A Thousand Splendid Suns: A Novel

What an amazing novel and so difficult to pin down my thoughts in a short review. Words such as "liked" "enjoyed" are not fitting words to describe this reading experience. "Spellbinding" and "eye-opening" would seem more appropriate. Set against the backdrop of 30 years of turbulent Afghanistan history (from the early 1970's to the early 2000's), Hosseini vividly portrays those years of unrest, war, oppression and terror through the voices of Mariam and Laila. Every single character experience death and loss of so me kind. One would think that this would make for a very depressing read, and yet, Hosseini manages to intermingle all that is terrible and ugly with a shimmer of love and a ray beam of light. For me, this book is as important for its history lesson as it is in providing a vivid portrayal of Afghan life and terrible oppression of women in Afghan culture. The pain and suffering portrayed is palpable... I lost count of the number of times I found myself flinching along side the characters, and crying with them. Hosseini is truly a gifted storyteller, grabbing the reader's attention with clear, unfussy language. He dazzles the reader with his story, not the words used to convey the story. Through this straightforward presentation, Hossieni provides readers with a fascinating glimpse of daily life in Afghanistan of the time period. Another well written, thought provoking read for me.

I couldn't help but notice that Goodreads doesn't categorize this book as historical fiction, which is clearly is, covering life in Afghanistan before the Soviet invasion all the way to the point where America is already losing ground to the Taliban. The story centers on two key women whose lives come together in indelible ways. The early part of the book was written so extremely simply that I felt I was reading something that might have been appropriate to me as a sixth grader. As the characters lives became more involved, so did the writing. Eventually, you have serious adult drama on your hands and serious writing. At a climatic point a key character makes a most significant gesture that affects all the main characters. In my view, at that point the book could have and should have ended. The final pages felt like window dressing to me, stating the obvious, trying to point to a happy ending. It's all the more ironic that the ending gives a much more positive indication of the future than it turns out the historical reality that actually follows. All in all, an epic story well worth reading.

A dramatic story about the lives of two women in Afghanistan. This was the kind of story that made an impression on my mind and will stay with me for some time. The story follows two women, whose lives connect, through the various ruling changes in their country. It shows their lives during the Soviet invasion, the civil wars following the departure of the Russians, and finally the rule of the Taliban. It is amazing to see the horror the people of this country has had to live through. The story puts a human face on the terrible wars that we read about in the news but often do not give a second thought to. As someone who teaches high school history, this is the kind of book I would want my students to read so they can understand that there are families and children just like us that live over there, and that war is almost always bad for all involved.

Strong female characters.

Great and heartbreaking story - could probably say it’s “based on the true story” of a thousand women living in Kabul. Gives an in-depth perspective of a culture where women are property. Such a good story - couldn’t stop listening. *Technical issue - the audio chapters were uploaded in the wrong order and I accidentally heard the last chapter first. I didn’t realize it until I was almost finished with the book. I kinda thought it was written that way on purpose. Anyway, it’s probably fixed now, but be aware - the story should start with Miriam’s childhood - not with Lila and Miriam.*

Remarkable story of friendship (and so much more) spanning about 25 years in Afghanistan. Hosseini is fast becoming one of the finest storytellers of our times, and this is only his second novel.

Beautifully told story.

A Thousand Splendid Suns is the first book I've ready by Khaled Hosseini, and I found it to be magnificent. His characters are developed beautifully and drive the story perfectly. He handles the terrible and on-going wars in Afghanistan honestly, but he's careful to show that life goes on whether we choose to live it or not. I flew through this book. The writing is absolutely spendid, and the story is intoxicating. I cannot wait to read The Kite Runner and And The Mountains Echoed.*I received this book for free through a Goodreads giveaway.

A truly harrowing novel about being a woman and therefore without rights in 1970s-1990s Afghanistan. This book shows that through all of the changes Afghanistan went through, first in the Soviet war and then under Taliban rule, that the women of the country's situation changed but they remained fundamentally the same: inferior and rightless. It's a very sobering book, but at the same time I found it rather uplifting at the end (unlike the Kite Runner).

