*Possible Spoilers*
A Thousand Splendid Suns
by Khaled Hosseini
Read: November 17, 2014
Published: November 25, 2008
Genre: Fiction/Historical Fiction
Series: NA
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.
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. (Amazon.com)
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Why did you read this book?
I read The Kite Runner over a year ago. And, while I loved it, I never had any intention of reading Hosseini's other novels. This isn't exactly my genre. But then, my brother read it for his AP English class and he said it was very good (so good, that it's one of his favorites). My brother is not an avid reader, so when he says a book is good, it usually is. He told me that I should read it, but I dismissed the idea, because it wasn't 'my genre'. A week or two later, I saw a copy of it at a used book sale in pristine condition. It's not very often that you find a new book at a used book sale. So I bought it, thinking 'Fine! Fine. I'll just read the book'. And what a great decision that was.
What didn't you like about this book?
This is a tough one. I guess, my biggest problem with it was the language. I found myself just skipping over the foreign words that I didn't know and then being confused later on because I wasn't sure what was going on and I'd have to go back and figure out what it meant (context clues!) However, that is no fault of the author, but rather, mine. I guess I didn't really like the very beginning (it was kind of slow), but the beginning is essential to the rest of the book. It's just so hard to find something I didn't like!
What did you like about this book?
I loved the strong protagonists. What they went through is beyond my capability of imagining and they are far stronger than I'll ever be. I particularly loved how everything started coming together towards the end. You could make connections and think 'Oh! So that's why that was important in the first chapters!' There was one particular death that was so well written, with a quiet dignity, that I loved. I was sad, of course, when said character died, but the way they went was beautiful. I liked almost everything about this novel. It was beautifully written and the characters were so lifelike. Great job, Khaled Hosseini. Great job.
Three Unexpected Things: Titanic, the shovel, Aziza
Three Things This Book Does Not Feature: Love triangles, happy endings for everyone, in-depth politics
Would you recommend this book to a friend?
Yes. I would recommend it to all of my friends (although, I'm sure a few of them have already read it). I would, however, put an age limit on this. There are a few disturbing scenes that I wouldn't want my 13 year old sister to read. So, be warned.
Bottom Line: This book was fantastic and engaging. I read it in one sitting! And it's not a short book either. It's a hard book to start, but once you do, it's hard to stop. It keeps you on your toes and I, personally, really felt for the characters. This book almost made me cry. It was so close. And any book that makes me cry, is a good one. In my opinion anyway...But what are doing? Stop reading this and go read A Thousand Splendid Suns. Trust me, it's a good one.
"Of all the hardships a person had to face, none was more punishing than the simple act of waiting." -A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini
I read The Kite Runner over a year ago. And, while I loved it, I never had any intention of reading Hosseini's other novels. This isn't exactly my genre. But then, my brother read it for his AP English class and he said it was very good (so good, that it's one of his favorites). My brother is not an avid reader, so when he says a book is good, it usually is. He told me that I should read it, but I dismissed the idea, because it wasn't 'my genre'. A week or two later, I saw a copy of it at a used book sale in pristine condition. It's not very often that you find a new book at a used book sale. So I bought it, thinking 'Fine! Fine. I'll just read the book'. And what a great decision that was.
What didn't you like about this book?
This is a tough one. I guess, my biggest problem with it was the language. I found myself just skipping over the foreign words that I didn't know and then being confused later on because I wasn't sure what was going on and I'd have to go back and figure out what it meant (context clues!) However, that is no fault of the author, but rather, mine. I guess I didn't really like the very beginning (it was kind of slow), but the beginning is essential to the rest of the book. It's just so hard to find something I didn't like!
What did you like about this book?
I loved the strong protagonists. What they went through is beyond my capability of imagining and they are far stronger than I'll ever be. I particularly loved how everything started coming together towards the end. You could make connections and think 'Oh! So that's why that was important in the first chapters!' There was one particular death that was so well written, with a quiet dignity, that I loved. I was sad, of course, when said character died, but the way they went was beautiful. I liked almost everything about this novel. It was beautifully written and the characters were so lifelike. Great job, Khaled Hosseini. Great job.
Three Unexpected Things: Titanic, the shovel, Aziza
Three Things This Book Does Not Feature: Love triangles, happy endings for everyone, in-depth politics
Would you recommend this book to a friend?
Yes. I would recommend it to all of my friends (although, I'm sure a few of them have already read it). I would, however, put an age limit on this. There are a few disturbing scenes that I wouldn't want my 13 year old sister to read. So, be warned.
Bottom Line: This book was fantastic and engaging. I read it in one sitting! And it's not a short book either. It's a hard book to start, but once you do, it's hard to stop. It keeps you on your toes and I, personally, really felt for the characters. This book almost made me cry. It was so close. And any book that makes me cry, is a good one. In my opinion anyway...But what are doing? Stop reading this and go read A Thousand Splendid Suns. Trust me, it's a good one.
"Of all the hardships a person had to face, none was more punishing than the simple act of waiting." -A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini
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