Book Review - "A Thousand Splendid Suns" by Khaled Hosseini

While I found A Thousand Splendid Suns to be absolutely beautiful, it was very sad. Like Hosseini's The Kite Runner , it takes place in Afghanistan, starting with the Soviet occupation, through the Mujahideen phase and ending with the Taliban government. However, unlike "The Kite Runner" which is the story of two boys, this is the story of two girls.

If you read "The Kite Runner" and thought it was intense, imagine the story of women in Afghanistan. Both of the main characters, Mariam and Laila are beautifully developed - you can clearly see their growth and their depth. There are of course men, and they play key roles - both good and bad - in the lives of the protagonists, but this is definitely a story about women in Afghanistan.

While ultimately inspiring, there is much despair, cruelty and tragedy. There are several scenes that are difficult and uncomfortable to read, but they are not gratuitous. It is worth the sadness, I highly recommend this book. I actually liked it better than "The Kite Runner".