katekintailbc | A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini (Reply)

A Thousand Splendid Suns
Khaled Hosseini
(Audio)

I'm finding it difficult to review this book. It's horribly, incredibly depressing-- infinitely more depressing than The Kite Runner (which is saying a lot)-- yet it's a wonderful book that I'd recommend to anyone.

The two main characters (realistically-written women) are quite dissimilar, yet find themselves married to the same man. Because of her status in the world (an illegitimate daughter with a low-class mother and a father who won't stand up for her) Miriam is married off to a man in an arranged marriage to get rid of her. She endures as her life slowly goes from difficult to unbearable. She has one brief moment of happiness for a few days and that's about it. Just when I was really getting into her story, the book shifts to Laila's story. Strong, young, and intelligent, she has the world at her door. But after losing almost everything- including the man whose son she is secretly carrying- she has no choice but to marry a man who wants her.

Political changes and Taliban occupation weave their way into the story- not only driving the plot but influencing every little bit of the culture and world of these women. It feels like a story that SHOULD be taking place a hundred years ago, but we have reminders throughout that it is set more recently- Titanic mania, 9-11 events, etc. shocked me into remembering that not only is this happening in my lifetime (not the dark ages) but it's STILL happening today to some people in some parts of the world.

My favorite parts revolved around the women's emotions and reactions to life- what the burka is like to wear, what conviction it takes to send your daughter to an orphanage because you can't afford to keep her and yet risk your life just walking down the street to visit her, how trusting ANYONE is so difficult, how you can't take anything/anyone for granted.

It was a horrible but beautiful story with just the right amount of everything I wanted. The end tied everything up with a neat little ribbon the way fiction can do... but it's still wonderful and realistic and much-needed.