Search - A Thousand Splendid Suns

Oh wow.

I went into this book half-dreading it. I mean, can he even come close to The Kite Runner? That was such a great book, one of my favorites.

Well, Mr. Hosseini, it is your fault that it's almost 9am here and I'm tired. Why? I was up until 5am turning pages, I could NOT pry this book out of my hands. Once I hit around page 120, I was a goner. I HAD to finish it.

I won't say it's as good as Kite Runner - that would be a mistake. They are two different books, set in the same place/time (approximately anyway). The stories are different though. Several times, I cried so hard I couldn't read from all the blurring tears. This is a touching book, of two women whose lives converge, it's sad, but oh so beautifully told. The authors writing carries you away to this faraway place, making you be there, in the moment, with the people, in that climate, dealing with that oppression.

I am again struck by how different our lives were in the US during this time period (just 6-7 years ago) than it was in other countries. I cannot imagine living like some of them did.

Can I give this book more than 5 stars? If you liked The Kite Runner you will like this book. The story is very compelling, disturbing and sad. It gave me a deeper appreciation for being an American citizen. What the two main characters go thru is something we cannot even begin to imagine. Not a book for the faint of heart. Some of the violence is quite graphic, IMHO. I read the book in less than 2 days, so get comfortable you are not going to want to put this book down. I hope that Hosseini has another book in the works.

I just nabbed this one from my library. I almost read the entire thing in one sitting! This books is wonderful; I'm practically speechless. You owe it to yourself to read this one. I'm especially impressed with a male author who showcases the strength, courage and endurance women have...must have, to survive. Afghanistan is portrayed as a beautiful country and culture, surviving and enduring (much like its women) through regime after regime; waiting patiently, and with hope, for sanity and peace to return.
This story will stay with me for quite a while.

I don't know. While I do think this is a good book and I would jump at recommending it to others, I just felt like it was missing something. Hosseini has a way of describing the landscape and political atmosphere that is absolutely spell binding. I loved the way he wrote from the woman's point of view. That brought the story closer to me.

However, nothing seemed to happen. Let me rephrase that, nothing surprising happened. A lot of the plot was quite predictable. Unlike The Kite Runner, there was no scene that truly defined this book. It was interesting, but a little hodge podged.

At the military bases in Afghanistan, they keep multiple copies of The Kite Runner on hand for the new guys. It is used to make them acquainted with their new surrounding. I just can't see this book being quite so helpful, let alone appealing to military guys. I almost got my nonreader DH to read The Kite Runner. He has no interest in this one.

My heart is still pounding, I'm hyperventilating and I'm wiping away tears.

The book doesn't have the kick in the first half or so that The Kite Runner has, but towards the middle, it picks up with the fire and passion. It leads the reader down a path that twists and turns in a gentle manner, and tweaks expectations into hairpins. The evil spouse, Rasheed, despite his shortcomings is not played out to be entirely despicable even though he is a brutal person. It is difficult to articulate, but Rasheed beats and brutalizes his wives, but at the same time, although a hateful and hated person, is somehow tolerated by the reader.

I enjoyed reading this novel. I encourage you to read it, but don't beg you to read it as I did The Kite Runner. I don't feel it is better or worse than The Kite Runner, it is merely different. Perhaps my difficulty with A Thousand Splendid Suns, is that unlike other authors such as Wally Lamb, who wrote "She's Come Undone" or Michael Dorris who wrote my favorite, "A Yellow Raft In Blue Water", Hosseini doesn't manage in the early pages to truly capture the female psyche in his writing. He does manage to capture it toward the middle of the book, at which point the pages start turning themselves. The Kite Runner was written entirely through the eyes of a man by a man, so therein lies the difference. The larger issue for me is now that I've finished both of Hosseini's works, my expectations in the quality of what I read has risen.

What a phenomenal read. This is the story of turmoil in Afghanistan, the story of two women, Mariam and Laila, that spans 3 decades. This is the story of how women of Afghanistan are dependent on men: fathers, husbands, and sons. This was a beautiful novel.

This is one of the best books that I have read this year. I started it, not thinking I was going to like it and ended up reading half of it in one sitting. The story draws you in and makes you want to know what is going to happen next. I would have read more but I had to force myself to go to sleep! I finished the book the next day and decided this is my favorite book that I've read so far.

Just as good as the Kite Runner, I read this book in about 3 days, just coudn't put it down, A wonderful book! I suggest it to anyone and everyone!

Another great work by Khaled Hosseini.

The only word I can think of for this book is: EXTRAORDINARY! So, so good!

It is amazing how these women suffered and how trapped they were. Even though this is a work of fiction, it is based on the reality many women still face in parts of our world today. I think that is what makes this story so real, that the things happening to the women in this book could be happening to someone else right now. I couldn't help but feel stifled along with them and feeling their frustration as they tried to change their lives for the better. The story is divided into a few different parts and alternates between the viewpoints of the two main female characters, Mariam and Laila. At first Mariam and Laila are at odds with each other, but later become like mother and daughter as a result of their shared struggle. It's a very powerful read (and difficult to put down, I read this one very quickly) and I look forward to reading Hosseini's first book The Kite Runner in the near future.

I thought that this book was much better than the Kite Runner. The characters are believable, and the story has a nice pace to it.

Strong story..very touching. It made me cry! I was too much into the story! :) It's a memorable book for me. I also liked The Kiterunner very much.

Wow! I was worried a second book couldn't match the Kite Runner. But, this is better. It seems to go deeper into Afghanistan recent history and really focus on the country and its problems.

I loved it! Highly recommended if you like the Kite Runner

Another beautiful book by Khaled Hosseini. A different perspective on the troubles in Afghanistan than Kite Runner, but still a great read.

I kept with this book and couldn't put it down, despite the depressing story line. Well written, but not as good as his first, in my opinion.

Great book. It was as good as his first, the Kite Runner.