REVIEWS
A Thousand Stars for a 'Thousand Splendid Suns'
By Delaney Emerine
Hosseini's story about two Afghan women is sombre, profound and beautiful.
Life is filled with hardships for everyone, but some suffer more than others. In "A Thousand Splendid Suns" by Khaled Hosseini, the two protagonists have both experienced more than their fair share of grief. Hosseini successfully creates a somber story filled with beautiful themes of friendship, family, and love that a reader is sure to enjoy.
Mariam was forced into an abusive marriage to an older man, Rasheed, when she was only fifteen. When a tragedy occurs that results in Rasheed marrying another woman named Laila, Mariam becomes resentful of her. Much to her surprise, Laila turns out to be one of the only positive aspects in her life. What starts out as a bitter, jealous relationship, turns into a beautiful friendship between two young women who desperately need a friend.
Khaled Hosseini’s heart wrenching work of fiction, "A Thousand Splendid Suns," is a novel never to be forgotten. This multi-generational story between two protagonists adds detailed perspectives about life in this period of Afghan history. The relationship he creates between Laila and Mariam is wonderful and without a doubt the best part of the novel. Hosseini makes the reader think about not only the characters’ lives and their relationships, but also their own.
"A Thousand Splendid Suns" is both heart-wrenching and heartwarming. His gripping story of two courageous, young women growing up in a strict, patriarchal society in Afghanistan is eloquently written and equally fascinating. Hosseini is a master at showing the intricacies of relationships not just between the two protagonists, but also their parents and other For anyone looking for a meaningful story, Khaled Hosseini’s novel is the one to choose. I highly recommend this novel to anyone, but I also must warn those who read it that they may end up in tears.