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♥︎ Heather ⚔(Notification Issue)'s Reviews > A Thousand Splendid Suns
A Thousand Splendid Suns
by
by
“𝒪𝓃𝑒 𝒸𝑜𝓊𝓁𝒹 𝓃𝑜𝓉 𝒸𝑜𝓊𝓃𝓉 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝓂𝑜𝑜𝓃𝓈 𝓉𝒽𝒶𝓉 𝓈𝒽𝒾𝓂𝓂𝑒𝓇 𝑜𝓃 𝒽𝑒𝓇 𝓇𝑜𝑜𝒻𝓈, 𝒪𝓇 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝓉𝒽𝑜𝓊𝓈𝒶𝓃𝒹 𝓈𝓅𝓁𝑒𝓃𝒹𝒾𝒹 𝓈𝓊𝓃𝓈 𝓉𝒽𝒶𝓉 𝒽𝒾𝒹𝑒 𝒷𝑒𝒽𝒾𝓃𝒹 𝒽𝑒𝓇 𝓌𝒶𝓁𝓁𝓈.”
“𝐵𝑒𝒽𝒾𝓃𝒹 𝑒𝓋𝑒𝓇𝓎 𝓉𝓇𝒾𝒶𝓁 𝒶𝓃𝒹 𝓈𝑜𝓇𝓇𝑜𝓌 𝓉𝒽𝒶𝓉 𝐻𝑒 𝓂𝒶𝓀𝑒𝓈 𝓊𝓈 𝓈𝒽𝑜𝓊𝓁𝒹𝑒𝓇, 𝒢𝑜𝒹 𝒽𝒶𝓈 𝒶 𝓇𝑒𝒶𝓈𝑜𝓃.”
Set in Afghanistan, (similar to the Kite Runner), and over a thirty years' time frame from the Soviet invasion to the rise of Taliban and post-Taliban era. It’s refreshing to get a glimpse of a place and a history that I don’t know a lot about.
We follow two women, Mariam and Laila. Mariam the first wife and Laila the second wife, have hard lives and they endure so much, not just from the abusive husband but also from the changes in the political regimes.
It follows Mariam’s life and how she ends up getting married in 1974, at fifteen, to Rasheed who is in his forties. In 1992, Laila who is fourteen marries Rasheed and becomes his second wife.
An illegitimate child of a wealthy man, Mariam is forced to marry and move to Kabul from Herat. She lives a hard life with her much older husband throughout the late 70’s and the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan. However, her friendship with a local teenager, Laila, helps her to survive her marriage and oppression when the Taliban takes over.
There are several different themes happening within the story that really pulled me in. One that stood out to me was the suffering and perseverance. Though Mariam and Laila differ in their upbringing, both suffered greatly, yet they both endured. Mariam and Laila had to put up with violence against them, especially the pain inflicted by beatings from Rasheed.
Afghanistan has always fascinated me and this novel truly feels like you’re transported into the country. From the poetry of Herat to the Buddha’s in Bamiyan and the vibrant streets of Kabul, it completely draws you in.
The characters, Laila and Mariam, also replicate this sense of beauty and intense heartache. The struggle of the country and two characters become one.
˚₊· ͟͟͞͞➳❥ The author's writing is simple, yet concise, he tells the story with such an emotional punch that makes your heart ache. It is an incredible sad tale but it does have some positive moments.
˚₊· ͟͟͞͞➳❥ This was such an emotional one that will stick with me, and now I can't wait to get to Kite Runner sometime soon this year. Highly recommend.
Please check TW's if necessary.
⋆✴︎˚。⋆ Connect with me on Instagram ˗ˏˋ★‿︵‧ ˚ ₊⊹
“𝐵𝑒𝒽𝒾𝓃𝒹 𝑒𝓋𝑒𝓇𝓎 𝓉𝓇𝒾𝒶𝓁 𝒶𝓃𝒹 𝓈𝑜𝓇𝓇𝑜𝓌 𝓉𝒽𝒶𝓉 𝐻𝑒 𝓂𝒶𝓀𝑒𝓈 𝓊𝓈 𝓈𝒽𝑜𝓊𝓁𝒹𝑒𝓇, 𝒢𝑜𝒹 𝒽𝒶𝓈 𝒶 𝓇𝑒𝒶𝓈𝑜𝓃.”
Set in Afghanistan, (similar to the Kite Runner), and over a thirty years' time frame from the Soviet invasion to the rise of Taliban and post-Taliban era. It’s refreshing to get a glimpse of a place and a history that I don’t know a lot about.
We follow two women, Mariam and Laila. Mariam the first wife and Laila the second wife, have hard lives and they endure so much, not just from the abusive husband but also from the changes in the political regimes.
It follows Mariam’s life and how she ends up getting married in 1974, at fifteen, to Rasheed who is in his forties. In 1992, Laila who is fourteen marries Rasheed and becomes his second wife.
An illegitimate child of a wealthy man, Mariam is forced to marry and move to Kabul from Herat. She lives a hard life with her much older husband throughout the late 70’s and the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan. However, her friendship with a local teenager, Laila, helps her to survive her marriage and oppression when the Taliban takes over.
There are several different themes happening within the story that really pulled me in. One that stood out to me was the suffering and perseverance. Though Mariam and Laila differ in their upbringing, both suffered greatly, yet they both endured. Mariam and Laila had to put up with violence against them, especially the pain inflicted by beatings from Rasheed.
Afghanistan has always fascinated me and this novel truly feels like you’re transported into the country. From the poetry of Herat to the Buddha’s in Bamiyan and the vibrant streets of Kabul, it completely draws you in.
The characters, Laila and Mariam, also replicate this sense of beauty and intense heartache. The struggle of the country and two characters become one.
˚₊· ͟͟͞͞➳❥ The author's writing is simple, yet concise, he tells the story with such an emotional punch that makes your heart ache. It is an incredible sad tale but it does have some positive moments.
˚₊· ͟͟͞͞➳❥ This was such an emotional one that will stick with me, and now I can't wait to get to Kite Runner sometime soon this year. Highly recommend.
Please check TW's if necessary.
⋆✴︎˚。⋆ Connect with me on Instagram ˗ˏˋ★‿︵‧ ˚ ₊⊹
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Reading Progress
January 11, 2024
– Shelved
January 11, 2024
– Shelved as:
to-read
January 11, 2024
– Shelved as:
books-i-own
January 27, 2025
–
Started Reading
January 30, 2025
–
Finished Reading
Comments Showing 1-50 of 82 (82 new)
message 1:
by
kitkat
(new)
Jan 27, 2025 11:02AM
happy reading bb!! 💖💖
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omg I've been meaning to reread this one, it emotionally destroyed me as a teenager 😭 I hope you like it!
Happy reading Heather! I've been eyeing this one off for a while. Will be interested to read your thoughts.
@mbhabibti omg I’ve had it on my TBR forever. So happy to finally pick it up. Thank you so much bb 🤍
nina ʚïɞ wrote: "aah can’t wait for your thoughts on this one, happiest reading love!! 🥰💓"
Thank you so much my lovely! 💖 I'll probably start this one later today or tomorrow, finishing all my rage first lol I'm really stacking myself up here with the sad ones haha 😬
Thank you so much my lovely! 💖 I'll probably start this one later today or tomorrow, finishing all my rage first lol I'm really stacking myself up here with the sad ones haha 😬