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A review by sharanyaaguha
A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.75
I remember the first time I read this book I was in Class 8, that is almost 8 years ago. The books starts with Mariam hearing the word "Harami" for the first time when she was 5. Well, I was 14 when I first saw "harami" in the first line of the book and thus it had my instant attention. I borrowed the book from a friend after she finished reading, I couldn't wait to get my hands on it.
The book follows the story of Mariam and Laila. Mariam lives in Herat, a small city in Afghanistan with her mother and her distant father, Jalil. Upon her mother's death she is sent to Jalil's house where she is forcefully married to Rasheed. Rasheed treats her decently, but after her first miscarriage he abuses Mariam, both physically and emotionally.
Laila, a teenage girl in love with Tariq, her childhood friend, lives in the same street as Mariam's. When war reaches Kabul and Laila decides to flee Afghanistan with her parents, a rocket lands on their house killing everyone except Laila. Laila is then bought to Mariam's house where she later marries Rasheed upon learning about Tariq's death and being pregnant with his child.
But this is where the most interesting part of story begins, the relationship between Mariam & Laila and Rasheed's manipulative ways.
This is one of those stories that stays with you for a long time. Khaled Hosseini right then and there became one of my most favourite authors. This is also the first time I cried reading a book because I grew up reading only happy tales :D
The book follows the story of Mariam and Laila. Mariam lives in Herat, a small city in Afghanistan with her mother and her distant father, Jalil. Upon her mother's death she is sent to Jalil's house where she is forcefully married to Rasheed. Rasheed treats her decently, but after her first miscarriage he abuses Mariam, both physically and emotionally.
Laila, a teenage girl in love with Tariq, her childhood friend, lives in the same street as Mariam's. When war reaches Kabul and Laila decides to flee Afghanistan with her parents, a rocket lands on their house killing everyone except Laila. Laila is then bought to Mariam's house where she later marries Rasheed upon learning about Tariq's death and being pregnant with his child.
But this is where the most interesting part of story begins, the relationship between Mariam & Laila and Rasheed's manipulative ways.
This is one of those stories that stays with you for a long time. Khaled Hosseini right then and there became one of my most favourite authors. This is also the first time I cried reading a book because I grew up reading only happy tales :D