Reviewer: Author Anthony Avina
Original Publication: Author Anthony Avina Blog
Publication Date: 21 September 2022
Photo credit: Khalid Aljmman/Pexels
External Review
This review by Author Anthony Avina, originally published on his long-running book blog, offers a warm and enthusiastic appreciation of The Lone Leopard. The reviewer highlights both the novel’s emotional power and its deep engagement with Afghanistan’s culture and history.
Key Comment
“Thought-provoking, heartbreaking, and engaging… a must-read historical fiction Middle Eastern and contemporary romance drama novel.”
Summary of the Review
Avina praises the novel for its rich portrayal of Afghanistan’s social and political landscape, and for the way it blends historical fiction with contemporary drama. He notes the author’s skill in depicting the human cost of conflict, especially as ordinary people find themselves caught between ideology, faith, and foreign intervention.
What stands out most for the reviewer is the story’s emotional core. He emphasises the novel’s attention to relationships—particularly the bond between Ahmad and his mother—and how these relationships shape Ahmad’s development as he confronts violence, displacement, and moral dilemmas.
The review underlines that the narrative is as intimate as it is historical, offering readers both cultural insight and a deeply felt human story.
➡ Read the full review: Author Anthony Avina’s Review of The Lone Leopard
*Dr Sharifullah Dorani holds a PhD from Durham University on America’s Afghanistan War, a Master of Laws from University College London, and a degree in law from the University of Northampton, all in the UK. He is the author of numerous scholarly articles and two acclaimed books: The Lone Leopard, a novel set in Afghanistan, and America in Afghanistan, published by Bloomsbury Publishing. He is the founder of CEPSAF and serves as the South Asia and Middle Eastern Editor at CESRAN International. All of Dr Dorani’s work is written to the highest academic standards and is widely indexed through Google Scholar.