A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini

[Nossa]

Khaled Hosseini's second novel, follows the story of two Afghani women, Mariam and Laila, during and after the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan.

Mariam, who was an illegitimate child of a famous and respectable figure in the city of Herat, is focred to get married to a much older man and live with him in Kabul. Laila, who lives in the same street as Mariam's, is the only daughter of two parents who lost their sons in the war against the Soviets.

Both Mariam and Laila are brought together in unfortunate circumstances. They both endure the brutality of their husband, Rasheed, the war against the Soviets, then the war of the Afghans agaist each other and lastly the Taliban regime. Through painful and sometimes deadly events, Mariam and Laila develop a special bond, they help each other put up with the hardships and always find hope in the lives of Laila's children, Aziza and Zalmai.

When I first started reading the book, I was immediately drawn in by Hosseini's style of writing. He's one of the few writers who can actually bring tears to my eyes. Although the division of the book into four parts isn't my favorite thing about it, I still loved every bit of it. Maybe I got a bit bored in the second part (the one discussing the life of Laila), but Hosseini has a way of keeping you hooked even if you felt bored at some parts.

What I love most about this book is how it ended. In The Kite Runner the book ended with hope, same as this one, but the difference here is that, while in The Kite Runner the hope was found elsewhere, that is in a life in the US, the hope in this book was found by returning back to where all the problems started, and where hope is needed most, that is Afghanistan and Kabul. He brought back his characters to their country to help revive what was damaged by all the rockets and killings.

Although The Kite Runner remains my favorite of the two books, A Thouhsand Splendid Suns is definitely worth every minute spent in reading it.

9/10

[Virgil]

Thanks for that Nossa. You've really tempted me. I've got such a long reading list right now, so I don't know when I'll get to try one of his works, but I will look out for it.

[neilgee]

by Khaled Hosseini

This novel does exactly what I for one read novels for in that it took me out of my own world and transported me into another one [the world of this novel].

Russia's invasion of Afghanistan and the Talibans rise to power were merely items on the news to me when I was growing up, but this novel takes you there, into a world where you realise that a woman is relatively "free" if she allowed to wear only a head scarf to cover herself when she goes out. You know she has a reasonably open-minded family to go home to.

We see the novel through the eyes of two Afghan women [both wives of the same man] and their adventures are so absorbing and deeply-felt that it will stir your emotions, I gaurantee it.

[Maryd.]

Well Neil, you are not wrong there. I now look at the world in a different point of view and thank God that life here in Australia is free. Free for women to express themselves; for women to be intellectually minded and for them to feel free not to marry. Let alone have to share your home with another wife. My heart felt for both women and am trully thankful for my freedom and right to say "no"...

[prendrelemick]

I have recently read,- The Kite Runner, A Thousand Splendid Suns and The Book Seller of Kabul. I found "Splendid Suns" the least enjoyable of the bunch, it was a bit too much, Like Hosseini thought the more misery he could heap upon his heroins and the more wicked he made the husband, the more sales he could expect.

What was missing, was the examination of the Husbands character and motivations, he was merely bad, end of story, I wanted an explanation.

[Maryd.]

Ok, I almost agree with you there Predrelemick. There wasn't much focus on him. Honestly there was one point that I did like him. I am not into war and killing, but when he waved his rifle around and claimed he would protect his wives I almost liked him. But he wasn't the sweetest man in the world and I believe Hosseini, was trying to show that side of the times. But I could be wrong.

[neilgee]

I wonder if it's to do with the order you read them in because I've heard comments like this so many times now, people who love The Kite Runner and don't rate Splendid Suns, yet everyone who has read Splendid Suns first rates it higher and I'm certainly one of them.

[Maryd.]

I guess I cannot judge between the two as I haven't read The Kite Runner. I should consider reading it... But I need a rest from reading about political and religious books... Not really my genre, but it A Thousand Splendid Suns, certainly moved me, so I will read more of Khaled Hosseini in the near future.

[neilgee]

I heard on the radio that he's the best-selling author in the world at the moment, can it be true or have i misheard? I suppose it's possible given the International flavour of his books, he will sell in countries where JK Rowling doesn't.

[Maryd.]

Not sure if you heard right or not, but it will definitely make its sales for him. This book is an exceptional read.

[neilgee]

The methods and the ideology of the Taliban are well documented, I am clearer about that than I am about Hosseini's book sales. The attitude towards women - that of the Taliban with their leaflets proclaiming that any woman seen out walking on her own is breaking their laws [and thereby fair game for an on the spot beating] and the husband - as depicted in the novel are perfectly believable to me.

After all it's not that long since women didn't have the vote and women's property and money automatically belonged to their husband as soon as they married in the West. Why should it seem over the top that such attitudes prevail in poorer countries?

