Review: A Thousand Splendid Suns

A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini

May 22, 2007 by Riverhead Books

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Synopsis:

"Born a generation apart and with very different ideas about love and family, Mariam and Laila are two women brought jarringly together by war, by loss and by fate. As they endure the ever escalating dangers around them-in their home as well as in the streets of Kabul-they come to form a bond that makes them both sisters and mother-daughter to each other, and that will ultimately alter the course not just of their own lives but of the next generation. With heart-wrenching power and suspense, Hosseini shows how a woman's love for her family can move her to shocking and heroic acts of self-sacrifice, and that in the end it is love, or even the memory of love, that is often the key to survival.

A stunning accomplishment, A Thousand Splendid Suns is a haunting, heartbreaking, compelling story of an unforgiving time, an unlikely friendship, and an indestructible love."

Review:

I don't know why it took me so long to pick up anything written by Khaled Hosseini. Reading A Thousand Splendid Suns was an incredibly humbling experience; both heartbreaking and heartwarming but absolutely moving. It's not often my eyes want to water, something which I had to prevent as I didn't want to embarrassingly start bawling in the middle of a busy cafe.

It's now that I understand why this book is often praised and loved and it only makes me so excited to read Hosseini's new book; And The Mountains Echoed. A Thousand Splendid Suns is not just a heavy read, but an experience -- this is something you read to learn about being really, truly human. This is something you read and suddenly you've been given an intense life lesson about what love is. I'm not just talking about romantic love, but love for your mothers, your children, and of course, love for yourself. This book is heavy. This book is hopeful. This book is beautiful. You finish this story, close the book and you spend time in the silence of thought. By finishing this book, you're rewarded with a greater appreciation for your own life. The roof over your head, your full belly, the running water and just how precious your friends and family are.

I learned absolutely so much in this book; especially about the historical events in Afghanistan in the last few decades and about the experience of war. I learned about how much the human spirit could take, and I learned enormously about motherhood and companionship. I learned about the power of faith, too. 

I highly recommend this book to…anyone, maybe everyone. There are some definite mature subjects such as domestic violence and yes, war, but you'll take away so much from this book and won't regret ever picking it up.

Rating: 5/5 Bookworms