• Homepage
  • Destinations
  • About Me
  • Contact
  • Blogs I enjoy
facebook twitter pinterest instagram

Mum's Gone To …

Travel tales of an empty nester
  • Homepage
  • Destinations
  • About Me
  • Contact
  • Blogs I enjoy
Home  >  Blog  >  Book Review: A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini

Book Review: A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini

Trish Burgess Posted on09/02/201209/08/2016 Book reviews 21 Comments

 

A few weeks ago Harriet at Is There a Plan B? reviewed a book called Making Babies as part of the new Tots 100 Book Club. The book club is in association  with Tesco. The idea is to review a favourite book and suggest another blogger you feel would appreciate it. Tesco then sends that person a copy of the book.

Harriet suggested I read Making Babies as she thought it would be interesting to hear how a mum who had a baby some time ago could relate to the book. Would I be more dispassionate because my own son was no longer a baby? Tesco have sent me a copy of the book, which I have started to read: will let you know in due course.

In the meantime, to complete my side of the bargain, I have to review a book which has made an impact on me within the last year. My choice is A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini. I had read Hosseini’s previous book, the best-selling The Kite Runner, and found it to be an enlightening, emotional story which provided me with an insight into the difficult history experienced by the people in Afghanistan.

Whereas The Kite Runner focused on the relationship between two young boys, Amir and Hassan, A Thousand Splendid Suns takes a female perspective on the turbulent events in Afghanistan from the 1960s through to 2003. Mariam and Laila’s lives become intertwined and despite their struggle with violence, oppression, poverty and fear, it is their friendship which provides them with the strength to endure and fight back.

Despite what you might think, the novel isn’t hard to read. The historical and political references are clearly explained within the context of a supremely uplifting narrative. What I also found fascinating was how little I really knew about Afghanistan and the political turmoil it has endured. Although we see in the news how oppressive the Taliban regime is, Hosseini demonstrates how previous ruling governments were no strangers to brutality. The end of the Soviet occupation was welcomed by the Afghans who saw the victorious mujahideen as freedom fighters. How quickly infighting spread and the country was once again a war zone.

It wasn’t difficult to choose someone I thought would appreciate a copy of this book. Kelloggsville is currently recuperating after a back operation and, although she is desperate to be up and about exercising again, she knows she has to take some proper rest. So I’m hoping she will be diverted with a good book. Kelloggsville, as many of you may know, is a keen guider, a mentor of young girls in their Brownie and Ranger packs. She will understand more than most the importance of young women having a voice in society, feeling valued, possessing high self-esteem. The story of Mariam and Laila may be a fictional account but the context is real and true. In A Thousand Splendid Suns we see the individuals behind the burka. Hosseini has given the Afghan women their voice.

If you would like to try the book for yourself, it’s available from Tesco: A Thousand Splendid Suns, Khaled Hosseini 




Previous Article Mum’s doing a Travel Round-up for BritMums
Next Article Au Revoir, Jean-Pierre

Related Posts

  • Meet Me in Monaco book

    Book Review: Meet Me in Monaco by Hazel Gaynor and Heather Webb

    07/09/2019
  • The Excursionist JD Sumner

    Review of The Excursionist by J.D. Sumner

    03/05/2017
  • 36 Hours, 125 weekends in Europe

    17/01/2016

21 Comments

  1. Kelloggsville Reply
    09/02/2012 at 11:09 am

    Wow you've made this one sound interesting. Looking forward to it. Thank you.

    • Trish @ Mums Gone To... Reply
      09/02/2012 at 11:36 am

      I'm sure you will love it. One of those books which will stick with you: hard-hitting but not heavy, if that makes sense.

  2. Very Bored in Catalunya Reply
    09/02/2012 at 1:18 pm

    I loved both of Khaled Hosseini books, I hope Kellogsville love it and gets better soon. x

    • Trish @ Mums Gone To... Reply
      09/02/2012 at 3:41 pm

      So pleased you're a fan. It was a friend who originally suggested The Kite Runner to me. Glad she did.

  3. Sarah Reply
    09/02/2012 at 2:43 pm

    A splendid review. I can see it made an impact on you with your impassioned writing.

    • Trish @ Mums Gone To... Reply
      09/02/2012 at 3:44 pm

      Ah thank you, Sarah. Reading it back, I haven't actually given a synopsis as such so I hope the enthusiasm I have for the novel makes up for that!

  4. Funky Wellies Reply
    09/02/2012 at 4:24 pm

    I loved "The Kite Runner" and I cannot wait to read "A Thousand Splendid Suns" now, thanks to you!

    • Trish @ Mums Gone To... Reply
      09/02/2012 at 7:21 pm

      I'm sure you'll find it just as good, even better!

