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A Thousand Splendid Suns | 
| Author: Khaled Hosseini
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing Inc
Category: Book
Buy Used: $17.36
Used (13) from $17.36
Avg. Customer Rating:  1253 reviews
Sales Rank: 221779
Format: Import
Media: Paperback
Edition: Export Ed
Pages: 384
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1
Dimensions (in): 9.1 x 6 x 1.3
ISBN: 0747582971
EAN: 9780747582977
ASIN: 0747582971
Publication Date: May 31, 2007
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Shipping: International shipping available
Condition: Brand New, Perfect Condition, Please allow 4-14 business days for delivery. 100% Money Back Guarantee, Over 1,000,000 customers served.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 1248 more reviews...
 A sad but captivating read July 26, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
I read this book before I read his first book, The Kite Runner. This actually helped remove any expectation and made the Kite Runner seem more optimistic. I would recommend reading them out of order to anyone who hasn't read any of his books yet. This book presents a hard reality but offers a lot of insight, inspiration and education within its pages. I really enjoyed it and was sad to be done.
One Unbelievable Book!! July 25, 2008
I read Kite Runner, which was so outstanding, I could barely put it down while reading. I enjoyed reading Hosseini's work so much, I immediately went out and bought A Thousand SPlendid Suns. From the first few sentences I was hooked! Both Kite Runner and A Thousand Splendid Suns, are so fantastic. I do think that I did enjoy this book more than Kite Runner. I stongly recommend both books to everyone out there. Whether your into reading or not, you should pick up Housseini's books and see what a wonderful writer he is! He truly captures your heart with each and every character in the book. It makes it hard for you to choose which character's side you are on!
Keep on writing Khaled Hosseini! I can't wait to read what's next...
"Every Afghan story is marked by death and loss and unimaginable grief" July 25, 2008
1 out of 2 found this review helpful
I absolutely loved _The Kite Runner_, and therefore was hesitant to read _A Thousand Splendid Suns_, for fears of it falling short of the expectations I have for Hosseini. I was so very wrong. _A Thousand Splendid Suns_ is magnificent. It is bitter-sweet, to be sure; as Hosseini writes towards the end of the novel, "Every Afghan story is marked by death and loss and unimaginable grief." Through the characters of Miriam and Laila we vicariously experience an Afghan story. You will be moved.
Admittedly the first third of the book is a challenge - readers first meet Mariam, a young Afghan girl who lives in the contryside. Mariam's life is one of hardship, abuse and toil, with only fleeting moments of joy that are quickly destroyed. Having introduced this character, Hosseini then seemilgly drops Mariam and introduces Laila, a Afghani girl who lives in Kabul - her childhood experiences are worlds away from Mariam's. Be patient - the investment made in developing these characters is returned several times over as the stories of these two different women intertwine and unfold.
As Afghanistan is first invaded by the Soviets, then plunged into civil war before the ascension of the Taliban, these two very different women find they have much in common: death, loss, grief - but also an astonishing capability to endure, survive and find solace and comfort in each other. Hosseini does such a masterful job of developing these characters that, at times, it is difficult to go on reading, given the emotional attatchment you have to them.
Life in Hosseini's Afghanistan is brutal, unjust and chaotic. His characters, however, are beautiful. I regret not reading it sooner. Very highly recommended.
 Will not make you feel good - but will make you feel blessed July 24, 2008
I found it to be a heartbreaking book - an eye opening book as well. The fact that the book is set in recent years made it more heartbreaking as well as realistic. It was hard for me to read the parts where Rasheed abused the women. It angered me greatly.
I think the book was quite stark and harsh - yet honest. I'm glad I read it. We, here in the US, know nothing of the sort of things portrayed in the book and it was hard to put myself in that place. It also made me think of my freedom and how there is no one to control me, no one to tell me I must cover myself in a burqua. I find it unimaginable to have to live that way.
I didn't close the book with a "feel-good" air. I closed the book and sighed. I think many would benefit from reading the book - it lets you know that there is very much more to this world than yourself and that you should count your blessings every day. It also lets you know that your life can change in an instant and that the world you think you should have isn't necessarily the world you'll get.
-Gatlianne
 Not compelling July 24, 2008
Not nearly as compelling as the Kite Runner and borders almost on parody. Villains are even more cartoonish and one-dimensional than in the Kite Runner. Dialogue and descriptions are still clunky. Also, when taken together with the Kite Runner, it is clear that Hosseini is pushing a pro-American, anti-Islamic political agenda.
Why does Hosseini pepper his dialog with foreign language (Persian, Pashto, Arabic, Urdu etc.) and then translate it into English immediately within the same sentence? ("Mariam said bas, stop it.") It's not like these characters are supposed to be speaking English in real life. Very very annoying.
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