A thousand splendid Suns

Khlaed Hossini's second super hit novel - 'A thousand Splendid Suns'. This time it is about the Afghan women pre-during and post war.

The title of the book comes from a line in the Josephine Davis translation of the poem "Kabul", by the 17th-century Iranian poet Saib Tabrizi:

Every street of Kabul is enthralling to the eye

Through the bazaars, caravans of Egypt pass

One could not count the moons that shimmer on her roofs

And the thousand splendid suns that hide behind her walls"

Khaled has chosen a sensitive topic - 'women and their living' to write on this time. This story is about the life of two women, Mairam and Laila, their pre and post marriage lives, which includes love, commitments, marriage, pain, happiness, changes in life and hardships due to various incidents. Every smallest fact mentioned brings out the flavour of Afghan in the story. The behaviours, traditions are beautifully brought out in his words in such a way that we read and feel it as they are and not judge them.

The life Mariam lived pre marriage with her mom and the complete change in her life after her mom's death and the pain and embarrassment she undergoes every single day after she marries a guy 30 years older than her - all this just because she is an illegitimate child could make any heart cry.

Laila's character appears to be a complete contrast to that of Mariam's. Mariam gives up the fight for living once she is married but Laila makes every move with great thought even after being held up in the society which has so many rules and customs for women. She strives hard every day until finally she is with her love.

'A thousand splendid suns' could be felt at the end. Khlaed Hossini surely does know how to keep his reader entertained and moved.

Score: 4.5/5