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Book review: A Thousand Splendid Suns

11/5/2015

9 Comments

 

A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini

This book was our book club read. I was not impressed. Being set in war torn Afganistan I knew it was going to be depressing and as a general rule I tend to read books which catapult me away from reality. In short, I did not want to read this book.

I was right it was depressing, more so shocking, and at times I had to put it down. But it was beautiful, incredibly moving and I loved it.

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The story follows the lives of two Afghan women; Mariam and Laila.

Mariam is only 15 when she is sent to Kabul to marry Rasheed 20 years her senior. At first Rasheed is kind but a series of personal tragedies reveal Rasheed's brutal personality.

Laila lives down the street. A young girl growing up in the shadow of her absent brothers who are away fighting with the Taliban. But the love of her modern thinking Father and her best friend Tariq are a shining light in the dusty city.

As Kabul is devastated by mortar attacks an aging Mariam and young Laila are thrown together to live in an impossible situation under unimaginable conditions.

I cannot recommend this book highly enough. The themes in the book are tough there's no getting away from it and I was surprised and shocked by the extent of the oppression of Afgan women under Sharia law. At times I simply couldn't believe what I was reading. But the writing is stunning. The character are so finely crafted you can almost feel them standing beside you. Despite the atrocities depicted you simply cannot stop reading, desperately hoping it will somehow work out ok in the end.

Be warned, this is a book which will have you reaching for the tissues but it is worth it.

Linking up to #read with me at mamamummymum.co.uk #triedtested at myfamilyfever.co.uk #allaboutyou at mama-andmore.com and #weekendbook club at trainingmummy.com

9 Comments
Catherine link
12/5/2015 02:29:14 am

This book made me cry but it's a fantastic read :)

#TriedTested

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we3three link
12/5/2015 03:52:13 am

i love love love this story, so moving and emotional but amazing none the less! #triedtested

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Kim Carberry link
12/5/2015 06:24:22 am

It sounds like such a tough read but a great read at the same time...

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Lisa Savage link
12/5/2015 10:09:41 am

I've wondered whether to read this for a while. I love an emotional book with well wrought characters. Thanks for the literary thumbs up and for linking up to #AllAboutYou

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Mummy Tries link
12/5/2015 11:33:56 am

I loved this book. As you rightly said it's a tough read, but a worthy one #allaboutyou

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charlene link
12/5/2015 02:53:01 pm

My book club read this before I became a mum and I remember the mums being really affected by it. I might try it again and see if it's a different experience for me!

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Lukeosaurus And Me link
16/5/2015 11:43:44 am

Gosh, this book looks like it's something I would want to read, but probably keep putting it off. I'm not a great one for depressing or REAL books, I, too, want to escape when reading. However, I think if I come across this in the library, I may have a little flick through. Nice review though, I'm glad you ended up liking the book even after you not wanting to read it. :) Ray xx #weekendbookclub

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Mary @ Over 40 and a Mum to One link
16/5/2015 12:10:17 pm

I loved this book too, and all of his books to be fair, a great read #weekendbookclub

Reply
Training Mummy link
19/5/2015 07:40:04 am

Sounds a harrowing book but one that needs to be read at some point #weekendbookclub

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    Artist, Baker and Blogger. Mum to my two beautiful, cheeky girls. Muddling my way through parenthood with equally cheeky Husband. 

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