A Thousand Splendid Suns

“One could not count the moons that shimmer on her roofs,Or the thousand splendid suns that hide behind her walls.”

“Mariam was five years old the first time she heard the word harami. It happened on a Thursday”

Introduction of the Book

Summary

“Thousand splendid suns” is written by the Afghan-American author, Khaled Hosseini. It was published in 2007. It was his second book after his 2003 bestseller debut ‘The Kite Runner’. The book belongs to the domestic fiction genre. The story is set in Afghanistan, roughly from the 1960s till 2000. The setup background of the book is surrounded with Taliban and afghan wars. The book tells the story of Mariam and Laila, two Afghan women from different walks of life coming together and facing challenges. The book traces the journey of Mariam, and illegitimate child living with her mother in Herat, small city in Afghanistan. Her life takes drastic changes when her mother dies and she go to live with Jalil, her father, who ends up marrying her to Rasheed, an old shoemaker in Kabul. Rasheed used violence and humiliated her and also got married again to Laila. This is where the relationship of Laila and Mariam is seen. Laila’s family and friend, Tariq were lost or rather died during the afghan war. The story continues with Laila and Mariam standing against Rasheed together, facing life challenging moments and Mariam’s sacrifice in order to give Laila, a second chance at life with Tariq.

Characters

• Mariam- illegitimate child of Jalil and Nana, and wife of Rasheed. Life was never fair to Mariam and she always ended up humiliated and insulted.

• Laila- Former wife of Rasheed and present wife of Tariq. She had a fairly good childhood as compared to Mariam until she marries Rasheed. She was ambitious and focused towards studying.

• Jalil- Father of Mariam and also the person who married her to Rasheed. He was a coward who never expected Mariam and her mother, Nana and never had the courage to stand against his wives or the society.

• Rasheed- An old shoemaker in Kabul. Married to Mariam and Laila. He was never a good husband and always used extreme violence on his wives.

• Tariq- Childhood friend and husband of Laila.

^{Cover page of the book- Source : Google}

About the Author

Background and Biographical element

Khaled Hosseini was born on March 4,1965 in Kabul, Afghanistan. He is an Afghan-American novelist and physician, currently living in the US. The story includes his experiences and perception of the Afghan culture and surroundings. Hosseini visited Afghanistan again in 2001 and wrote the books after, reminiscing his time in Afghanistan.

^{Khaled Hosseini; The author- source : sfgate}

Awards

1. Exclusive Books Boeke Prize

2. British Book Awards- 2004: The Kite Runner

3. A Thousand Splendid Suns for Fiction, Goodreads Choice Award (2007)

4. A Thousand Splendid Suns for Richard & Judy Best Read of the Year in 2008

5. Book Sense Book of the Year Awards

6. A Thousand Splendid Suns for Adult Fiction in 2008

7. California Book Award Silver Medal

8. And the Mountains Echoed for fiction (2013)

Politics surrounding the text

Backdrop of the story

The story is laid in the time period of 1960s-2000, surrounded by the terrors of Afghan wars and experiences of people under the Taliban rule. Afghanistan faced a series of violence, brutal wars and rule of several political coups. It went through numerous political rules, from communist party to the Soviet Union to the Taliban. Hosseini breathes into the historical events and weaves an apt story around it.

Taliban- Source : Cbsnews

Themes Highlighted

Women in Afghanistan

Women in Afghanistan were no stranger to pain and suffering, either physical or mental. The state of women under the political rule never gave them any freedom rather suppressed them more every time a new party started to rule. Women were the severely affected. Women were always the objects for their husband’s frustration and were brutally beaten was minimal or no reason at all. Mariam was married to Rasheed against her wishes and then was treated poorly by him. Though Laila did have a liberal father, they too succumb to the situation in Afghanistan. Social stigma and strict rules and restrictions were always put-upon women. For e.g., enforcement of Burqa on Mariam as well as Laila.

^{Women in Afghanistan – Source : Afghanistan Times}

Oppression, Terror and Hope

It is a well understood fact till now of how Afghanistan was wrapped up with terror and oppression due to the different political ruling parties. Terror of Taliban controlled the lives of Afghan people. Spies always were lurking, nobody to trust and the hint of suspect in everybody’s eyes. Trivial things like listening to music or radios were enough to put you behind bars. The only hope people hold up was for the times to change. Their loved ones were their emotional hope. Hope for a better future was the only thread to which the characters as well as the readers were holding onto.

^{Oppression and Terror in Afghanistan- Source : Afghanistan Analyst}

Love, Bonds and Shame

Love was another emotional aspect that kept the characters going. That was one of the many reasons for their survival. Laila’s love for her children, Mariam and Tariq. Nana’s love for Mariam, etc. The theme that ‘love conquers all’ is seen triumphant in the book with Laila and Tariq’s love story.

Linked to one’s responsibility and guilt towards the past is Shame. Shame of social stigma and social standing. Shame is deeply externally and internally both political. Shame surrounding the existence of Mariam is an example.

Female friendships are one of the major highlights of the story. Laila and Mariam survived depending upon each other’s social and mental connect. They faced the difficulties together and helped each other overcome them. Even sacrificing lives for each other’s sake.

Review by Other Critics

1. “A suspenseful epic” - Daily Telegraph

2. “Unforgettable” - Isabel Allende

3. “A masterful story” – Mariella Frostrup

Personal opinions and Reviews

I heard about Hosseini in school but was never compelled to read one of his works. Recently, I came across this book and was stuck just by looking at the cover page. Without a second thought, picked up the book and went for the journey of heartbreaks, hope and emotions. It was both infuriating yet uplifting and memorable. Hosseini was stomped over my mind and heart for a long time. At the end of the novel. You feel teary yet a sense of relief for the main characters. You reflect upon the fact that the cruelties of life faced by people all over the world is in one way or the other the same.

The book engulfs you as a whole but throws you out in the face of reality in bits and pieces. It felt traumatizing at the start but lets you in the story with so much ease that breaks your heart at the same time mending it with hope and love. The book is critically acclaimed, has received many awards and is a must read for a beautiful experience.

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