A Thousand Splendid Suns
Submitted by Nikki on Sat, 04/12/2008 - 23:55
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A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini was as spectacular as his first novel the Kite Runner. In this book the author tells the story from a female's perspective and did an outstanding job. Quite believable. Although this book is categorized as fiction there is an overwhelming feeling as a reader that there could be some small possibility that somehow these people are real or at least that there is someone in Afghanistan whom has gone through some of the same experiences as the characters in the book. It doesn't seem far fetched due to the news broadcasts and war news that we have been bombarded with in the media.
There are two women in particular whom are the main characters in A Thousand Splendid Suns but there are a plethora of other characters that make this book engrossing and believable. The character of Mariam was my favorite. You grew with her from the beginning and felt her hardships and disappointments intensely. She had a very rough life to say the least and still managed to find the love of a family even though it was not her own. What I admired from her character the most was how she could maintain her sense of integrity despite her life. She was beaten down so much but still remained intact as the loving and dedicated person she was. As a reader I really think you will appreciate the journey of Mariam from beginning to end. It brought tears to my eyes and I'm not one to cry easily.
From this book I think you learn some perspective of the hardships that women in particular face in Afghanistan. There are limited rights only when there is a decent man involved in the home. If not, a woman is basically a servant to the husband's beck and call. This is no way for either a man or woman to live. It seems that Afghani men do not understand that as a supportive and loving unit a husband and wife could be unstoppable in their progress and achievements together. This is just my take from the book. I would be really interested to hear someone elses' perspective about this.
A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini is a great and easy read. It was definitely a book that I did not want to put down. However it was tough to remain unaffected by it because of some of the particular events and actions taking place in the book. I tend to read most just before bedtime and there were times that I was up for a while thinking about what I had just read in the book and the people (women and children in particular) in Afghanistan. But it was so worth the few sleepless nights that I had that's for sure.
Book Synopsis - A Thousand Splendid Suns
A Thousand Splendid Suns is a breathtaking story set against the volatile events of Afghanistan’s last thirty years—from the Soviet invasion to the reign of the Taliban to the post-Taliban rebuilding—that puts the violence, fear, hope, and faith of this country in intimate, human terms. It is a tale of two generations of characters brought jarringly together by the tragic sweep of war, where personal lives—the struggle to survive, raise a family, find happiness—are inextricable from the history playing out around them.
Propelled by the same storytelling instinct that made The Kite Runner a beloved classic, A Thousand Splendid Suns is at once a remarkable chronicle of three decades of Afghan history and a deeply moving account of family and friendship. It is a striking, heart-wrenching novel of an unforgiving time, an unlikely friendship, and an indestructible love—a stunning accomplishment.
About the author - Khaled Hosseini
If you are interested in learning more about the author Khaled Hosseini, you can visit his website at http://www.khaledhosseini.com/.
I found this great interview session with Khaled Hosseini. During his interview, he explains where he found his inspiration to write A Thousand Splendid Suns and what he hopes his readers will get from this book. His greatest hope is that his readers will understand the hardships that the Afghany people have suffered, particularly Afghany women, and will hopefully develop an empathy toward the Afghany people and the tragic past they have endured.
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