I thoroughly enjoyed reading the novel, even though I had forgotten many of the details and plot points, yet it remained vivid in my memory. The story traces much of Afghanistan’s history from 1973 onward, covering Daoud Khan’s coup against his cousin King Zahir Shah, the abolition of the monarchy, the Soviet invasion, the civil wars, the mujahideen’s struggles, and the Taliban’s rise to power after expelling the Russians, along with other events that we have already witnessed in history.

The novel’s richness compelled me to read more slowly, and I found myself rereading certain passages several times. While packing my suitcase, my housekeeper handed me an envelope. Inside, I discovered the novel “Cloud and Predators” by Asil Abdulhamid Amin, who had written an article two months earlier about her grandfather, Muhammad Amin, famously known as Amin Singer (the name associated with the well-known sewing machine brand of which he was an agent in Kuwait, which brought him fame and perhaps wealth). I set the book aside, as I wasn’t in the mood for printed books at that moment, especially while traveling.

However, after a short break, I returned to it, flipped through its pages, and my eyes landed on the following passage - “… There… in the Cyclades archipelago, nestled in the heart of the Aegean, the windmills of Mykonos greet the sun at every sunset in a breathtaking spectacle, both poetic and vibrant. The five white windmills stand like maidens, joyfully twirling, dancing. Their dresses swirl with them, rising and soaring like white daisies in the air. The millstones’ blades turn and turn, grinding love, merriment, madness, and revelry into wheat within their bellies. Those who approach them help knead the bread of life and bake it in the blazing ovens of pleasure—bread unlike any other. Bread that satisfies human hunger and transforms it into a spark of joy, breathing new life into it like a meteor streaking through the darkness of a long night.

Perhaps it will ease the weariness of our relentless journey through this grinding existence. Although those ancient windmills, built by the Venetians in the 16th century, have long since fallen into disuse and become mere icons of the island, I still see them this way whenever I visit Mykonos, as they greet me upon my arrival at its port.” I became completely absorbed in the novel, captivated by its youthful energy, meticulous details, and engaging style. Within hours, it had fully drawn me away from “The Kite Runner”. I found myself wishing it wouldn’t end before the heroine finally met… Muhammad! The novel “Cloud and Predators” is beautiful and intelligent, just like its author, whom I know little about. I hope she continues writing novels and enriches us with more… soon.