A Thousand Splendid Suns

Friday, August 22, 2008
I just finished listening to A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini. I read The Kite Runner some time ago, and wanted to give his sophomore effort a try.

Like The Kite Runner, A Thousand Splendid Suns takes place in Afghanistan. The story revolves around two women, Miriam and Laila, whose lives intertwine in unexpected ways. Since Afghanistan hasn't been a very nice place to live for quite some time, the characters are exposed to horrific violence, misogyny, and a variety of crappy circumstances. Like the characters in his previous book, Mr. Hosseini puts these women through the ringer, to the point where it's almost painful to listen to the events as they unfold. The author believes in redemption, but the road that leads there is never easy, and always demands a dreadful price.

I think this story was better than his first effort. His descriptions of the women's helplessness in a Taliban controlled Afghanistan are stark, painful, and immediate. I really cared about Miriam and Laila, and I winced whenever something terrible happened to them.

This book was read by Atossa Leoni, a German born actress of Iranian descent. Her cosmopolitan voice was perfect for the story, and her pronunciation of the Afghan words included in the story went a long way in helping make the story realistic.

Worth your time, if you don't mind stories that include real-world depictions of violence.

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