30 years of the history of Afghanistan and a very sad story.

This was very difficult to read because it's so painful. But I appreciated learning more about an important region of the world I've never visited nor read much about - only heard about on the news, where obviously you only hear certain kinds of things. Women's situations all over the world interest me, so I appreciated that perspective.

I did not finish. Remember being interested in the story to about half way. Then I got interrupted and never returned to the book. I wish I had.

this was a good story that kept me interested. i don't really have much to say beyond that.

This for me is a very moving tale but it really fails to reach its true potential.The story is about two women from very different background. Mariam who is the illegitimate daughter of a wealthy man growing up in rural Afghanistan who is shunned by her biological family. Laila is young enough to be Mariam's daughter and grow up in Kabul with loving parents, in particular a doting father. Laila has a relatively modern upbringing, attending school and having male friends as a child, whereas Mariam's upbringing is much more traditional. When the respective parents die both women's lives are turned upside down and they marry the same man sharing a house with him in Kabul.The story stretches from the mid-sixties until about 10 years ago when the Taliban were overthrown and covers much of the country's bloody recent history. Now this part of the book is very well done with a good insight into the country's upheavals and its countryside. This a country ruled by the gun and bomb where a woman's place is to be subservient to a man and therefore this escalating violence is perpetrated in a domestic setting as well as a national one. However, where for me the story fell down was in the lack of characterisation of the two main participants, the story is event driven rather than giving a great insight into Maraim and Laila true thoughts and feelings. Their characters are seen as merely stoical rather particularily emotional.The book does appear to have a happy ending of sorts but I guess that only time will tell whether Afghanistan, its people and in particular its women truly do have a happy future. Overall I found this a very touching read and appreciate that this a book written for a Westrn market but in the end came away with very little more insight into life Afghani life and history, it rather confirmed what I already knew rather than add to that knowledge which is a real shame.

Part One follows the story of Mariam, an Afghan child born out of wedlock to a wealthy businessman and his servant, Nana. It begins with Mariam as a five year old, full of adoration for her father although he keeps his illegitimate family hidden in the country, far away from the prying eyes of his three wives, nine legitimate children and nosy community. For ten years Mariam adores her father despite the fact he only visits her on Thursdays and regales her with stories of riches she will never see. At fifteen Mariam has finally had enough and travels to the city to visit her father, only to be banished once again - this to a prearranged marriage to a merchant thirty years her senior.Part Two follows the story of another girl, fifteen years younger than Mariam. Laila is nine years old and living with her parents in the same Afghan city as Mariam. She has a much different upbringing than Mariam, though. Laila's formal education is fully supported by her parents and she is allowed to socialize with children her own age. She has one special attachment, a boy named Tariq. Over the course of five years Laila's relationship with Tariq blossoms into a teenage romance.Part Three brings Mariam and Laila together. The same man who marries Mariam marries Laila. It is the abuse they both suffer at the hands of their husband that brings them together as friends. The bond they share takes them to a startling and devastating conclusion.

This is an excellent book. I liked The Kite Runner more, but A Thousand Splendid Suns is well worth reading. It is both a story of relationships, being a woman in Afghanistan, and the history of that country across much of my conscious life.

This book is not too unlike Hosseini's first novel, The Kite Runner. It is a fairly readable, fast-paced story about lives that have been over-turned, uprooted, and nearly destroyed by nearly three decades of war in Afghanistan that is still on-going. Hosseini's story follows the lives of two women from their childhoods through adolescence and into adulthood with difficulties in marriage and child-rearing made even more difficult by war, rebellion, and in-fighting among groups of jihadis and warlords in Afghanistan. The story begins in Herat with the life of Miriam, then moves to Kabul when Miriam moves there and then pick-up the story of Laila mid-way, alternating between these two female protagonists. Compared to The Kite Runner, the story moves along but without much pull until about three-quarters of the way through. Then, Hosseini stretches the end a bit with what feels like an extended afterward. In part four, Hosseini's writing style wavers as the narrative shifts awkwardly between a third-person style that felt like an internal monologue to a third-person style that felt like simple third-person and the story seemed to drag toward the finish. That these criticisms are possible is a testament to the ease of flow in the earlier parts of the book and the high expectations Hosseini set with his previous best-seller, The Kite Runner. All in all, the book is a fast read that adds an interesting human element to the past thirty to forty years of Afghan history. (also posted to GoodReads)

