Book Review- A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini

"Like a compass needle that points north, a man's accusing finger always finds a woman. Always." 

I just finished reading Khaled Hosseini's second novel, 'A Thousand Splendid Suns' published in the year 2007. After reading "The Kite Runner," author Khalid Hosseini's  first international best seller -a beautiful, compelling story,  I was hoping  'A Thousand Splendid Suns' would not be a let down which is mostly the case with successive novels of nouveau best-selling authors. Fortunately, 'A Thousand Splendid Suns' strengthened my faith in Khalid Hosseini as a master story-teller, an author who touched human emotions and struck a chord with them. 

What I was not prepared for were these cascading emotions that enveloped me in their fold- sometimes in the form of despondency, sometimes anger, sometimes empathy but mostly hope - hope that also nurtured and sustained the 2 female protaginists of the novel- Mariam and Laila all will be well one day; hope that there will be better days when there would be no unfairness, no injustice, no helplessness; hope that a time will come when the two women will be at least respected as humans; hope that their dreams will also find a cloud, that their thoughts will also find a voice someday.

The story set in Kabul and  Herat in Afghanistan traces the stories of two women - who grew up in very different circumstances from each other, in different times and how their destinites intertwined such that hostility paved way to a deep friendship, a bond that defied all odds. The story traces how the women stung by the harshness of life find kinship in adversity giving them both a reason to live and die for!

 “Laila has moved on. Because in the end she knows that’s all she can do. That and hope.” 

As easy as it is to sympathize with Mariam and Laila, it may be just as easy to be critical about Jalil, Rasheed and their likes in the story but then you realise how the fabric of society in Afghanistan is torn- continually pulled apart with political unrest, foreign intrusions and extremism. The harsh, cold, barren terrain of the place, the difficult living conditions and the lack of opportunities only serve to harden the people with a hunter-chase-lion-lion -chase-goat  syndrome. The physically stronger (aka the man who is supposed to be the protector of the family) always turning on violently against the physically weaker (the women and children of the family) in cruel, unforgiving ways. 

But to me the book is not just about how Afghanistan's power handles changed hands from Soviets to the Mujahedeen to the Taliban and the Americans, it is also not about the injustices meted out to women....... to me, the book, A Thousand Splendid Suns is about the indomitable human spirit -it is about a woman's reslience and will power, it is about a mother's sacrifice, a daughter's obesience and a friend's loyalty. The story is about undying love, surprising braveheartedness and yes hope - hope that breaks over the horizon like a thousand splendid suns!

                             “One could not count the moons that shimmer on her roofs,                                 Or the thousand splendid suns that hide behind her walls.” 

If you have read the book, do share your views with me. As for me- I have already picked up Khaled Hosseini's third novel, ' And the Mountains Echoed'.....fingers crossed that it would be as good a read as the first two!                         

Also published on Good reads with a 4 star rating;    https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/704006860