The Broken Circle: A Memoir of Escaping Afghanistan

Because of my great love for the people of Afghanistan and because I have read several excellent books in this genre and setting, I decided to give this book a try.

I was greatly disappointed. The writing style is sometimes childish and the author's point of view seems very egotistical. Enjeela makes herself the hero and center of every situation. The detailed descriptions of people, places, even names of hotels and streets, seem far beyond the recollection capacity of a child of that age. It is so detailed, in fact, that it seems more fiction than fact. It reads as if she used Wikipedia and Google Maps to craft her story.

This is certainly a compelling narrative of hardship, perseverance, and courage. The story is well-told and gripping, painting a vivid picture of Afghanistan and nearby countries in the 1980s. What was disconcerting is the lack of the author's substantive reflection or awareness on how incredibly privileged she was as a refugee. Her father seems to have an endless supply of money for hotels, trains, planes, food, clothes, bribes, etc--even when he isn't able to work for months or maybe years. While the author is moved by her encounter with Mina, she shows just passing concern for the plight of the vast majority of Afghanis who would not have gazillions of aghanis to spend on such a long and perilous journey. While reflecting on her journey near the end of the book (p. 230), she remembers almost disdainfully how she ate like "impoverished peasants." I would have liked to see more compassion and generosity toward those "impoverished peasants" -- those who couldn't afford to buy their way out. Maybe proceeds from the book could go to UN refugee resettlement? From her bio it looks like she has more than enough money....

I have very mixed feelings about the book and the author. It was an engrossing read for me. I was drawn to the descriptions of Kabul, the rich family life the author portrayed, and the harrowing ordeal her escape entailed. The message is touching and I admire the author for all that she and her siblings overcame. But there are some things about the story that just don't add up and give me pause.

Determining the author's age is confusing. Her personal website states that she was born in 1976 and her mother left the home when Enjeela was 7. But in the book her mother leaves before the USSR invasion in 1979, meaning Enjeela would have been 3.

If the author was indeed only three years old when the USSR invaded, that would mean she was 4-5 years old during the major events of the story. It is difficult to believe that she would have had such detailed memories of the events, conversations, and details as they are presented in the story.

It's well-established in the story that the author's family is part of the wealthy elite in Kabul. Their entire escape is made possible by vast amounts of money and connections. In fact, the family survives for years on "savings" without either parent working.

Given these advantages, it is difficult to understand why the children were left behind with an alcoholic father in an obviously dangerous situation. The mother leaves for India, ostensibly for heart surgery, or perhaps motivated by her husband's drinking problem. She takes the oldest and youngest children with her. She makes no provision for the others who are left behind with the alcoholic father. This is mind-boggling because so many better alternatives spring to mind that could have been taken before the country deteriorated. Boarding school for the older children in another country. Bringing the younger children and the family manservant to India to care for them. At one point in the story, a friend of the father hosts the children and dad in lavish style for 6 months after they escape Afghanistan. The father explains to Enjeela that because of their religion, their Muslim friends and family felt obligated to help the less fortunate and would never ask guests to leave. Why couldn't the children have been sent off earlier to one of the many relatives, friends or neighbors mentioned who had fled Afghanistan?

When they leave Kabul, the children carry enough money with them on foot - through a war zone - to fund not only their journey but also a 6-month stay at a hotel in Peshawar. This is glossed over in the book; it seems hard to imagine how it would be possible for children to carry so much money without detection or threat. And the hotel apparently had no issue allowing minors to live on their own for so long.

There is no contact with the mother after she leaves. Once the children reached Pakistan, I kept wondering why the mother and father never attempted to contact each other or at least the kids they haven't seen by phone. Why? This was so bizarre, and was never addressed.

These things seem very odd under the circumstances. It feels like there are some important plot pieces that are missing or unexplained in the story.

Loved this book. Could not put it down.

"I believed my pleasant life would last forever. I now knew the error of that thinking. Life could change in an instant" (pg. 132).
The Broken Circle by Enjeela Ahmadi Miller tells her personal story of peacefully living as a five-year-old girl in Kabul, Afghanistan, until the Soviet Union invades. Enjeela’s mom soon after leaves for India for urgent healthcare, and the Soviet attacks make her seem worlds away. Everything in Enjeela’s world turns into disarray over the course of a few years, and things get worse and worse as the Soviets tighten their grip on her homeland. In Miller’s words, “The defense of the true Afghanistan had been left to civilians” (pg. 127). Two years after her mother left, at the age of six, Enjeela and three of her siblings must leave their father and flee through mountains and rivers out of the war-torn foothills of Afghanistan, through Pakistan, and into India. Will they reach safety and reunite with their parents? Will their mother even remember them after the five years the journey will take?
Despite being uplifting and positive, The Broken Circle at many times seems factually inaccurate and overly biased toward Enjeela herself. For instance, we read many instances through the book where Enjeela claims to have been always courageous while everyone else was not, and in one case she randomly claims she ran all the way up a mountain without pause, ahead of her more physically capable siblings and guide. Many of these errors and exaggerations seem to be associated with Enjeela’s lack of maturity she possessed at the time she experienced this chapter in her life, being only 5-11 years old through the entire book. However, outside of the author’s slightly pervading ego, I would possibly recommend The Broken Circle to anyone who wishes to more deeply understand the struggles of refugees.

This book was a true story of a family fleeing their beloved country. It was current, teal and heart wrenching. I highly recommend.

Purchased as it was on book club reading list. Arrived timely. perfect condition, good reading.

Everything about The Broken Circle was fascinating. I wonder how Enjeela remembers all the details of her life at such a young age. Did she take notes during the dark days escaping from Afghanistan? The people she met along the way, the houses she stayed in, the food she ate - they are all described in lavish detail so she must have a photograph memory or made a diary. I was very sorry when the book ended and now I want to learn more. I sure hope that another book is in the works. The book also changed my attitude towards refugees coming to America. I will now have a much more compassionate view of immigrants coming to the country to find a better life. Thank you, Enjeela, for sharing your life with me through this book. I hope to meet you one day.

I loved the voice of the writer and her perspective of her experience. It was thought provoking and interesting. I enjoyed learning about this piece of history.

A gripping story that slows down at the very end. This book made me cry and laugh! Worth a read.