An Amazing Book...A Must Read

I've just read the most amazing book. A Thousand Splendid Suns was written by Khaled Hosseini. He also wrote The Kite Runner, which was good, but this is superb. One thing that absolutely shocked me was how accurately he captured a woman's thoughts. How believable it was that the main character was female. Had I not known that the author was male, I would have believed the author to be female. But beyond the gender of the author and the main characters, the story was captivating. I could picture the settings in my mind clearly, and the story lived on even though I closed the book. It's a story that will stay with me, and one I'm sure I'll re-read.

These characters moved me. The love between Laila and Tariq was achingly beautiful. I don't usually believe in two people being "meant" for each other. These two were. Now, if I had been at home reading this, instead of at work, I would have been sobbing when she was told of his death. I felt it wasn't fair. They belonged together. They deserved happiness in the chaos that was Kabul. My heart ached, no other words for it, my heart ached.

And I was fascinated by the backdrop of the book, the last 30 years in Afghanistan. From before the Soviet invasion, to the rise (and ultimately the fall) of the Taliban. I felt it was honestly portrayed, neither glorified nor apologized for, through the lives of these characters.

There are so many more things that I'd like to say about the book, but it would ruin the story for anyone else. I think I'd have to say it's a must read. The strength of the two main characters, Laila and Mariam, is inspiring. So, go out, get the book and start reading. And hopefully, you'll love it as much as I did.