Growing up in such an environment is an open invitation to certain kinds of men to become twisted bullies. Like the man who rises high in the Taliban ranks [in the novel] says, it's an ideal setting for a bully, all sanctified in the name of religious righteousness.

[prendrelemick]

"The Book Seller of Kabul" gives some insight into these issues. There are some areas in Afghanistan that has such deep-set liberal traditions that the Taliban knew better than to challenge them. There are also areas where local traditions are so strict that the Taliban's rule made no difference to them.
My point is that the way of life - particularly the attitude towards the women, and indeed the attitude of the women - is traditional rather than imposed upon them by the Taliban. The Taliban though, enforced these rules through bullying and terror.

[Scheherazade]

I have recently read,- The Kite Runner, A Thousand Splendid Suns and The Book Seller of Kabul. I found "Splendid Suns" the least enjoyable of the bunch, it was a bit too much, Like Hosseini thought the more misery he could heap upon his heroins and the more wicked he made the husband, the more sales he could expect.I pretty much agree with this. Splendid Suns is much weaker than the Kite; Hosseini sounds like he just wanted to make best of his fame.

Also, domestic abuse does not only happen in poor countries.

[neilgee]

Also, domestic abuse does not only happen in poor countries.

Fair point, but isn't there a chance of a woman at least running into the street for help in most countries, whereas under Taliban law she runs the risk of receiving another beating from the Taliban for leaving home unaccompanied.

Thanx prendrelemick too for your enlightening comment.

[Scheherazade]

Fair point, but isn't there a chance of a woman at least running into the street for help in most countries, whereas under Taliban law she runs the risk of receiving another beating from the Taliban for leaving home unaccompanied.The thing is that Hosseini seems more interested in creating "dramas" than actually trying to reflect true horrors of this particular regime. It is easy to say, "Bad, bad, bad Taliban" but do we know how women were treated before the Taliban in Afghanistan? These abusive men did not simply spring out of nowhere as soon as they came to power, did they?

Now that Taliban's gone, are the women better off in Afghanistan?

I don't want to derail this discussion but I think Hosseini should have not touched this issue if he had not intended to work on it with the utmost seriousness and care it requires.

Otherwise, it is simply making light of it, which is almost insulting to all the women who have been suffering similar fates.

[neilgee]

The thing is that Hosseini seems more interested in creating "dramas" than actually trying to reflect true horrors of this particular regime. It is easy to say, "Bad, bad, bad Taliban" but do we know how women were treated before the Taliban in Afghanistan? These abusive men did not simply spring out of nowhere as soon as they came to power, did they?

Now that Taliban's gone, are the women better off in Afghanistan?

I don't want to derail this discussion but I think Hosseini should have not touched this issue if he had not intended to work on it with the utmost seriousness and care it requires.

Otherwise, it is simply making light of it, which is almost insulting to all the women who have been suffering similar fates.

As someone who has not took much interest in Afghanistan in the past I thought this novel was an extraordinarily absorbing introduction to the idea of what it is like for the human beings caught up in this kind of revolution; to what it might feel like.

As to whether women are better off now the Taliban are gone I find that question a little extraordinary.

We all know attitudes don't change overnight but imagine someone's knocking the hell out of you at home but you know that if you go out of the door there will be patrols in the street with fists and rifle-butts at the ready to continue beating you where the person at home left off.

What do you do? Try and choose who will give you the lesser beating of the two options? Yet you ask if I think women are better off without this choice.

[Scheherazade]

As someone who has not took much interest in Afghanistan in the past I thought this novel was an extraordinarily absorbing introduction to the idea of what it is like for the human beings caught up in this kind of revolution; to what it might feel like.As someone who has taken interest in Afghanistan before, during and after Taliban regime, I can easily say that what is reflected in this book is almost trivialising the issues.
As to whether women are better off now the Taliban are gone I find that question a little extraordinary. Maybe I was not very clear in my earlier post:

I am not suggesting that things happened during the Taliban regime are preferable to the state of things before and after this regime... I am simply suggesting that these things had happened before... and are still happening. Let's not assume that everything is a bed of roses now that "the big bad wolf" has gone.

And books like A Thousand Splendid Suns did a lot to persuade the public that it was all Taliban's fault and once they were gone, things would be just fine... Which is why I cannot bring myself to congratulate Hosseini on this book. He is a decent story-teller, who did himself injustice by taking the easy way out with this book.

[neilgee]

As someone who has taken interest in Afghanistan before, during and after Taliban regime, I can easily say that what is reflected in this book is almost trivialising the issues.Maybe I was not very clear in my earlier post:

I am not suggesting that things happened during the Taliban regime are preferable to the state of things before and after this regime... I am simply suggesting that these things had happened before... and are still happening. Let's not assume that everything is a bed of roses now that "the big bad wolf" has gone.

