I guess it's a cliché to like this book but it was really, really good! My friend put it well: it's so well crafted that it reads like a memoir. I think this is because it does such a good job with scene vs summary, connecting moments to broader history, recalling forward and backward in time. Like, the protagonist has really thought about the meanings behind his life events and the story it represents for him.

At times, some details or developments feel just a little too tidy, but also so much happens and there's so much hardship and violence, the tidy or circular elements do ground the story and help the reader to make meaning along the way. It means the writer is able to present us with not quite a happy ending that is still deeply satisfying and even hopeful. 

Listened to the audiobook, which I highly recommend! It's read by the author, which can be hit or miss, but he does a good job. And I got to hear how he pronounces Afghanistan etc. It's not how they pronounce it on CNN!