"A Thousand Splendid Suns", to be honest, i was bit reluctant to read this book given by one of my colleague. It was lying in the stack until one day i inserted my bookmark in it.It was a treat ro read. At two or three stages, I had tears in my eyes. It's a historical + friendship + love + social story all clubbed together. what more can one ask for in one story! Myself being from different religion, I was immersed in a world completely different then my own.
The transition of Mariam from little harmless girl having thousand dreams to uneducated yet so intelligent woman is amazing. At times, I was surprised that how can a male author pen down female expressions so deeply. But they have done it so many times. Laila brought the much needed self respect and rebel in her own way.
It's heart-touching to see the friendship grow. Un-dying love never fails to impress anyone. Tariq's character leaves no stone turned to this. The detailed history of Afghanistan, war and people is also good. The author has very well demonstrated the cultural barriers and its benefits.
For example, although both characters were almost forced to wear the burqa, but both of them felt comfortable within it with each having their own reasons. The small story of a female prisoner who was sentenced to 5 years jail for eloping with the man she loved while the guy freed by saying that the woman lured him! It somewhere depicts the true male dominated society.I was all smiles through the end. Thank goodness the author uplifted the society and emotions of both women despite the harsh realities. There were suns thousands of them shining splendidly after every rough path of life and of course by the end.
I wonder if I would ever be able to write a story with one fourth of this much detail and creativity ever!
As I have a new habit, here are some of my favourite lines from the book:-
