Almost an year after I read the “Kite Runner”, I bump into another marvelous creation by Khaled Hosseini, ‘A Thousand Splendid Suns’. This time he takes up the stories of two women, both from different countries and generations. Yet spectacularly, with destiny, both are united by the turmoils of their land and lives. The union comes as effortlessly as two ribbon ends being beautifully wrapped into a bow. Bow, infact a thousand splendid bows go to the author’s genius!
The Story: Mariam, an illegitimate child of a big shot in Herat is married off by her father to a shoe-maker of Kabul, three times her age. She silently accepts her father’s betrayal and her husband’s harrasement. She even comes to accept his wrath on several miscarriages and then later his infidelity. Laila, on the other hand is born to loving parents in Kabul, but in times of endless political turmoil. She loses her brothers and then her love to the violence of heartless warlords. The final blow, a bomb blast which leaves her injured, orphaned and homeless, turns her world upside down. The homeless girl is given shelter by an elderly shoemaker in the neighborhood. This is where destiny brings Laila and Mariam together in one household. The story ahead is a touching, inspiring and gut-wrenching account of the crusade of these two women, wives and mothers. In store for them are pain, sacrifices, harassment, extreme religious fanaticism and then a miracle which would bring hope and peace; but only at the cost of lives dear to them.
Be it innocence, trust, friendship, infatuation, love, motherhood, empathy, or the extremes of disillusionment, pain, suspicion, hatred and resignation. Each emotion etches out with as much beauty and grace, thanks to Khaled Hosseini’s excellent yet simple writing style. Another up for the book is the shocking description of political turmoil and wars, the toll they take on minds and lives of ordinary people. The parts spelling out the hardships faced by women brings tears to the eyes and sends chills down the spine. Reminds me of my favourite book, ‘Not without My Daughter’, which was a woman’s real account. This fiction, nevertheless is most recommended and a must read. Happy Reading!
My favourite parts:
‘…he told her that Herat, the city where Mariam was born in 1959, had once been the cradle of Persian culture, the home of writers, painters, and Sufis.
"You couldn't stretch a leg here without poking a poet in the ass," he laughed.’
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‘ Nana said, "Learn this now and learn it well, my daughter: Like a compass needle that points north, a man's accusing finger always finds a woman. Always. You remember that, Mariam."’
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When the Taliban had found the paintings, Tariq said, they'd taken offense at the birds' long, bare legs. After they'd tied the cousin's feet and flogged his soles bloody, they had presented him with a choice: Either destroy the paintings or make the flamingos decent. So the cousin had picked up his brush and painted trousers on every last bird
"And there you have it. Islamic flamingos," Tariq said.
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‘She was leaving it as a friend, a companion, a guardian. A mother. A person of consequence at last. No. It was not so bad, Mariam thought, that she should die this way. Not so bad. This was a legitimate end to a life of illegitimate beginnings’
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‘…she'd thought of her childhood friends Giti and Hasina, and Hasina saying, By the time we're twenty, Giti and I, we'll have pushed out four, five kids each. But you, Laila, you'll make us two dummies proud. You’re going to be somebody. I know one day I'll pick up a newspaper and find your picture on the front-page. The photo hadn't made the front page, but there it was nevertheless, as Hasina had predicted’
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So go ahead get your copy! Read the rest yourselves! Hope you enjoy reading it as much as I did!
Till the next blog post, take care,
God Bless
And Keep Blah Blah-ing
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