May
Book review- A Thousand Splendid Suns
As I’ve mentioned before, my husband has recently gotten into reading. I LOVE being able to talk books with him now! Several months ago he had to read The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini for one of his classes and he absolutely loved it, so I read it too. The husband was right- it was a fantastic book. Fascinating story, great writing, and a real eye-opener to a culture that I know very little about. We were hooked.
But we’re not here to discuss The Kite Runner today. I want to talk about Hosseini’s second book, A Thousand Splendid Suns.
I do a lot of reading, and there are a lot of books that I don’t feel are worthy of typing out a full review. But people, I finished this book two weeks ago, and I am still thinking about it. That is the sign of a great book. (By the way, I am not reviewing this book for any sort of compensation. I just liked it so much that I thought y’all might like a good book to read too!)
The story covers the lives of two women in Afghanistan over the span of about 30 years. It starts out a little slow, but eventually picks up the pace. The author does a fantastic job of developing his characters and allowing you to feel a connection to them. Hosseini does an even better job though of immersing you in the Afghan culture. I must admit that I know very little about Afghanistan or other countries in the Middle East. Ever since reading these books by Hossieni, my husband and I have been utterly fascinated with the culture in that part of the world. Hosseini gives you a glimpse into the culture that I don’t think would be possible to obtain another way other than physically visiting the country.
If you are looking for a light-hearted book, this is not the one. Many of the scenes are positively heartbreaking as Hosseini unfold a story about war and a society that does not value women. I was often horrified to realize that while the story itself is fiction, these events really are taking place with real people on the other side of the world. I actually feel the author is doing a great service to Afghanistan by writing such compelling books about it and bringing attention to the people there. The country is not full of terrorists as the media would portray. There are good people there who are victims of warlords and extremist ideas and a repressive society.
I gotta say, this book really made me appreciate my own life and especially my husband. I often stopped to reflect on how very fortunate I am to live in a country where I can dress how I want, marry who I want to, go to school, hold a job, vote, and basically do whatever the heck I want! (aaannd…cue patriotic music in the background!)
Hosseini is a beautiful writer, often able to convey a complex idea or feeling in just a short phrase. To me, the writing itself is just as important if not more important than the story line. I think that is often the difference between an okay book and a great book, not to name any names…*cough* TWILIGHT *cough*…So far the author has only written two books, but I am anxiously awaiting for his next one to come out. I would read anything he writes.
While the book was often sad and disturbing, I did really enjoy the ending…but I’m not going to say why! You’ll have to find out for yourself.
The book is for a more mature audience. There are a little bit of swearing, some sexuality, and some graphic images of war. However, if you are looking for a book that will change your perspective and stay with you long after you finish it, I highly recommend A Thousand Splendid Suns.
