A Thousand Splendid Suns

A wonderfully written tale of tragedy and the endurance of love for one's family members. I did not know how deep love could run, especially when laced with such extreme circumstances and incredible cruelty, and I'm so very grateful for what this tale has taught me about the human spirit and the lives of those of whom I'll never know. This tale surrounding historical events in Afghanistan is superbly written and conveys such a deep degree of emotion that I found myself several times wracked with sadness that has now and will forever leave its mark upon my heart, as it goes out to the people who have had to, and still do, endure pure acts of evil that are unfathomable to me.

Aziza's character will now always be with me, because I was born in the same year as she was, and it was harrowing to think about how incredibly different our lives were from each other. They were parallel in many ways, but worlds apart in the end, and I'm pained to think of how my life would be if I had not been born as an American. A sad but wonderful tale that I think any reader would enjoy and grieve over.Amazing! Want to read it again! I didn't think he could outdo Kite Runner but this novel was eye-opening, breathtaking, heartbreaking all in one. Highly, highly recommend!

The tale follows two women across decades of war, love, heartbreak, faith & family: Mariam, lives with her mother out in the middle of nowhere. Her father is a rich businessman, Jalil, but he does not live with them, seemingly ashamed by his illegitimate daughter, but still comes to see her - almost weekly. Mariam ADORES him. But then tragedy strikes and Jalil in turn forces Mariam to move to Kabul and marry an older, cruel man named Rasheed. Laila, who is raised in Kabul but grows up in a life very different than Mariams. Her family is loving, and her father loves her very much, and is always present. She has friends and a boyfriend and a wonderful life. Layla and Mariam lives are eventually woven together in an intimate, tragic and emotional way. All the feels for this book! The emotions will hit you hard and it's a testament to Hosseini's incredible storytelling that to me, has no faults. A must read.

When I did, a week ago I was engulfed by the beauty of Khaled's writing. Beauty is when you are not willing to believe the characters are fictional. Beauty is when you decide with firm conviction that maybe, in some distant future your child will bear the name 'Aziza' Beauty is when your weeping becomes second nature, when you begin to understand the great human suffering . When you realise that you have been gifted. The mere things that we've been taking for granted, the things that we have at our disposal every single day, there are people out there for whom this may seem as a dream, maybe a dream never fulfilled. You will realize one thing for sure - To respect and honor Human Beings.


For a great deal has been endured by humanity. For every person we encounter has a story, wants to be understood, every person wants to be embraced, has dreams, wants to be seen. When you realise this you will start serving, uplifting, giving instead of wanting and getting. This book will break you. Break your ego. Break your desire for needs shoved through the wrath of consumerism. It will break your heart into a million shards. I urge you to read this unforgettable book. Let it take you down heartbreak zone. And liberate a sense of empathy, compassion and meaning that is in you, already. And that which the world so desperately needs.
They say that every now and then, you'll read a book that touches you so much, it doesn't ever leave you. A book that you could talk about with others for hours, one that makes you light up when someone else mentions it, and the first one you mention to friends that are after something new to read. For me, this book is one of them.

I first read this book around ten years ago, not long after it came out, and it instantly became my favourite. I don't read it too often as I don't want the effect it has on me to lessen when I do read it. Every time I pick this book up, the initial emotions I felt when first reading it are there as intense as they ever were, and every single time I finish, I'm left with that sense of awe and compassion. Not just for the characters, but for a whole country of women, who, without this book, would never even have entered my thoughts going about my comparatively easy life, thousands of miles away in my safe, free country. Perhaps it's because I'm a woman that I feel such a strong kinship with this book, but I really don't think that's it. I doubt anyone with a heart and sense of empathy could read this without being emotionally affected in some way. Its inspired me to take interest in the plight of people outside my own front door. To see past the end of my nose and actually pay attention to what's happening in the world, and to give fleeting pictures of world issues on the TV more than just a cursory glance. I like to think I understand what the author of this book set out to do, and while I doubt he'll ever read this review, I'd like him to know that in this reader, he's done his job. Thank you for a beautiful book Khaled.