A review by bertwagner
A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini

5.0

I liked this book even more than the author’s first book, “The Kite Runner”. Afghanistan is a country that has been conquered again and again by different groups over the centuries. The story documents life in Afghanistan over the last 30 years, the Russian invasion, the Mujaheddin civil war, the takeover by the Taliban, and the US invasion, from the standpoint of two brave and resilient women. The title of the book comes from a 17th century poem titled “Kabul” and, in this case, refers to the caring and sacrificial love of the two women who are banned to be inside the walls of the house by the patriarchy.
I could not put the book down as I relished the love that the author displays for his native Afghanistan. I did feel sadness for the women in the story due to their very low status in society and that the hope of a better life following the US invasion would be quashed only 20 years later following the return of the Taliban when the US got tired of the situation and left.