If you do not have this novel, purchase it straight away! You will definitely miss a beautifully crafted storyline coupled with stylish writing if you miss this book. When I saw this book at a bookstore, I was skeptical; I rarely read novels nowadays, and prefer magazines like Newsweek and Times to fiction writings. What caught me was "Over 30 000 000 sold". Instinctively, I coughed up some cash and brought it back to my hostel to read it. I was swept away by the storyline and language delivery; simply superb. Try putting yourself in the shoes of a 7 year-old girl. That, to me, is not a simple task. Magisterially however, the author managed to make it so simple that understanding her problems and thoughts was not difficult at all. As you venture the story from the point of view of this child, you discover that there are many interesting and illuminating issues pertaining to the 20th century at a small village. If you want to know more, then go ahead and take a good chew out of this book!