It's ironic that Andrea debated on making this the book for January as I had just finished reading "A Thousand Splendid Suns" a week before her post. So, in case you have an inkling to read it read it here's my two cents.The following is the synopsis as found on the author's website: "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 the 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, heart-wrenching novel of an unforgiving time, an unlikely friendship, and an indestructible love—a stunning accomplishment"
What this synopsis failed to mention, was one of the most compelling aspects of the book to me....it was about two women. It was the story of two women's lives, how they had been affected by the Taliban, how they were connected, their loyalty to one another, how to survive amidst incredible strife, and how the power of friendship, sisterhood and love can make life beautiful.
I appreciated the author's attempt to illustrate the changes in Afghanistan over the past 30 years and how they impacted women in particular. Though fictional, I felt at times that the story probably wasn't too far from the reality of many women. It makes me even more grateful for the liberties I have. Liberties that are as simple as looking another person in the eye, going outside and taking a walk, dancing, learning etc.
It's well worth the read and I definitely recommend it.
8 comments:
Leslie, I am so glad you liked it! I started it right before Christmas...(silly me, what was I thinking?) so of course have put it down. I loved The Kite Runner. It, too gave me a greater appreciation for my freedom and for the country I live in. And sadly, these are the lives of many people. For now I am reading "Playing for Pizza" (much lighter!) but my next read will be A thousand Splendid Suns!
Thanks for the recommendation, Leslie. I have a question: although I loved "The Kite Runner" for many reasons, it was one of the hardest books I've ever read because the content was so vivid and heartbreaking at times. Can you comment on this aspect of "A Thousand Splendid Suns." I just want to be prepared. ;)
I have heard the same of opinion of The Kite Runner before and I didn't get that feeling from "A Thousand Splendid Suns". Mind you there are some very tragic and heartbreaking things. I suppose depending on the picture your mind paints, it can be vivid, but I don't think to the same extent as The Kite Runner. It made me cry, but the point that made me cry wasn't the heartbreak, it was the tenderness. Hope that helps.
The Kite Runner was very exhausting for me to read. I loved it, but that was my hesitation with choosing "Suns" as the book for this month, is that it was SOOOO draining.
I also read "Suns" during the Christmas Holidays and really enjoyed learning more about the women of Afghanistan. I appreciated the detailed history of the country for the last 30 years. It helped me understand the rise of the Taliban and Bin Ladin. I liked the way the author divided the story into sections and I really enjoyed the character development of the two women. I appreciated their different strengths and weaknesses that made it possible for them to survive such horrible circumstances. I found the scenes of domestic abuse very difficult to get through and would hesitate to recommend it to some of my friends, but I enjoyed the nature of Hosseini's writing so much that I preserved to the end. I thought the "Kite Runner" was much better--the guilt and personal angst of the Kite Runner characters were haunting and the plot was much more engaging. The Kite Runner continues to make me think months later and I think that is the mark of a truly great novel. However, "Suns" was a terrific second novel and I hope Hosseini continues to produces such thought-provoking works.
Just a comment/question related to Khaled Hosseini. Has any one else seen the movie Kite Runner? I just saw it this week and would be interested to see what someone else thought about the book turned movie. I was amazed to see how closely the movie followed the story line. It seems like most books-turned-movies add and veer off into something that it wasn't originally. They left one part out towards the end that I was grateful for. I'd love to hear any other comments.
I just finished "A Thousand Splendid Suns" tonight. I agree with Leslie...it was definitely easier for me to get through than "Kite Runner"; the violence was still awful, but I appreciated the endurance of the characters. Also, for me, who loves a happy ending, it seems like this tale had so many more positive notes at the end than "Kite Runner," which left me with a hopeless kind of feeling. And, like Natalie, I didn't feel the guilt of the characters as much in this novel...maybe because the ones who did the most horrible, unforgiving things were not the characters Hosseini made you appreciate and empathize with? Anyway...I blabber. Just wanted to put in my two cents worth!
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