A Thousand Splendid Suns

Title: A Thousand Splendid Suns
Author: Khaled Hosseini
Publisher: Riverhead
Release Date: May 22, 2007

Goodreads Synopsis: 

Propelled by the same superb instinct for storytelling that made The Kite Runner a beloved classic, A Thousand Splendid Suns is at once an incredible chronicle of thirty years of Afghan history and a deeply moving story of family, friendship, faith, and the salvation to be found in love.

Born a generation apart and with very different ideas about love and family, Mariam and Laila are two women brought jarringly together by war, by loss and by fate. As they endure the ever escalating dangers around them-in their home as well as in the streets of Kabul-they come to form a bond that makes them both sisters and mother-daughter to each other, and that will ultimately alter the course not just of their own lives but of the next generation. With heart-wrenching power and suspense, Hosseini shows how a woman's love for her family can move her to shocking and heroic acts of self-sacrifice, and that in the end it is love, or even the memory of love, that is often the key to survival.

A stunning accomplishment, A Thousand Splendid Suns is a haunting, heartbreaking, compelling story of an unforgiving time, an unlikely friendship, and an indestructible love.


Review:

As I read A Thousand Splendid Suns, which is historical fiction, I looked like an Eeyore with deeply furrowed brows. The word that constantly pulsed through my head while I read was, "Why?" To say the very least, this book was intense. Although A Thousand Splendid Suns is intense and (VERY) tragic, it is extremely well written, inspiring, and the story is gripping.

If I hear that something bad/sad happened to another person (ex. their pet died, or their grandma is sick, or they didn't get into their desired school, etc.) I feel bad for them, but I (and the rest of the human race) will never have the perspective that they do. I never feel as saddened or pained as they do because I am not in their situation. I've heard about what has happened in Afghanistan; the bombings, the Taliban, all of the violence, and while I have been sad that such things happen, the gravity of the situation never REALLY sunk in until I read A Thousand Splendid Suns. This novel is graphic, realistic, and not sugar-coated at all.

A Thousand Splendid Suns follows two women living in Afghanistan. This novel gave me insight on what the women behind the burqas think and feel. Although they are covered up they have feelings and opinions. Whenever I listen to news about Afghanistan, I always hear about the violence which mostly features men. A Thousand Splendid Suns reveals the injustices, and horrors that most women have to face daily in Afghanistan, and gives me perspective on what their lives are like.

This novel showcases some of Afghanistan's history before the Soviet Invasion. The history in the novel taught me why people have pride in Afghanistan. This novel highlighted the everyday citizens in Afghanistan. Again, before I read A Thousand Splendid Suns, when I thought about Afghanistan I only thought of the violence, the Taliban and Al Qaeda. This novel highlights the people who aren't involved in the violent groups in Afghanistan.

I loved A Thousand Splendid Suns. It was incredibly well-written, inspiring, and engrossing. I recommend this novel to anyone who wants to learn more about the world they live in (that would be everyone, right?). Thanks for reading!