Rarely has a book kept me so suspended while reading. I could not put it down; I could not pause long enough to assess all I was taking in. By turns, the story was beautiful, ugly, heartbreaking, tender...there were times I wanted to laugh, but could not. There were times I wanted to cry, but could not. I finished the last page, set the book down and just sat, feeling moved and somehow privileged to be let in on the secrets of Miriam and Laila. Khaled Hosseini wrote an amazing story of simple human courage.

I thought Hosseini's earlier work, "The Kite Runner", would be difficult to top, but "A Thousand Splendid Suns" is indeed even better. The strength and bravery of the two women he portrays testify to the amazing resiliency of the human spirit -- even in the face of horrific violence and cruelty. Finding the beauty in war is difficult, but this author has done it masterfully.

I wasn't sure I was going to enjoy this book all that much - thought it might be a little 'worthy'. But frankly, it was a really good book, not worthy at all. I really felt for the characters and the writing was excellent. My thoughts go out to anyone living in the kinds of situations this book related.

Almost the best writing I've ever had the pleasure to experience. It took me a bit too long to get into the novel, but I was rewarded for sticking with it. There were paragraphs that I read repeatedly and slowly because the images were so beautifully crafted, and I wondered how I ever could stand reading Twilight. The English major in me was loosened and basking in the thousand splendid words.

I know so little about Afghanistan's history, politics, and culture that I was able to take the circumstances described in this book as gospel truth. How realistically that was all portrayed, I don't know, but I'm taking Hosseini at his word. Reading this after reading the dystopian novel, The Handmaiden's Tale made the circumstances of Laila & Mariam's lives all the more disturbing. When reading the handmaiden's tale, I could fear and want to prevent the future extreme oppression of American women, but this was like the same story but real, just in a foreign country, giving even more credibility to the dystopia in The Handmaiden's Tale. While I sit in relative freedom, reading and doing what I want to, I can feel truly grateful for what I have but also a burden of guilt. What the hell am I doing to help those who are being persecuted all around me while I'm in ignorant bliss? Who will help us when the children in the quiverfull movement and those in Jesus Camp are old enough to reach their goals? This novel, obviously, has left me thinking and feeling utterly dissatisfied and depressed, but it may be what pushes me over the edge to actually do something.

Laila & Mariam's story made me weep frequently, feel a range of emotions in general, and enlightened themes of familial responsibility, sacrifice for our loved ones, abuse of power & oppression, dependency & the necessity of strong communities.

I would love to sit down and discuss this novel for its literary merit and its implications---I'm aching for a discussion group.

Best book I've read in a very long time. Loved the characters and their interaction. It was a pager turner that I really didn't want to see end. Highly recommended. If its possible, I liked this one better than The Kite Runner

Heartbreaking at times, yet I couldn't put it down. I was angry, curious, sad, but mostly fascinated by the author's story and prose.

This book had me so angry the whole way through! So tragic yet, I couldn't stop reading. This story follows the lives of two young Afgani girls, in different time periods, until their lives intersect. These women deal with such a great amount of abuse and just have to accept it as their fate, or do they?

