An amazing book! Beautifully written, full of nuanced and well drawn characters. Don't be intimidated if you don't know much about the Chechen wars: the book will provide you with the factual information you need. The history is seamlessly integrated into the narrative without ever seeming clumsy or like an info dump. The characters are so rich and complex and real. This book is gut wrenching and unputdownable. It perfectly captures universal truths about humanity as it also perfectly evokes a specific time and place. One of the very best books I have read over the last few years.