Book Review

The following is a book review I wrote for one of my favorite-est books. It has been published in an Art and Culture weekly; and has found its way into this blog because it's one of the best booksI've read in recent years (as is The Kite Runner). Get your hands on it if you can. If not, enjoy the post :)


A Thousand Splendid Suns

Imagine a country steeped in war, where curfews, bomb blasts, memories of friends now dead, and poverty are simply and matter-of-factly a way of life. Imagine within this setup, the plight of women. Women, as a rule, is the section of society that suffers the most during war, and in a burning Kabul, even more than other parts of the world. Imagine women having to bear and rear children of men they hate. Imagine the burquas that restrict sight and movement, the beatings that are part of the regular course of life, the TVs and books that are banned, the songs, which if sung, could result in lashings by the Mujahideen. Khaled Hosseini of “The Kite Runner” fame did not disappoint with this very similar yet very different book. In his previous book, the author had explored relationships between fathers, sons, and male friends. In this book, however, the relationships explored are between women and the different situations that lead them to react to one another in various ways. However, the setting is the same Afghanistan, burning first under the Soviet attack and then the Taliban rule.

The book also explores how men often act as a counter-foil to women, bringing into sharper focus their true natures. A woman’s courage, endurance, resilience and the strength to fight are often brought to the fore when a man forces these qualities to the surface, which is what Khalid Hosseini exhibits in his book. The main protagonists, Mariam and Laila, start their lives at two opposite ends of a spectrum, but due to a twist of fate, are thrown together with the same man binding them both. It’s not surprising that Mariam, Rasheed’s plain first wife, who has no joy in her life, reacts instinctively to Laila, the second, more attractive, much younger wife with distrust, dislike and perhaps even hate. However, the lack of options often leads to the strangest phenomena, and the two women learn to love, and more importantly, trust one another. The relationship morphs into one of a mother and daughter, with abusive Rasheed being the common enemy and binding factor.

Khalid’s story-telling style is simple and clean. There are no unnecessary frills; and every sequence is marked by raw starkness. What is commendable is for a male author to understand and express so beautifully even the slight nuances and gradation of the female mind. The book alternately enthuses in the reader feelings of fear, despair, hope, helplessness and yet an unbroken spirit. In other words, it makes you intimate with the characters and successfully takes you inside their heads. The only blemish is the end of the book, which is a bit typical, and not very imaginative. However, though, the rest of the book, with its sensitivity of style and slow emotional build-up more than makes up for the slightly predictable ending. All-in-all, the book is “Splendid” and a must-read.