Book report: A Thousand Splendid Suns, by Khaled Hosseini
This is an absolutely harrowing novel about one woman, Mariam, then another, Laila, suffering in male-dominated and Islam-dominated Afghanistan from the 1970s to the 2000s. They face near-constant abuse and cruelty from beginning to end. This is one of those stories where, just when you think things can't get any worse, things get MUCH worse. I found myself saying, "Oh, please, no," many times through this book.
The nightmare of the lives of Mariam and Laila takes place while Afghanistan goes through a number of upheavals. I’m no historian, but these include a president overthrown, a dictatorship, a Communist puppet-state of the USSR, a civil war against the Soviets, more civil war as the victorious mujahedeen (sp?) lead factions against each other, the brutal rule of the fundamentalist Taliban, the post-9/11 attack of the US against the largely-innocent population, and the comparative freedom afterward. Not surprisingly, these events do not help Mariam and Laila at all. Their suffering is collateral damage to the constant and unnecessary violence of the men in charge.
I'm not naïve enough to think that the plight of Mariam and Laila is unique to their time and place. My guess is that most women, through most of history, in most places, have been treated like this. This story is shocking in that it's present-day in a place we've heard of, with cell phones, TVs, and VCRs. It certainly makes you feel that, whatever the failings of our own country, it is paradise compared with most of the world.
The book is beautifully written. The prose is wonderful. And the structure of the plot, with its interlocking stories of Mariam and Laila, is amazing. There are plenty of surprising plot twists that left me with my mouth open. It is also very funny in parts, such as when all of Afghanistan goes Titanic-crazy when that movie comes out.
Surprisingly, considering the horror of the lives of Mariam and Laila, the book is not anti-male or even anti-Islam. There are good men around: unfortunately, Mariam and Laila don't encounter them much. And one of the minor characters is a shining example of the kindness, generosity, and humility of spirit that is the true heart of Islam. However, the Taliban and others use Islam as a weapon or a justification for their own personal cruelty. The comparison to our own culture is clear.
The ending is hopeful. With lives like Mariam's and Laila's, mere survival is victory. But Mariam and Laila transcend even that small victory.
Lest you think too highly of my reading tastes, I didn't choose this book. My sister gave it to me as a Christmas present. It's not the kind of thing I would pick to read, since I tend to avoid reality. The other books on my nightstand right now are The Essential Iron Man, Code of the Woosters, and Football for Dummies. Still, I'm glad I read this. I find myself thinking of Mariam and Laila and wishing them well. That's a good novel.
This is an absolutely harrowing novel about one woman, Mariam, then another, Laila, suffering in male-dominated and Islam-dominated Afghanistan from the 1970s to the 2000s. They face near-constant abuse and cruelty from beginning to end. This is one of those stories where, just when you think things can't get any worse, things get MUCH worse. I found myself saying, "Oh, please, no," many times through this book.
The nightmare of the lives of Mariam and Laila takes place while Afghanistan goes through a number of upheavals. I’m no historian, but these include a president overthrown, a dictatorship, a Communist puppet-state of the USSR, a civil war against the Soviets, more civil war as the victorious mujahedeen (sp?) lead factions against each other, the brutal rule of the fundamentalist Taliban, the post-9/11 attack of the US against the largely-innocent population, and the comparative freedom afterward. Not surprisingly, these events do not help Mariam and Laila at all. Their suffering is collateral damage to the constant and unnecessary violence of the men in charge.
I'm not naïve enough to think that the plight of Mariam and Laila is unique to their time and place. My guess is that most women, through most of history, in most places, have been treated like this. This story is shocking in that it's present-day in a place we've heard of, with cell phones, TVs, and VCRs. It certainly makes you feel that, whatever the failings of our own country, it is paradise compared with most of the world.
The book is beautifully written. The prose is wonderful. And the structure of the plot, with its interlocking stories of Mariam and Laila, is amazing. There are plenty of surprising plot twists that left me with my mouth open. It is also very funny in parts, such as when all of Afghanistan goes Titanic-crazy when that movie comes out.
Surprisingly, considering the horror of the lives of Mariam and Laila, the book is not anti-male or even anti-Islam. There are good men around: unfortunately, Mariam and Laila don't encounter them much. And one of the minor characters is a shining example of the kindness, generosity, and humility of spirit that is the true heart of Islam. However, the Taliban and others use Islam as a weapon or a justification for their own personal cruelty. The comparison to our own culture is clear.
The ending is hopeful. With lives like Mariam's and Laila's, mere survival is victory. But Mariam and Laila transcend even that small victory.
Lest you think too highly of my reading tastes, I didn't choose this book. My sister gave it to me as a Christmas present. It's not the kind of thing I would pick to read, since I tend to avoid reality. The other books on my nightstand right now are The Essential Iron Man, Code of the Woosters, and Football for Dummies. Still, I'm glad I read this. I find myself thinking of Mariam and Laila and wishing them well. That's a good novel.
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