A Thousand Splendid Suns
Summary
A Thousand Splendid Suns is a breathtaking story set against the volatile events of Afghanistan’s last thirty years—from the Soviet invasion to the reign of the Taliban to the post-Taliban rebuilding—that puts the violence, fear, hope, and faith of this country in intimate, human terms. It is a tale of two generations of characters brought jarringly together by the tragic sweep of war, where personal lives—the struggle to survive, raise a family, find happiness—are inextricable from the history playing out around them.
Propelled by the same storytelling instinct that made The Kite Runner a beloved classic, A Thousand Splendid Suns is at once a remarkable chronicle of three decades of Afghan history and a deeply moving account of family and friendship. It is a striking, heart-wrenching novel of an unforgiving time, an unlikely friendship, and an indestructible love—a stunning accomplishment
(Summary taken from www.khaledhosseini.com)
My Review
A Thousand Splendid Suns was one of the best novels I’ve read in a long time about love, friendship and overcoming adversity. I, as I’m sure most Americans, had very little knowledge of Afghanistan before the tragic events of 9/11. Shortly after the attacks, Afghanistan has remained a constant word in our vocabularies. But, do we really know anything about this country outside of what we’ve heard in the media? I personally did not. This book helped me come to a basic understanding of life in Afghanistan over the past three decades, plagued with anarchy, war and death. After reading this book, I can sympathize completely with the struggles of the main Afghan women of the novel, Mariam & Laila. Their joys, fears and struggles are no different from my own. Hosseini did a wonderful job of reminding us that no matter our cultural heritage, race, socio-economic status, we are simply humans and our journey on this earth transcends every label.
Closing Remarks: A beautiful and heartbreaking novel. A very sad read at times, but very powerful in the end. A realistic glimpse into a mysterious world we know very little about.
Drink of Choice: A cups of chai tea with a dear friend
Additional Information
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