Set in Kyrgyzstan during WWII, this story is told by a young artist, Seit, as he looks back on his village childhood, and recalls the love which develops between his young sister-in-law Jamilia, and a disabled young man Daniyar, while most of the village menfolk are away fighting. Seen through the innocent eyes of a young boy trying to live up to being 'the man of the family', this story has a charming, freshness which paints a picture of a community going through hard times, while conveying its rural setting and the ways of the village in a moving and sympathetic way. ( )

Jamilia is a short, simple tale about many kinds of love: love for family, for community, for a homeland and primarily a love that grows quite innocently between two people from nothing to everything. Jamilia, a hardworking, confident and beautiful woman, bearing the weight of war and patriarchal custom, lives in a small rural community in north western Kyrgyzstan. With her husband away at war, she deputises to provide for her in-laws who have never really taken to her despite her best efforts. The company of her fiercely protective brother-in-law and a taciturn, wounded soldier called Daniyar keeps her buoyed in the difficult time, as together they complete the daily labours vacated by the men who have left the small village to fight. It is admittedly a tad predictable but Aitmatov’s poetic prose deftly frames this romantic tale as forces greater than will stoke passions ignorant of tradition. ( )

This was romantic in the best way. Lovely. ( )

Fifteen-year-old Seit is the proud jigit, or protector and breadwinner, for two households while his brothers are away fighting the Germans. He's infatuated with his beautiful, older sister-in-law, Jamilia, and accompanies her on grain deliveries. They are joined by a quiet, wounded ex-soldier, and Seit observes their interactions with interest.

This little novella is beautifully written, and it is worth reading just for the descriptions of the Kyrgyz steppes. The land is both a backdrop for the story, and a mirror reflecting the emotions of the characters. The book reminds me of [The Issa Valley], with it's gorgeous descriptions of nature and the gentle boy narrator.

Chingiz Aitmatov is perhaps the premier author of Kyrgyzstan. He wrote in both Kyrgyz and Russian, translating between the two, and [Jamilia] was his first success. In addition to his literary career, he was an ambassador to the EU, Nato, etc.

I highly recommend [Jamilia] and will be looking for more of Aitmatov's works. ( )

A short story that the publisher has double spaced into a novella, slapped £7.99 on and called it a good day’s work. I bought my copy second-hand.

Still, this is not the author’s fault. It’s a very good story with a spunky heroine, fabulous scenery and good use of pathetic fallacy. In the short space he allows himself, Aïtmatov manages to say something about the human condition. ( )