“One could not count the moons that shimmer on her roofs, Or the thousand splendid suns that hide behind her walls.”
A Thousand Splendid Suns is one of the best books that I have read in ages. The sheer beauty and intensity of Khaled Hosseini‘s alluring, poetic prose throughout the novel captivated me from start until finish. There are few writers that I have read that have touched me in such a profound way with their writing. I felt the depth of the emotions of the main characters, Mariam and Laila, as they experienced the vicissitudes of life in Herat and Kabul, during the tumultuous thirty year period in the modern history of Afghanistan spanning the Afghan-Soviet war up to the US Invasion of Afghanistan in 2001 that drove out the Taliban. The pain and suffering interspersed with moments of joy and pleasure, experienced by the protagonists are vividly portrayed by Hosseini as the woman journey through their lives from childhood, to marriage as teenagers to the same man (Rasheed), to motherhood and womanhood. Amidst the interminable wars raging in Afghanistan, and the changing fortunes of different warlords, their lives are flung into a downward spiral of chaos punctuated by loss, despair and cruel restriction. Yet through it all the women persevere, while still keeping the inextinguishable flame of hope and love burning within them. Although I would unreservedly recommend A Thousand Splendid Suns to anyone, I must confess that it is quite a heavy read that is perhaps not suited for the faint of heart.
Have you read A Thousand Splendid Suns or another of Khalid Hosseini’s books? Which of his books would you recommend as a follow up for me to read? Please feel free to share your thoughts or reactions in a comment below. Thanks as always for stopping by! Also, if you would like to receive more updates about my writing please consider joining my newsletter mailing list by subscribing below.