A Thousand Splendid Sons by Khaled Hosseini

Yet another excellent read by Khaled Hosseini. A Thousand Splendid Sons takes place over the past few decades in Afghanistan during the many wars that have plagued their nation. It is a story of the plight of two women, Mariam and Laila, whose tragic lives bring them together in the same household as the two wives of a middle-class shoemaker in Kabul. Mariam, born a harami (an illigitimate child), her life is riddled with suffering and enduring. And Laila, who sacrifices her dreams of getting an education and having a career to save her own daughter from becoming a harami, after the love of her life heads to Pakistan to escape the war with his family.

I read this book in a few days while on our trip up to WV. It was a beautiful story, with just about everything in it. Tragedy, Sacrifice, Passion, Love, Violence, and an ending that brings everything together and makes it complete. The background activity during the story gives a great picture of what it must be like for people living in Afghanistan to be on the ground during the wars, a fabulous cultural picture of the struggle the country has between its desire to become more Westernized, and it's need to adhere to the strict Islamic laws and the affect that that struggle has on the freedoms that the women have in Kabul. If you enjoyed reading The Kite Runner, Hosseini's first novel, you will also enjoy A Thousand Splendid Suns.