How can I put into words the feelings and thoughts that A Thousand Splendid Suns
has evoked in me?
This is the story of Miraim and Laila, and the lives they lived in Afghanistan. They had very different upbringings. Miriam was shunned for being a bastard child, living a bitter and isolated life, adoring her father who visited her but would not recognize her in public. Laila was the daughter of a middle class Kabul couple. She was born a few houses away from Miram's home years after her arranged marriage to an abusive man. The Soviet invasion, warlords conflicts, Taliban and eventually American freedom impacted the lives of these women. Without spoiling the story this book highlights the cruelty that Afghan women suffer, the strength they have to have to survive, and the healing power of love in their lives. The story dissolved me to tears several times. Make sure you have a few kleenex nearby and a corner to go to to cry out loud in the second half of this story.
Mr. Hosseini describes life and scenery in Afghanistan with great power. I learned more from this book about the lives of Afghans here than in any other book, and it displays the cruelty that women in this culture suffer. After reading A Thousand Splendid Suns
knowing that this was not an unrealistic tale, I am profoundly grateful for the blessings I have and also ashamed of my ingratitude to God for these blessings.
