A Thousand Splendid Suns
Date Posted: Sunday, July 01, 2007Author: Khaled Hosseini
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While The Kite Runner looked at the world of men, A Thousand Splendid Suns lifts the lid of the life of women in Afghanistan.
Told from the perspective of two different women - Mariam and Laila, it unfolds over three decades, taking in the period of Soviet rule, civil war and Taliban tyranny.
Mariam is the illegitimate daughter of a wealthy businessman. When her mother dies she is forced at age 15 into marrying the brutal and bullying Rasheed. Eighteen later, Rasheed takes a second wife, 14-year-old Laila, whose parents have been killed in a rocket attack.
She and Mariam become unlikely allies against the increasingly violent Rasheed.
A Thousand Splendid Suns is a fascinating insight into Afghanistan's troubled history and a tale of loss and survival against the odds.
Discussion points
“A thousand splendid suns,” is a quote from a poem by Saib-e-Tabrizi. It appears twice in the book, once as Laila’s family prepares to leave Kabul, and again when she decides to return there. Why do you think the author chose this quote?
Mariam and Laila pass themselves off as mother and daughter several times. How does their relationship compare with that between the women and their own mothers?
How does Rasheed’s treatment of Mariam and Laila reflect society’s treatment of women in general?
One of Mariam’s first memories is of being told she is illegitimate. How does this affect her outlook and actions throughout the novel?
When Titanic becomes a hit film in Afghanistan Laila says: "Everybody wants Jack to rescue them from disaster. But there is no Jack. Jack is not coming back. Jack is dead." Discuss this as a metaphor for life under the Taliban regime.
Site Visitor Reviews
This is really a nice book
Just as brilliantly written and moving as The Kite Runner.
It lifts the lid on an oppressive regime and provides a fascinating insight into modern day Afghanistan.
A great plot and well-drawn characters keep you reading to the last page.
Highly recommended.
It’s rare to come across a book that both carries you along with an increbible story and wonderful writing, while at the same time opens your eyes to an aspect of modern history that you might be aware of, but really know nothing about. Sobering and fascinating. This is a book about women, but it is not “just for women”, which was my 66 year old Dad’s initial reaction. His sceptisism was quickly blown away by his fascination with the story .... and his desire to see some sort of justice done.
If you enjoyed this book and The Kite Runner, rent The Last King of Scotland on DVD. It comes from the same stable in terms of quality - and is an eye opener on an horrific part of history that we should all know much more about, but really don’t.
I was given this book for Christmas and I was unsure what to expect as I have not read the Kite Runner. As a rule Westerners know very little about Afghanistan so I found it interesting. The brutality of the last 30 years is shown through the experiences of the two main characers. The focus is on their characters rather than plot, which sometimes makes it hard going but it is extremely well written and often moving,
Following the success of The Kite Runner, Khaled Hosseini returns to his native Afghanistan with this harrowing tale. A Thousand Splendid Suns tells the story of two women against the backdrop of Taliban rule and Russian invasion. Although informative and well-written, it’s not a book I enjoyed due to the disturbing subject matter. This is an eye-opening but not an easy read.