AFTER MORE THAN TWO YEARS ON THE BESTSELLER LISTS, KHALED HOSSEINI RETURNS WITH A BEAUTIFUL, RIVETING, AND HAUNTING NOVEL OF ENORMOUS CONTEMPORARY RELEVANCE.
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 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, heartwrenching novel of an unforgiving time, an unlikely friendship, and an indestructible love -- a stunning accomplishment.
Reviews:
virginia (USA: NJ) (2010/01/02): Such a great book, if you read The Kite Runner, also by this author, and enjoyed it, you will LOVE this book. It basically has the same concept with the story of two girls living in the Middle East, and it explains the hardships they go through. Definitely makes you appreciate your life alot more. samharnold (United Kingdom) (2014/01/23): Having read The Kite Runner I was eager to read more by this author and I was not disappointed. The novel centres around two females living in war torn Arghanistan. This book is harrowing in places and deals with violence and the general treatment of women in this country. This is also a good historical read and deals with the subject of what happened behind the constant war and unrest in the country.
Both female characters are well written and you find yourself relating to both in different ways. The first character Miriam appears strong at the beginning of the novel. However, as this progresses with the constant abuse she receives her character changes which can only be expected. I have to say at the end I feel she goes back to being the strong character she started out as. The second character in the book Laila is in complete contrast to Miriam and helps the novel progress at an exciting speed.
As well as the historical nature of this book there are also the thriller style twist, turns and completely unexpected events. I also liked the description of how the women felt when wearing a Burka which gives your plenty to think about.
I find it hard to say I enjoyed this book with the lifestyle that it describes but what I will say is it is a very good read and I will be reading more by this author soon.
