by Scribner Canada on June 6, 2023. You can find the advanced reader’s edition for free on NetGalley.com.
Overall, I recommend this book to anyone who likes historical fiction and foreign literature. It was an interesting read that made me think about the power of community when times are hard.
Nothing Good Happens In Wazirabad On Wednesday is a debut novel by Jamaluddin Aram. Set in Kabul, Afghanistan, in the 90s, it retells the story of a village where dreams predict the future and rumors are always true. During a civil war in a working-class town and thru the eyes and ears of many villagers we explore how it is to live in the Wazirabad district where everyone is someone’s grandson, wife, or apprentice. A story about peace in a time of war…
What I liked the most about this book is the way everyone and everything is linked together. From the first page to the last one we discover how every soul is intertwined. Thrue different point of view, the book presents to us many events and how they affect other people’s life.
Unfortunately, some parts were difficult to understand because of the overlapping narrators and the jumps in time. An event talked about in the beginning of the book could come up two hundred pages later because someone else retold how they experienced it differently. It’s an interesting concept but it was sometimes hard to follow.
The author, Jamaluddin Aram, is a documentary filmmaker, producer, and writer from Kabul, Afghanistan, now living in Toronto. He is known for his short story This Hard Easy Life who was finalist for RBC Bronwen Wallace Award for Emerging Writers. Nothing Good Happens In Wazirabad On Wednesday is his first novel and will be published by Scribner Canada on June 6, 2023. You can find the advanced reader’s edition for free on NetGalley.com.
Overall, I recommend this book to anyone who likes historical fiction and foreign literature. It was an interesting read that made me think about the power of community when times are hard.
May 27, 2023
The structure of this book was really interesting -- more like (sometimes loosely) connected and overlapping vignettes than one cohesive narrative. There are time jumps, but they always happen forward, so it's not too disorienting. It's an interesting way of presenting the subjective nature of experience, as we get to look at the same incident or character from a few different perspectives, and with the addition of time to see the consequences.
The downside of this experimental structure is that by the time you begin to invest in, or even understand, one person's storyline, you're on to the next one. In most cases you never receive any closure on their narrative, and sometimes you fail to hear of them again. I think even the author recognized this potential issue as we do get to return to one couple and learn a bit more about them. While that was satisfying (they're definitely the most likable characters, though maybe just because we spend the most time with them?) it emphasizes how little we've connected with the other characters and their storylines.
It was really beautifully written, really sets the scene(s) in a very tactile way. Scenes sticky with heat, numb with cold, fighting perpetual dust and dirt from explosions were all conjured so evocatively I could feel it. I would definitely read something else by this author and hope it was a more conventional form so I could really invest in the story.
Thanks to #NetGalley for the ARC
The downside of this experimental structure is that by the time you begin to invest in, or even understand, one person's storyline, you're on to the next one. In most cases you never receive any closure on their narrative, and sometimes you fail to hear of them again. I think even the author recognized this potential issue as we do get to return to one couple and learn a bit more about them. While that was satisfying (they're definitely the most likable characters, though maybe just because we spend the most time with them?) it emphasizes how little we've connected with the other characters and their storylines.
It was really beautifully written, really sets the scene(s) in a very tactile way. Scenes sticky with heat, numb with cold, fighting perpetual dust and dirt from explosions were all conjured so evocatively I could feel it. I would definitely read something else by this author and hope it was a more conventional form so I could really invest in the story.
Thanks to #NetGalley for the ARC
July 20, 2023
What a debut.
A community and a history that I’ve not seen/read represented in our (Canadian) literature besides Khaled Hosseini (The Kite Runner and more) or Nelofer Pazira (A Bed of Red Flowers)... and it’s been more than a little while since either of them had anything new published.
This is one of those little gems - the diamonds in the rough that we seek to discover through our reading journey. I am loathe to say much about this, lest I taint your reading experience in some way. Suffice it to say that these stories - because this really is a collection of little stories - scenes, vignettes - about a community of people just going about their lives and doing the best that they can to survive.
