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 Good writing. Story didn't speak to me. May 13, 2008
Miriam is raised with the idea that she not worthy of life's finer things. Her mother makes it clear that being the child of a wealthy man and a servant has made her undesirable and unwanted. Miriam grows up thinking that her mother is right. When her father turns her away and gives her to a much older man for marriage, Miriam goes without having a choice. She moves with her new husband to an city unknown to her in Afganistan where she has trouble conceiving a child. After seven miscarriages and failed attempts, her husband has nothing but contempt for her and treats her like a slave, abusing her every step of the way.
Laila is the daugher of a local family who's sons have gone off to fight in the Country's war. Her father is kind and brilliant and dotes on her every chance he can get. Her mother, however, is unable to cope with the absence of her sons and becomes completely unglued once she is notified that they have been killed at war. Laila's biggest ally is Tariq - her childhood friend for whom she is developing romantic feelings.
Amidst tradedy and violence, the lives of these two women become intertwined. What starts out as a hostile and hateful relationship soon develops into one of love and companionship as both battle the same evil man. The two grow in their love for each other, Laila's children, and their common fight against oppression.
The writing is exceptional in this novel and really brings to light the suffering of the people, and particularly the women, in Afganistan over the past half century. The book never stalls and you want to keep reading to see how it turns out. It is somewhat predictable, however, and the reader will not be shocked at the outcome. Any other result would be too depressing in an age where we want the good guy to come out on top. While interesting set amidst the backdrop of Afganistan, the story of the interpersonal relationships between the women and their abuser is not new or original. This is where the novel becomes simply average.
 Engaging sophomore novel May 11, 2008
A Thousand Splendid Suns, Khaled Hosseini's follow-up to his wildly successful novel The Kite Runner, focuses on the women of Afghanistan and their experiences in a war-ravaged Muslim society.
I really enjoyed this book, though it was difficult to read sometimes. There are two primary characters in the book: Miriam and Laila. Miriam is the illegitimate daughter of a wealthy businessman. When her mother commits suicide, her father marries her off hastily in order to avoid his shame. Mariam is married to Rasheed, an abusive older man who punishes her when she can't give him a child. Meanwhile, Laila, a younger woman, discovers that she is unwed and pregnant just as her parents are killed in a bombing. In the interest of self-preservation, she becomes Rasheed's second wife. The two women go on to develop a friendship and an enduring love that, in many ways, saves them both.
As difficult as life was for the male characters in The Kite Runner, it is infinitely more difficult for the female characters in this novel. Muslim society can be cruel to its women, who are expected to remain obediant and subservient to their husbands, regardless of the treatment they receive. My heart ached for the characters, for the pain and indignity they suffered, and for the society that enabled such injustice to be carried out.
Hosseini's writing is a tad more flowery in this novel than in the first, but not overly so. And because this novel is set against the backdrop of very current events, it feels more topical.
I thought this was an excellent second novel. Hosseini used what he already knew (and what he already knew his readers were interested in), but gave us a fresh take on it by examining it through a different lens and a more current time. I thought this was a great way of "giving people what they want" while still growing as a writer/exploring new territory for him.
 A Thousand Splendid Suns May 9, 2008
After reading Hosseini's Kite Runner, I instantly began to read his Thousand Splendid Suns. Focused on women, this book will give you an idea of how women were treated in Afganistan under the Taliban's control. Powerful and very well written.
A tough "act" to follow... May 9, 2008
After reading this book a few months ago, I find it hard to read any other book.. I loved "Kite Runner" as well, but this book is so haunting, I can still remember every little detail - each character, the events, etc. I have never felt so much emotion from a single book. I tried to read "Eat Love Pray" right after and that book was so painful to read. Maybe if I read it before reading "A Thousand Splendid Suns" I would have seen what all the hype was about for "Eat Love Pray".. In fact I didn't even finish "Eat Love Pray". I went on to "Friday Night Knitting Club" which is extremely dull.. and I'm moving on to "Three Cups of Tea" which is about Pakistan and the Taliban and whatnot - so I'm HOPING it'll be similar to Khaled's writing..
Read this book NOW!! Best book I EVER, EVER read....
A real page turner May 8, 2008
This book was so interesting that I finished it in 2 days. It depicted the customs and view of the way people live in Afghanistan while it told a beautiful story. It was easy to read and understand and made me see the way women are treated in this foreign country. Hosseini has a way with words that make you hungry for more reading. The service in receiving my book was awesome!
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