Mariam is a fifteen-year-old girl growing up in Afghanistan amidst the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan. Sent away from her home and father to be married off to a man 30 years older, Mariam reluctantly acquiesces. As a girl in this place and time, she doesn’t have a choice. As she grows into a woman, she is forced to endure endless abuse and disrespect.
Years later, Laila is born. While Laila has a happy childhood, her life takes a turn for the worse amidst the Taliban takeover, and when her family is taken from her, she is forced to marry.
A Thousand Splendid Suns is about two women who form an unlikely friendship amidst war, violence, chaos, and suffering. It’s a portrait of hope, but also fear, in a bleak world. Yet, it brilliantly portrays the harsh realities of these women’s lives. It depicts the beauty of love in a time where it is more necessary than ever.
This book emotionally impacted me for a variety of reasons, and that’s why I recommend that everyone read it. It also provides a unique perspective into the Taliban rule of Afghanistan, and how many were forced to contend with it, specifically women (as a result of the draconian restrictions imposed by the Taliban). This book is a work of fiction, and though it might be a bit dramatized, is a poignant and realistic exploration of the bravery and struggles of two Afghani women. This book and its ending will stay with me for a long time.