And books like A Thousand Splendid Suns did a lot to persuade the public that it was all Taliban's fault and once they were gone, things would be just fine... Which is why I cannot bring myself to congratulate Hosseini on this book. He is a decent story-teller, who did himself injustice by taking the easy way out with this book.


From the point of view of somebody without your knowledge I see it differently. It bought the subject to my attention, made me interested in it, which nothing had managed to do previously, and I must insist that is a good thing and the power of the novel must be respected for that.

I was not left with the impression that things would be fine and dandy once the Taliban were ousted myself, but that's just my personal impression of the novel which is very different to your very negative impression of the same book.

I think we are going to have to agree to disagree on this one.

[rae709]

I had to read this for my senior english class, and during the first few chapters, I just wanted to punch the walls in. I was furious with Rasheed and with Mariam's father. But as the story went on, I cried in the last few chapters. I learned about what happened in Afghanistan and I know that it still goes on today. It just made me appreciate where I am right now.

[Dodo25]

I learned about what happened in Afghanistan and I know that it still goes on today. It just made me appreciate where I am right now.

Same here, I had to read Hosseini's 'The Kite Runner' for school (one of the few 'school books' I actually did read) and I liked it a lot. I read 'A Thousand Splendid Suns' afterwards by myself. I have talked to some exchange students from Afghanistan about these books. It was impressive, it really does make you appreciate things more.

[Maryd.]

I had to read this for my senior english class, and during the first few chapters, I just wanted to punch the walls in. I was furious with Rasheed and with Mariam's father. But as the story went on, I cried in the last few chapters. I learned about what happened in Afghanistan and I know that it still goes on today. It just made me appreciate where I am right now.

My heart sank throughout the novel and I know this still goes on today as well. Let us all be thankful.

[Scheherazade]

It is sad that people were not aware of the situation until they have read this novel.

[Dodo25]

It is sad that people were not aware of the situation until they have read this novel.

That's not how I meant it. There are different kinds of 'being aware'. You are aware of all sorts of suffering from the news, but if you aren't confronted with individual life stories and feelings, it's all just numbers and facts. You don't really care because it's abstract and far away. What Hosseini managed to do was to vividly picture the situation so that readers actually have a beginning understanding of how it is like to the people there, suffering.

Everyone is aware of what happened in Hiroshima and Nagasaki. But are you 'aware' in the deeper sense? Most people aren't, and it needs a lot of deliberate imagination effort to actually picture in the mind what it was like. John Hershey's 'Hiroshima' accomplished this in a very moving way.

[rae709]

You have a good point. we hear about things that happen in the world, but unless you actually get the deeper pitcure, you can't really understand what that type of horror is like.

[Scheherazade]

I have no problem with people turning to literature for some understanding or "feel" of historical events; however, my point is that Hosseini is not doing a brilliant job when it comes to depicting these, going barely beyond pulling the strings of Western reader's heart by piling up dramatic and tragic details... Which, in my opinion, does nothing to further the cause of Afghan women (apart from making us thank our lucky stars that we are oh-so-lucky).

It is obvious that we will not be agreeing on this issue, on which I feel very strongly, but thank you very much for an enlightening discussion.

[Thinking]

hmm...I also had read the book...and I felt pity on the women's position and their miserable life.

but the end....satisfy me ...everyone has a reason to move and author splendidly gave one solid reason to the survivers of the novel.

I am big fan of this novel since....hmmm

[neilgee]

I have no problem with people turning to literature for some understanding or "feel" of historical events; however, my point is that Hosseini is not doing a brilliant job when it comes to depicting these, going barely beyond pulling the strings of Western reader's heart by piling up dramatic and tragic details... Which, in my opinion, does nothing to further the cause of Afghan women (apart from making us thank our lucky stars that we are oh-so-lucky).

It is obvious that we will not be agreeing on this issue, on which I feel very strongly, but thank you very much for an enlightening discussion.

I understand that you feel strongly about this, Scheherazade, but i know that you undestand that a book posted for review is usually admired by the reviewer. You've got to expect that.

You have superior knowledge that I wish I was privvy to because the strength of your beliefs has made an impression on me.

[WildWildEast]

It is one of my favourite books. I really cried at what happened to Mariam in the end. I hated Rasheed for abusing his wives and loved how the women were co-operating with each other. Usually, a second wife is the worst's enemy of the former wife. But I guess when you're put in a situation like that, you don't who care you are teaming with. You just want free yourself from cluches of such a monstrous man.

I honestly did not mind that Hosseini did not explain his motives for beating and mistreating his wives, because Rasheed simply had no justifications for his abusive acts. And when you come to think of it and trace back the early days of his marriage with Mariam. You will find that from the very beginning, he was not that nice to her. He has this wild and abusive nature. There are many passages in the book that can suggest that.

And I believe there are too many men like him out there who do the same.