Set against the backdrop of the Afghan civil war - have no doubt that there is darkness and trauma here - the subject matter is handled deftly and, when combined with the magic of the poetic prose, this reads as fragile beauty.
Highly recommended.
A community and a history that I’ve not seen/read represented in our (Canadian) literature besides Khaled Hosseini (The Kite Runner and more) or Nelofer Pazira (A Bed of Red Flowers)... and it’s been more than a little while since either of them had anything new published.
This is one of those little gems - the diamonds in the rough that we seek to discover through our reading journey. I am loathe to say much about this, lest I taint your reading experience in some way. Suffice it to say that these stories - because this really is a collection of little stories - scenes, vignettes - about a community of people just going about their lives and doing the best that they can to survive.
Set against the backdrop of the Afghan civil war - have no doubt that there is darkness and trauma here - the subject matter is handled deftly and, when combined with the magic of the poetic prose, this reads as fragile beauty.
Highly recommended.
May 13, 2024
There was nothing new. The war was advancing steadily. Men were dying. Women and children were being raped. Villages were going up in smoke. They turned off the radio. p201
These people had taken a break from logic. p234
For far to many of us, logic dictates that after we have turned off the radio, our attention shifts to personal concerns. For the men gathered around the village radio, there is no where else; they have been living the Afghanistan news flash for years.
Jamaluddin Aram slinks a steady way through a melee of exuberant characters, brilliantly linking the universal with the particular. Sifting the chaos over the course of the novel, a bewildered reader may be able to grasp the connections which reverberate long after the final pages.
What has happened has already happened. p18.9
These people had taken a break from logic. p234
For far to many of us, logic dictates that after we have turned off the radio, our attention shifts to personal concerns. For the men gathered around the village radio, there is no where else; they have been living the Afghanistan news flash for years.
Jamaluddin Aram slinks a steady way through a melee of exuberant characters, brilliantly linking the universal with the particular. Sifting the chaos over the course of the novel, a bewildered reader may be able to grasp the connections which reverberate long after the final pages.
What has happened has already happened. p18.9
June 7, 2023
While nothing good may happen in Wazirabad on a Wednesday, there is certainly a lot happening in this small town. Jamaluddin Aram’s cast of characters are fit for a soap opera for the amount of gossip and drama they have in their lives. Through hardship, humorous moments, and a fierce dependence on the meaning of their dreams you’ll be sucked into their lives in 1990’s Kabul, Afghanistan.
Aram has a great writing style that is descriptive and meaningful. How he writes from each character’s perspective is really masterful.
Thank you NetGalley and Simon & Schuster Canada for an advance copy to review.
Aram has a great writing style that is descriptive and meaningful. How he writes from each character’s perspective is really masterful.
Thank you NetGalley and Simon & Schuster Canada for an advance copy to review.
February 24, 2024
I'm having rotten luck choosing novels recently -- I can't seem to find anything powerful that speaks to me on an emotional level. I'm rounding this one up from 2.5 stars because I admire the writing style and the setting...but I'm afraid it had little effect on me personally. I'm sure there will be a great audience for this story...but I'm not part of that group. Time to roll the dice again...
February 25, 2024
Well done, stories of difficult circumstances with optimism and beauty, told in poetic prose. The hardest scenes are softened by the dreamlike rendering, providing insight into the conditions of war while celebrating for the courage and strength of the his protaganists.
A very interesting read, I'm grateful the chapters stood alone as short stories, allowing time for my life to interupt over the holiday season.
A very interesting read, I'm grateful the chapters stood alone as short stories, allowing time for my life to interupt over the holiday season.
April 17, 2024
So the writing was beautiful. If it were just that I was judging it on, it would be five stars. It was beautifully composed. My issue came with the sheer number of stories I had thrown at me. So many characters were introduced and the only shared plot line between most of them was their inhabiting of the same war torn town. I can see why someone would love this book. I can see why some would hate it. I’m normally a character driven story fan, but this didn’t hit the mark for me.