This was my bookclub's read for Feb. 2008. Hosseini's second novel is set in Afghanistan, and is about two women, Mariam and Laila. It starts about the time the Soviets invaded Afghanistan until the early 2000s. Mariam is illegitimate, but sees her father once a week when he comes to visit. He has three wives and nine children at home, but she loves him fiercely, though her dour mother is less kind to him. But when Mariam wants to live with her father, he turns away from her, but her mother, afraid of being alone, commits suicide. Mariam is hastily married to a cobbler in Kabul, a country away from her native Herat. Her marriage starts out tolerable, but gets less so as her many miscarriages make her chances of giving her husband a son unlikely.Laila is the daughter of Mariam's neighbors. She loves Tariq, a neighborhood boy who lost a leg to a Soviet bomb. As the country is torn apart by one war after another, she loses him, and is taken in by Mariam's husband, whom she marries. Laila has a child, then four years later finally the son so desired by the husband.The husband's brutality is mirrored in the brutality of a land torn by so many years of war. In the end there is at least the hope of happiness for some, as there was in the Kite Runner.Another strongly moving book. On odd days I find The Kite Runner the better book, on even days I prefer A Thousand Splendid Suns. On all days I celebrate that these books have sold so well, and give such a moving picture of life in another country, culture, and religion than our own.

I don’t typically write reviews, however, I loved this book! I loved the way it was POV it was written from. It’s one that pulls at your heartstrings so be warned ! I’m actually going to listen to it a second time !

Amazing story! I really liked this one much better than "The Kite Runner" which really didn't cut me to the heart. This story, however, was devastating in both ugliness and beauty. This book should be required reading for any person who endeavors to have an opinion about the Middle East.

***Spoiler Alert***

From Books in Canada: "With his second novel, A Thousand Splendid Suns, Khaled Hosseini has written a story on par with his widely acclaimed first novel, The Kite Runner. As a counterpoint to the male point of view in his debut tale, his equally cinematic second novel focuses on female perspectives in war-torn Afghanistan, where domestic violence runs parallel to international warfare.

The novel’s title comes from a poem composed by Saeb-e-Tabrizi, a 17th-century Persian poet who gave the following description of Kabul, where most of the novel is set: “One could not count the moons that shimmer on her roofs, / Or the thousand splendid suns that hide behind her walls.” If these romantic lines present the idyllic side of the city, the truth shatters any illusions, for Kabul is transformed into a place of violence-by the Soviet invasion, the factional warlords, and later the Taliban. Midway through the novel, a rocket destroys the house of Laila, one of the central characters, and kills her parents: “A big burning chunk of wood whipped by. So did a thousand shards of glass, and it seemed to Laila that she could see each individual one flying all around her, flipping slowly end over end, the sunlight catching in each. Tiny, beautiful rainbows.”

This dramatic and melodramatic passage typifies the strengths and weaknesses of A Thousand Splendid Suns: on the one hand, a single piece of wood whips by, signalling the beatings Laila will endure at the hands of her brutal husband and her unhappy fate; on the other hand, the improbable count of shards highlights Hosseini’s descriptive powers and narrative pacing. In that split second of total devastation, how likely are those “tiny, beautiful rainbows”? Does trauma permit such aesthetic epiphanies? As Laila strikes the wall and crashes to the ground, she sees her father’s torso with “the tip of a red bridge poking through thick fog.” Her father had worn this shirt with a picture of San Francisco on it as a sign of hope for future departure to freedom near the sea. A Thousand Splendid Suns is filled with such crises and climaxes, and Hosseini’s narrative twists and turns create similar emotional responses in his readers.

The novel begins with Mariam, the other centre of consciousness: “Mariam was five years old the first time she heard the word harami.” Harami, we soon find out, means bastard. As such, she is an outcast, but in addition, she “belongs” to a society where families are dismembered and where women are second-class citizens at the mercy of cruel husbands, brothers, or fathers. Hosseini’s occasionally clipped prose-“It happened on a Thursday”-alternates with longer descriptive sentences to create a satisfying rhythm that propels the narrative. In preparation for her father’s arrival, Mariam takes down her mother’s heirloom Chinese tea set. “Nana cherished each blue-and-white porcelain piece, the graceful curve of the pot’s spout, the hand-painted finches and chrysanthemums, the dragon on the sugar bowl, meant to ward off evil.” Grace and symmetry are not meant to last: “It was this last piece that slipped from Mariam’s fingers, that fell to the wooden floorboards of the kolba and ! shattered.” The shattering of this misplaced artefact foreshadows the shattering of lives throughout the rest of the novel.

