by Khaled Hosseini
In one word: FABULOUS.
If you haven't read The Kite Runner yet, I highly recommend that as well. A Thousand Splendid Suns is Hosseini's second novel, and examines the intertwining lives of two Afghan women from the 1970's through today. Hosseini makes the reader care about the characters, and sheds light on recent Afghanistan history, something Americans like myself should really know more about.
Mariam is the illegitimate child of a rich businessman and a servant. Her father provides for herself and her mother, but when her mother commits suicide, instead of welcoming Mariam into his family, she is sent far away to an abusive marriage. From her house, Mariam sees Laila grow from a baby to a beautiful young girl, always in the company of her best friend, Tarique. How the two women come to know each other, and the relationship that flowers between them, is a wonderful part of the novel.
A Thousand Splendid Suns has everything a reader could want: action, romance, history, redemption. It shows how strong the human body and human spirit can be, and is a book you won't want to put down until you've finished. I seriously cannot stress enough what a great book it is.
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