April 9, 2025
It was no surprise to find out that Jamaluddin Aram is a documentary maker. There is a precision to the writing, and a deliberate emotional distance from the subjects that makes this very much like a fly-on-the-wall account, even when the prose becomes dreamlike. We never go very deep into any one persons perception, but instead see things from a sort of communal viewpoint - very much how the town sees itself, even if it does not want to face up to everything that happens.
July 8, 2025
Through the devastation of war we are intruded to the people of Wazirabad. in Kabul, a working class neighborhood is deeply affected by traditions and the impact of occupation and war. each person is trying to find their way making a mess of it all. I took away a syar because I found time confusing and wasn't sure when or where I was at. but ot is a very interesting book
July 12, 2025
Not sure if this was a book of somewhat connected short stories or a novel. Different sections deal with different characters, and some never appear again. Interesting sort of back stage approach to war in Afghanistan as seen from the point of view of villagers. But not altogether a compelling read.
August 20, 2024
Interconnected stories of a cast of people and a moment of time, but nothing much in the way of central plot - which is fine, as that was the point, but I wanted to settle down in one particular corner and just when we got there another thread was picked up instead.
May 12, 2024
Through the window of words we can glimpse life in an Afghan village. While the war rages on, people still have to live, and the ordinary lives of the villagers are shown.
April 25, 2025
an interesting book about the inhabitants of an Afghani village in the 1990's. More a series of linked stories than a novel
January 24, 2024
This place is so unusual, so eccentric that it must be a dream?
Read
August 17, 2023A tough read. Not sure what to rate it yet.
May 15, 2023
I enjoyed the descriptive talents of the author. For many of the scenes, I felt like in Wazirabad. I also liked how the author fleshed out the characters and gave them a rich and deep connection to the story.
I wish there was a way to give partial stars because it would have been a 3.75 rating for me.
I enjoyed some of the characters more and wished the telling was more in-depth about them.
I wish there was a way to give partial stars because it would have been a 3.75 rating for me.
I enjoyed some of the characters more and wished the telling was more in-depth about them.
May 15, 2025
Really enjoyed the dream-scape created in this novel and the small insights into the intertwined lives of the community. A slow and peaceful read despite the violence that threatens each and every one of the characters. The focus on dreams definitely takes the reader and the characters out of the immediate violence.
January 31, 2024
Wonderful. Read in two sittings and now I can't wait to go back and read it again in a few weeks with my fiction students. It will work well with oral tales and storytellers, fairy tales, and is especially reminiscent of Chronicle of a Death Foretold.
Was well received. Will zoom with author next week.
Was well received. Will zoom with author next week.
December 15, 2024
This novel is rather chaotic, I suppose in the way that life in a town during a civil war is most likely chaotic. It was odd for me to read about people standing around during gunfire, waiting to cross the street and being hit by stray bullets, and then going about their morning as usual when the skirmish stops.
The stories in this book reveal the appalling daily reality of war. The chapters move from character to character, showing the everyday life in an Afghan town, and how the townspeople adapt to nearby conflict from many perspectives.
I found the first chapter, from Aziz's perspective, really engaging. But as the point of view shifted around, I became distanced from the story. I feel like I would have been more gripped by the narrative if we had stuck with Aziz for the whole story. I find hard topics easier to absorb when I am invested in a character.
I received a DRC via NetGalley.
The stories in this book reveal the appalling daily reality of war. The chapters move from character to character, showing the everyday life in an Afghan town, and how the townspeople adapt to nearby conflict from many perspectives.
I found the first chapter, from Aziz's perspective, really engaging. But as the point of view shifted around, I became distanced from the story. I feel like I would have been more gripped by the narrative if we had stuck with Aziz for the whole story. I find hard topics easier to absorb when I am invested in a character.
I received a DRC via NetGalley.
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