Mariam’s kolba is a hut of exile outside of Heart where she and her mother live, provided for by Jalil, her wealthy father who already has legitimate children with his three wives. Out of shame, her mother commits suicide and Jalil arranges for Mariam’s marriage to Rasheed, who takes her to his house in Kabul, where her troubles multiply. Forced to wear a burqa outdoors, inside the house she endures her husband’s loathsome lust: “A few moments later, he pushed back the blanket and left the room, leaving her with the impression of the pain down below, to look at the frozen stars in the sky and a cloud that draped the face of the moon like a wedding veil.” Hosseini’s pathetic fallacies and similes are palpable and formulaic. Mariam eventually becomes pregnant, but miscarries while visiting a hamam or bathhouse. Once she loses the baby, Rasheed reacts by forcing her to eat pebbles, a form of stoning. “Then he was gone, leaving Mariam to spit out pebbles, blood, and the fragment! s of two broken molars.”

The narrative shifts abruptly to Laila’s life in “Part Two.” Laila falls in love with Tariq who has lost a leg to a Soviet landmine. Leaving for Pakistan, Tariq is unaware that Laila is pregnant with his baby, Aziza. Mariam saves Laila after her family is blown apart, and in “Part Three” the chapters alternate between the two women. As their lives become more closely intertwined, the narrative itself becomes tighter and more satisfying. Once Laila (falsely) learns that Tariq and his family have been killed before reaching Pakistan, she has to decide what to do about her unwanted pregnancy, so she agrees to become Rasheed’s second wife, much to Mariam’s consternation. However, once Aziza is born, Mariam and Laila become reconciled, realising that they have much in common. They both share a contempt for Rasheed who regularly beats them. Despite the overwhelming cruelty, Laila eventually gives birth to Zalmai, a son for Rasheed who dotes on him while showing contempt for Aziza.!
During one of Rasheed’s brutal attacks on his two wives, Mariam is forced to save their lives by killing him. Like some maimed deus ex machina, Tariq returns to Kabul to claim his earlier love for Laila. To clear the way for Laila’s future with Tariq, Mariam confesses to her crime and is executed. At points in the novel, Hosseini alludes to Hemingway’s The Old Man and the Sea: the parallels between Hemingway’s sharks eating the captured fish, and the destruction of Afghan society are all too clear.
At an orphanage, where Rasheed had forced Laila to abandon her, Aziza learns “about fractures and powerful collisions deep down and how sometimes all we see on the surface is a slight tremor.” Hosseini portrays the region’s earthquakes at various levels and he structures his chapters melodramatically with tremors at the ends and beginnings of many of them. In their hillside retreat in Pakistan, the surviving family finds some comfort after all the calamities. “Laila likes Murree’s cool, foggy morning and its dazzling twilights, the dark brilliance of the sky at night; the green of the pines and the soft brown of the squirrels darting up and down the sturdy tree trunks.” This refuge offers a stark contrast to the bullet-ridden buildings in war-torn Kabul, yet in the end, her city of origin reclaims Laila, who is determined to begin anew amidst the rubble. Amidst the bursting radiance of a thousand suns, she will rebuild her family.

Somewhere between Auden’s “ironic points of light” and One Thousand and One Nights, A Thousand Splendid Suns offers glimmers of hope in an otherwise eclipsed landscape, ravaged by a succession of regimes and male domination. Through the burqa darkly, Hosseini lifts the veil towards a brighter future." I rate this nove 4.5 stars.

A stunning novel that all too vividly brings too life the oppressive and often brutal treatment of women in Afghanistan. The plot spans the period from the 1970s until the Taliban are driven out of Kabul in the noughties. In the main, the author focuses on the lives of two women, both of whom at different times - when each is in desperate straits - find themselves with little option but to become the wife of a shoemaker in Kabul. The author deals very effectively with the relationship between the two wives, and the way society forces them to be utterly dependent on their shared husband. It isn't necessarily enjoyable to read, but it very well written and absorbing.

An engaging read - I actually cared about Marian and Laila and the story was emotional without being sentimental.
Set against the troubles of Afghanistan in general and Kabul in particular this story offers an interesting insight into what some peoples lives may have been like.