About the book
This heartbreaking and haunting novel takes a timeless tragedy and hurls it into present-day Afghanistan, when a woman asks for the return of her brother's body in the midst of a war.
Following a desperate night-long battle, a group of beleaguered soldiers in an isolated base in Kandahar are faced with a lone woman demanding the return of her brother’s body. Is she a spy, a black widow, a lunatic, or is she what she claims to be: a grieving young sister intent on burying her brother according to local rites? Single-minded in her mission, she refuses to move from her spot on the field in full view of every soldier in the stark outpost. Her presence quickly proves dangerous as the camp’s tense, claustrophobic atmosphere comes to a boil when the men begin arguing about what to do next.
Taking its cues from the Antigone myth, Roy-Bhattacharya brilliantly recreates the chaos, intensity, and immediacy of battle, and conveys the inevitable repercussions felt by the soldiers, their families, and by one sister. The result is a gripping tour through the reality of this very contemporary conflict, and our most powerful expression to date of the nature and futility of war.
Editions of The Watch
- Hardcover
- ISBN 9780307402233
- Hardcover
- ISBN 9780307955890
- Paperback
- ISBN 9780307402240
- Paperback
- ISBN 9780307955913
- EBook
- ISBN 9780307955906
- EBook
- ISBN 9780307402523
- AudioStreaming
- ISBN 9780449011768
- AudioStreaming
- ISBN 9780449011775
Read an Excerpt
This heartbreaking and haunting novel takes a timeless tragedy and hurls it into present-day Afghanistan, when a woman asks for the return of her brother's body in the midst of a war.
Following a desperate night-long battle, a group of beleaguered soldiers in an isolated base in Kandahar are faced with a lone woman demanding the return of her brother’s body. Is she a spy, a black widow, a lunatic, or is she what she claims to be: a grieving young sister intent on burying her brother according to local rites? Single-minded in her mission, she refuses to move from her spot on the field in full view of every soldier in the stark outpost. Her presence quickly proves dangerous as the camp’s tense, claustrophobic atmosphere comes to a boil when the men begin arguing about what to do next.
Taking its cues from the Antigone myth, Roy-Bhattacharya brilliantly recreates the chaos, intensity, and immediacy of battle, and conveys the inevitable repercussions felt by the soldiers, their families, and by one sister. The result is a gripping tour through the reality of this very contemporary conflict, and our most powerful expression to date of the nature and futility of war.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is The Watch about?
This heartbreaking and haunting novel takes a timeless tragedy and hurls it into present-day Afghanistan, when a woman asks for the return of her brother's body in the midst of a war.
Following a desperate night-long battle, a group of beleaguered soldiers in an isolated base in Kandahar are faced with a lone woman demanding the return of her brother’s body. Is she a spy, a black widow, a lunatic, or is she what she claims to be: a grieving young sister intent on burying her brother according to local rites? Single-minded in her mission, she refuses to move from her spot on the field in full view of every soldier in the stark outpost. Her presence quickly proves dangerous as the camp’s tense, claustrophobic atmosphere comes to a boil when the men begin arguing about what to do next.
Taking its cues from the Antigone myth, Roy-Bhattacharya brilliantly recreates the chaos, intensity, and immediacy of battle, and conveys the inevitable repercussions felt by the soldiers, their families, and by one sister. The result is a gripping tour through the reality of this very contemporary conflict, and our most powerful expression to date of the nature and futility of war.
What core themes, tropes, or subjects are explored in The Watch?
Fiction > Fiction: literary and general non-genre
Where can I read a sample of The Watch?
You can read an official preview of the few pages here https://www.book2look.com/book/9780307402233
Who is/are the Author/s of the book The Watch?
Joydeep Roy-Bhattacharya
What are the ISBN numbers for the physical and digital editions?
The Watch is available as hardcover(ISBN 9780307402233) and hardcover(ISBN 9780307955890) and paperback(ISBN 9780307402240) and paperback(ISBN 9780307955913) and ebook(ISBN 9780307955906) and ebook(ISBN 9780307402523) and audiostreaming(ISBN 9780449011768) and audiostreaming(ISBN 9780449011775)
Where can I buy The Watch online or support local independent bookshops?
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Where can I buy The Watch?