  5. Anonymous Reply
    09/02/2012 at 8:28 pm

    Did you know that Khaled Hosseini has a foundation? It is a great way to help returning refugees to Afghanistan. Check it out: http://www.khaledhosseinifoundation.org

    • Trish @ Mums Gone To... Reply
      09/02/2012 at 9:06 pm

      Thanks for that info. Interesting to read about Khaled Hosseini's background and his excellent work with this charity.

  6. libby Reply
    09/02/2012 at 8:50 pm

    Kellogsville is in for a treat…I loved both books…..both made me realise how little I know about the female experience in other lives/times/places.

    • Trish @ Mums Gone To... Reply
      09/02/2012 at 9:08 pm

      I think she is too! Yes, I came to realise I was very ignorant about Afghanistan, even though we hear so much about it in the news.

  7. Steve Reply
    10/02/2012 at 6:48 am

    A book already on my bookshelf though I have yet to read it. I feel rather ashamed for saying that now.

    • Trish @ Mums Gone To... Reply
      10/02/2012 at 8:35 am

      You have a real treat in store, Steve. Let me know what you think, once you've blown the dust off it!

  8. planb Reply
    10/02/2012 at 8:01 pm

    Ooh! Good choice. Although there's one scene in it (you know the one) that is still making me wince just thinking about it. Look forward to seeing what Kelloggsville thinks!

    • Trish @ Mums Gone To... Reply
      11/02/2012 at 8:54 am

      I had to flick through the book to work out which bit you meant, as it's some months since I read it. Is it the birth? I can see how that would stick with you!!

  9. Curry Queen Reply
    11/02/2012 at 8:14 am

    I loved The Kite Runner, A Thousand Splendid Suns not so much. Although it was still very good, it didn't have the same impact for me. He is a very talented writer.

    • Trish @ Mums Gone To... Reply
      11/02/2012 at 8:56 am

      That's interesting you preferred his first book. Can't decide which I prefer but yes, he's an excellent writer.

  10. oana79 Reply
    01/04/2012 at 1:28 pm

    I found it very sad. I came upon another very similar book, "Harmattan", by Gavin Weston, the similarities are striking, I wonder if he found inspiration from A Thousand Splendid Suns. Anyway, I reviewed both books on my website, feel free to have a look.

    • Trish @ Mums Gone To... Reply
      01/04/2012 at 5:58 pm

      I'll go and have a look, thanks.

  11. Plenty of Fish Reviews Reply
    15/05/2015 at 4:11 pm

    I read many books in a year. Some I read for entertainment and others to increase my knowledge. Then there is the rare book that does both of those things, plus touches your heart as well. A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini does just that. Hosseini's The Kite Runner was a magnificent book, and I enjoyed A Thousand Splendid Suns even more.

Leave a Reply

Cancel reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Follow Me

Random Visits

  • Mum’s Gone to Paris – Day Two – Eiffel Tower 10/11/2009
  • You shouldn’t have. No really, you shouldn’t… 12/12/2010
  • When Jimi Hendrix came to Spalding 15/03/2015

Meta

  • Register
  • Log in
  • Entries feed
  • Comments feed
  • WordPress.org
facebook twitter instagram pinterest youtube

Recent Posts

  • Riverside Walk, Leamington to Warwick
    Riverside Walk from Leamington Spa to Warwick 16/05/2022
  • Craiglockhart Hill
    Heading for the hills in Edinburgh 18/01/2022
  • Kelvingrove Art Museum and Gallery
    Come on, Eileen! Finding the weird and wonderful in museums 08/01/2022
  • Paired up with Barney and Trevor at Nidderdale Llamas
    Trekking with Nidderdale Llamas 14/09/2021

Recent Comments

  • William Sell on A Holbeach man, born and bred.
  • Trish Burgess on Trekking with Nidderdale Llamas
  • Bryce on Trekking with Nidderdale Llamas
  • Mark T Coupe on Miniatures in bronze: The sculptures of Joseph Hillier in Spalding
  • Trish Burgess on Dipping my toe back into blogging
  • Bryce on Dipping my toe back into blogging
  • Trish Burgess on A visitor’s guide to toilets in Japan
  • Tilly Jaye Horseman on Miniatures in bronze: The sculptures of Joseph Hillier in Spalding

Contact Us

To contact me, please visit my Contact page.

I'm on Twitter. Find me as @mumsgoneto
I'm on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/mumsgoneto
Instagram - mumsgoneto
Pinterest - Trish Burgess
Google plus - +TrishBurgess


Designed by 79DESIGN

UK WordPress Support

Website by 79DESIGN, Lincolnshire Web Designer