Reviews with content warning for Domestic abuse - A Thousand Splendid Suns

Oh my heart-
A Thousand Splendid Suns has got to be one of the most tragically beautiful pieces of literature ever written
Khaled Hosseini's portrayal of what it means by being a woman, a Muslim, and a human in general is done stunningly with realism and sensitivity.

"A man's heart is a wretched, wretched thing. It isn't like a mother's womb. It won't bleed. It won't stretch to make room for you."

As a Muslim myself, this book definitely had a profound impact. I just want to thank the author for the respectful and authentic portrayals, especially in how the story explores relationships, whether platonic, romantic, or familial. The bond between Mariam and Laila was absolutely beautiful. Tariq and Laila's relationship and just..the hardships they went through yet both never backed down. They clung on to hope and their Lord.

"The Koran says Allah is the East and the West, therefore wherever you turn there is Allah's purpose."

The writing too was breathtaking, and some of the passages struck me deeply (I annotated sm-)
Also it was so enlightening, exploring Afghanistan’s history, weaving its tragedies into the lives of the book's characters with great care.

"Each snowflake was a sigh heard by an aggrieved woman somewhere in the world. All the sighs drifted up the sky, gathered into clouds, then broke into tiny pieces that fell silently on the people below. As a reminder of how women suffer."

I knew this was going to be a 5 star from the start. I just wish I was able to prioritize and contemplate on this book a little more but wasn't able to as life had different opinions (which is the only reason why it took some time to get through this book) But..atlas. it was wonderful

“And the past held only this wisdom: that love was a damaging mistake, and its accomplice, hope, a treacherous illusion. And whenever those twin poisonous flowers began to sprout in the parched land of that field, Mariam uprooted them. She uprooted them and ditched them before they took hold.”

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kyrabreanne's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional informative reflective sad tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

Very emotional read with lots of informative information on what it was like being in Afghanistan when the Taliban were raining over.

Loved that this was a heavy, but easy read. Very well written and couldn't put it down.

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zouchs's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional hopeful sad tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.5

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bookmarkedbybennett's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional sad tense slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

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veggiestrawenjoyer13's review against another edition

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challenging emotional informative tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

This is my second time reading it, and while it doesn’t have the same impact knowing what’s going to happen, I remember how I felt the first time. It’s a beautifully heartbreaking and emotional story. I feel so connected with and empathetic towards the two main characters, Miriam and Laila. The writing is perfect for this subject matter and had such an emotional impact for me. I love this book, this story, and these characters. It’s heartbreaking to know this is the reality for many women in our world today.

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bookwitch's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional informative sad tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

Woof, this is not for the faint of heart. But an absolutely necessary novel, rightfully considered a future classic.
This book follows two women, from different generations, different upbringings, and very different ideas of what life, love and marriage are supposed to look like. As their worlds inevitably, and tragically collide, we endure unspeakable violence, fear and wartime conditions through their eyes and experiences. The way they go from strangers, to partners during a time when women are stripped of their autonomy and personhood, of their basic human rights, highlights the strength it takes to be a woman, and to endure all these unspeakable things for themselves and for their families in order to keep them safe/alive.
Utterly heartbreaking, hard to digest and infuriating all on the same page, this author weaves a tragic story with a sliver of hope at the end. This will certainly be one I am unlikely to forget anytime soon.

Content Warnings

pghtaylorsversion's review against another edition

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dark emotional hopeful mysterious reflective sad medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

I thought the Kite Runner was informative and gorgeously written... This one was even more so! I am so grateful to learn from Khaled Hosseini's perspective.

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