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0 of 5 found the following review helpful:
 load of bull Mar 03, 2010
I have not read this book and I am not going to read it. After reading the Kite Runner I have concluded that this writer is incapable of writing anything good. The Kite Runner was the second worst book I have read in last ten years. The worst was Da Vinci Code. At least Da Vinci Code didn't pretend to be 'literature'
 Muslim insight. Mar 02, 2010
Our current political climate has raised many questions about the Muslim community. This book gives great insight into the type of struggles associated within a society that is structured on total obedience. It also demonstrates sadly, the problems that occur when religion says that there are certain instances when it is alright to lie--as was done to the little girl in this story.
The story pulled out many emotions of injustice and sadness, but ended with a beautiful hope.
it's a great book! Feb 28, 2010
engages the reader even in the beginning of the book, the plight of the women and the struggles in their daily lives provides great contrast with that of my own. Compared to them, I live in a immensely rich society with rights that they could never have dreamed of.
An Intimate Potrait of Women in Afghanistan's War-Torn Years Feb 27, 2010
I weeped at the end of this book. Simply weeped.
Before I get into its praises, let's get a few shortcomings out of the way. There are a few aspects to Hosseini's writing style that I'm not fond of, and the same minor complaints I had in The Kite Runner also apply here, except to a lesser degree. He still did some explicit foreshadowing, but only a couple times, and in at least one case, I do think it added a bit of suspense rather than detracted from the current narrative. Later on, when foreshadowed events occured, characters undoubtedly conjured up old memories that reminded the reader that said event was foreshadowed - as if Hosseini didn't trust the reader to be smart enough to remember on his own. But, in most cases, it seemed natural that if these events were really occurring, the characters would remember these old conversations with fondness, regret, or poignancy, so it wasn't really out of line to write about such memories. Overall, I think Hosseini's writing is more developed in this book, and ultimately, my rating of a book depends a great deal on how much of an impression it left on me, which is why I gave this book 5 stars despite these minor annoyances.
If The Kite Runner was, in part, a gentle and lovely portrayal of a peaceful, bygone time in Afghanistan history, then A Thousand Splendid Suns is its natural successor, telling intimate stories of women who endured the recent decades of multiple wars that tore the country apart and made it unrecognizable to its own citizens. On one level, this book serves a purpose by informing readers of Afghanistan's political turmoil and the nightmare of living in a war zone. But, it is also a book about motherhood, self-sacrifice, endurance, grace, and unadulterated love for one's homeland.
The book is filled with interesting characters. A woman who, to a stranger, may look like the embodiment of weakness and servility, but proves to be a fountain of admirable grace, wisdom, and strength not in spite of, but because of her sufferings. A man who mistreated women with shocking cruelty out of a misguided sense of tradition and conservatism, but also not unintelligent and still capable of affection and tenderness. Another woman who has enormous potential as a child, who is raised to value education above all else, but who must succumb to the draconian laws of the Taliban.
I was so invested in the characters that two-thirds of the way through the book, I started to fear that an undesirable conclusion would ruin the book for me. Without giving anything away, I'll say that I loved the ending.
absolutely heartbreaking, but a must read! Feb 25, 2010
i read Hosseini's first book, The Kite Runner last year and really enjoyed it, so i was eager to pick this one up. it definitely didn't disappoint and i enjoyed this one even more than his first book. where Kite Runner portrays boys and men, Splendid Suns focuses on women in the Afghan culture. it is heartbreaking and beautiful, in all the good ways, and i laughed and cried along the way.
it is the story of two Afghan women brought together through unforgiving circumstances by their marriage to the same man. based around historical events of the past 30 years, this story is intricately woven around political and societal changes in Afghanistan. it shows the strength and endurance of the soul despite the suffocating hand of an abusive husband and scornful view towards women from the Taliban regime.
despite the fact that is a fictional story, there are lasting impressions made about both the horrible and wonderful aspects of the Afghan culture that i won't soon forget. i definitely recommend this book if you are interested in cultural perspectives or just a good story.
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