IL Book of the Month - Oct '08 - A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini

Dear Book Lovers,

We start the IL Book of the month with this thread and chosen book for review is:

"A Thousand Splendid Suns" by "Khlaed Hosseini".

Pour in your reviews. Start testing your writing skills if you haven't done already. Possibly some of us even read the book just for the sake of writing reviews; while some others pick up the book for reading after seeing the reviews here.

Whatever it is, just participate, share, enjoy and benefit!!

Cheers
Jenz

Love may not be the first thing that comes to mind when you consider the war-ravaged landscape of Afghanistan. But that is the emotion-subterranean, powerful, beautiful, illicit, and infinitely patient-that suffuses the pages of Khaled Hosseini’s A Thousand Splendid Suns. O, the Oprah Magazine, June 2007

Last year I read The Kite Runner and I was glued on to the book. So, I was more than anxious to read the second book by Khaled Hosseini. I can’t say I was disappointed but I loved The kite Runner more than this book.

The protoganists in this book are two women in Afghanistan. Set in the back drop of Afghan, the author exploits the situation of the women in the country in the hands of the men. Life was not easy for them even before Taliban. Its definitely emotional and touching.

I am anxiously waiting for his next book to see what he is going to deliver to the readers again.

Maddie

Maddie
I am glad to see you here now. It sbeen a while since I saw you in the book forums.
I have read both the books and preferred this one to Kite Runner.
In Kite Runner I could not accept the fact that the main character stood by and watched his friend being raped. Also this character seemd to spend the rest of his life in regret. Though very well narrated did not like it.
But through this book the Thousand Spelndid... I got to see the plight of women in Afganistan and the influences by Taliban.
Need to come back with more recollection on this book.

I have read both the books-- Kite Runner first. They both deal with differrent situations and different characters. Both are interesting in their own way.

I like to quote Natalie Goldberg from Writing down the Bones."Writers must accept things as they are, come to love the details and step forward with a yes on our lips so there can be no more noes in the world, noes that invalidate life and stop these details from continuing".

It is not always easy to do that. There is an urge to clean up the details, to make the world a bit more acceptable, and to show ourselves and the characters in a better light is strong.

In considering the above limitations, I liked Thousand Splendid Suns because it brought out the oppressed plight of women in those regions for people living outside that world.

Hi... I completely agree with both of you. But I loved the first book because I had never read something like that before. May be I was biased, I liked his first book not that I didn't enjoy reading his second book A Thousand Splendid Suns , even this book I really enjoyed but I had already gotten an idea about his way of writing.
Sorry I mentioned The Kite Runner in my review. I din't mean to compare.
Sundarusha really liked the quote. Thanks.
Maddie

Hi all

Good to see the participation.

It would be helpful if you do not deviate this particular thread to a discussion on comparison of books. We will also do a separate review of other book (if not done earlier).

Thank you for your support and understanding.

Cheers
Jenz

This book is truly mindblowing.
The protagonists are 2 women.The backdrop is Afghan war,taliban.
The atrocities are portrayed in a raw manner which makes you cringe with fear.I liked the strength of both these women of the so called hero`s life[sorry to call him a hero]when they join together for a common purpose towards the end.