Just finished reading Khaled Hosseini ‘s second novel “A Thousand Splendid Suns”. While reading the book, I could not help but compare this novel with the author’s first novel “The Kite Runner” – which I thought was glorious. I understand that the comparison may not be fair, but it is inevitable.

Writing (or some would say prose) in this one, just like the author’s first novel is first rate. There is *much* more sadness in this novel and very few light-hearted/humorous moments though. There are some really heart warming and gut wrenching moments throughout the novel.

The story is about these 2 women in Afghanistan – Mariam and Laila and how their lives become intertwined inextricably. The story tracks their life through the modern history of Afghanistan – starting with the fall of Zahir Shah to the times when Afghanistan is freed from the reigns of Taliban. It vividly captures the indignity, both physical and mental, that women had to endure during vicious times in Afghanistan.

There are not too many twists in this novel and it is very linearly written in terms of chronology. It takes half the novel before the 2 heroines get to interact and from then on it is one incident after another where they have to endure various degrees of pain – both mental and physical. Towards the end, the kindness that Mariam extends towards Laila is enormous.

I think it is primarily a story of survival – what the human soul is willing to endure during inhumane times – how the mind starts to give in and tolerate vicious treatment , perhaps temporarily just to pull through, but always with the hope that things will get better – if not for themselves at least for their children. As much as the two women’s dignity and self-esteem is forcibly snatched, they seem to accept what fate has dealt to them, perhaps just to survive another day. But their core beliefs and humaneness still remains intact.

Compared to KiteRunner, I felt that the tightness in terms of plot was missing in this novel. I wished there was an alternate way that Mariam’s choice towards the end could have been handled or maybe it was just my wishful thinking.

Just as in KiteRunner, the ending was extremely poignant especially Laila’s visit to Mariam’s childhood home. Laila coming back to Afghanistan to start an orphanage and give back to her country, even though her country had not given her much except perhaps some positive childhood memories was a fitting end to the novel.

Through Laila’s father and Tariq – Laila’s lover, the author has managed to not paint a broad stroke that all men were evil during the vicious times in Afghanistan. Thus as much as the novel is about the two women and their survival spirit and the tribulations they undergo primarily at the hands of men, through these two men (Laila’s father and Tariq), the author has shown that one can maintain his/her sense of decency even if one is afforded the luxury to not exercise it.

Ganesh