A Thousand Splendid Suns

Part historical fiction, part social commentary, and part hella engrossing storytelling. Sometimes events moved a little too fast, and it was relentlessly bleak (which drove me nuts at times), but I really enjoyed this book. I couldn't put it down after I got into it, the characters sparked emotion, and the Afghanistan history was perfectly woven in.

I think this should be a required reading for high school students. It tells the story of living in Afghanistan from the 1970's to current day. After reading this book, we (especially women) should realize how blessed we our with the freedoms we have that others around the world do not know.

We need to read stories such as this to wake ourselves up to the inhumanity people around the world experience daily. We are so fortunate to be able to wake up everyday and live our lives as we see fit, and not be told how to live down to every minor detail with fear of punishment by death.

This is a powerful book. I had already read The Kite Runner, but had not felt compelled to take up Khaled Hosseini's second work. However, after numerous people suggested to me that it was much better, though harder to read, I decided to take it up. The commentary on the back of the book describes it as "big-hearted"; that "[Love] is the emotion...that suffuses the pages". I didn't see that as much, to be honest. This book is a statement of the endurance of people whose lives are bound up in their homes, who cannot escape the pain their homes are built upon. While love is a partial backdrop, solidarity and suffering are the themes. It speaks to the basic human need to look for hope, to desire to cling to life, even though it kills us.

The book is set in Afghanistan, running from the 1970's into this decade. Herat and Kabul, and the hope to be found in nearby Pakistan, are pivotal. The family life of the book is set against the backdrop of the Soviet occupation, the warlords who replace them, and the rise of the Taliban. One sees history unfold in a way that shocks, where the western impression of the Soviet era is contrasted with the heightened rights of women and the removal of the communist order eventually brings the suffering of Shari'a law. And the often heard name Taliban, so hated and despised in America, is viewed, at least at first, with joy; spoken in glowing terms and with hope. This joy is mixed: for many, it is only a harbinger of worse things.

This book especially highlights the suffering of Afghanistan's women, disallowed to have any say in the progress of their lives, blown about by the winds of circumstance, held under thumb by the men who rule them. While not specifically attacking the social order, it demonstrates the hardness of heart that turns acts of mercy into acts of power and control, acts of kindness into acts of despicable torture.

To speak of "enjoying" the book would perhaps be a misuse of the word. I thought the text compelling, the events on the whole believable, the descriptions of characters and setting palpable. But it would be hard to read without a slight aversion, as Hosseini documents the abuse of the main characters with strong language. His depiction of Mariam's father shows a man characterized by a lack of courage, yet loved, even idolized, at the expense of real love. His depiction of the hard-hearted yet self-justifying husband is startling and made me cringe, while at the same time providing a sense that he was not entirely at fault; an understandable creation of his environment, oft-betrayed, yet an arrogant and uncompassionate villain, who twisted acts of mercy into tools of oppression.

The beginning of the book is slow, to say the least. It was a fight to get into the second half of the book. But once there, it was hard to put down, despite the suffering recounted. I thought that there were a number of leaps in the flow that left one wondering if they were not contrived or forced. It left me asking on a few occasions, "Why was that necessary?" Obviously, a writer is free to write whatever flow of action he wants. But sometimes the pain and hurt seemed gratuitous, going too far. As if there could have been a different outcome, that maybe naturally there even would have been. I will not second-guess the narrative and suggest that it is exaggerated. Rather, one shares the hope the women cling to despite a constant awareness that things can only end badly.

That being said, the book ends with a quasi-positive. Similar to the ending of The Kite Runner, there is the possibility of happiness, but it is not yet realized. One wonders if it really will be. Not all ends well. Nor would we find truth in a book where all did end well, most likely. We live in a time when we see life through dark glasses. And maybe with good reason. In that light, A Thousand Splendid Suns will stand as a testament to the pain experienced by two generations - both in Afghanistan, and beyond - those who felt, if almost imperceptibly, the ripples of darkness.

Overall: Powerful narrative, compelling emotion, but it will require a strong stomach (and some patience in the first half).

A book of compassion and the strength of women!

I don't think that story was to be written in the style of Waught or Collins which may require a pillow to sleep on. The story is about real life experiences of women in a country that is falling apart, much like their own personal relationships. They not only endure battles within their own countries, but also have to deal with their fight to stay alive. This book definately made me reflect on how lucky I am to be living in such a free country. Could you imagine living the lives that these women lived? Many women still live like that. I think this book was meant to instill compassion in all of us, and an understanding that women can rise to the occasion to overcome any battles they may have to face. AN EXCELLENT NOVEL!

Tariq Character (Does it sounds close to reality?)

Well Tariq is portrayed as loyal character with Laila and fulfilled his promise but it seems a bit Exaggerated as he idealy found a nice person in pakistan and provided him space to live, job and others. But overall the plot and story line is strong enough to overlook little exaggeration.

Why didn't Mariam go with Laila to Pakistan?

One thing that I don't get is why Mariam decided she had to stay behind. Why didn't she go with Miriam to Pakistan?

Rasheed

I have mixed emotions about Rasheed. I think he knew Aziza wasn't his shortly after her birth and considering how enmeshed he was in the culture of that time, I have difficulty being angry with some of his reactions. As American women, we are appalled by his treatment of his wives (and having more than one wife for that matter) but-and correct me if I am wrong-his behaviors were pretty much par for the course at that time. By the way, that is what draws me so much to the character Babi in the Kite Runner-who challenged these ideals.
I think Rasheed's rage came purely from the core of his being, making it completely justified to him at the very least. He viewed his marriage to Lailia as "saving her" making him a martyr of sorts, then allowing her illegitimate daughter to stay with them pushed him to the edge.
I did hold my breath the entire time they were locked in the room with no food or water. His behavior is abhorrent but in his mind, do you find it justified?

The I'm Reading This Now Discussion Group

I just finished the first chapter or so and see that Hosseini has invoked themes and plot devices similar to The Kite Runner. I don't necessarily have a problem with that but hope it doesn't make this too predictable. What similarities have you seen so far?

MY FAVORITE BOOKS! WHAT'S YOURS!

This is a place where, you, the reading community can tell me what your all time favorite books are. I would love to know what literature you are drawn to or, if one of my choices didn't necessarily hit your top list, I would like to know that too. This forum is for you so please, share your viewpoints here with me! I hope to discuss a good, or bad read with you soon! In the meantime, happy reading!