I've always considered books and literature to be an important part of my life. As a kid, I took stacks of books home from our public library to read and when I was a little older, I spent many summers reading beneath whirling ceiling fans or on the veranda of my grandparents' home during my visits to India. And as an adult, just as I enjoy traveling and a fine meal, reading a great book is still a treat, something to be savored. So, I thought I'd share one of my favorite books I've read in a while with you: A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini.
I should start out by letting you know that I was and remain a fan of Khaled Hosseini's The Kite Runner. I remember picking up the novel a few months after it had come out in paperback in the summer of 2004 before embarking on a transcontinental flight from San Francisco to New York. I dug into the book with eagerness and found myself so engrossed in the tale of Amir and his friend Hassan that I arrived in New York inspired, bleary-eyed (it's hard to keep a dry-eye in parts) and relishing the moment when I could read the last few chapters and finish it off like a delectable sweet punctuating a gorgeous meal.
So when I learned of Hosseini's new novel, A Thousand Splendid Suns, I eagerly awaited its arrival, believing in my heart that the novel was one I had to read but would never surpass The Kite Runner.
But much to my delight I was wrong. A Thousand Splendid Suns is just that: splendid. Kite Runner's strength was in its simple, evocative writing and a strong first half narrative, with momentum that makes not finishing the novel nearly impossible even if some of the plot lines at the end feel a bit predictable or far-fetched. In contrast, the strength of A Thousand Splendid Suns is from beginning to end. It is a compelling, mature, impressive second novel that proves Hosseini is no "one act wonder," but a force in Afghani literature. (Perhaps this is why it has been on The New York Times best-seller list virtually since its release in May.) The writing and description are equally vivid and just as in Kite Runner, I was intrigued by the similarities of Afghani food and certain customs with those of the Subcontinent. But more so than in Kite Runner, the characters in A Thousand Splendid Suns captured me. Laila, the blond, beautiful daughter of intellectuals, Mariam, the uneducated, illegitimate daughter of a wealthy businessman and Tariq, the protective, fierce and lovely boy, are all multi-dimensional characters forced to make heartrending choices given the brutal Afghani landscape within which they live. And at times these choices culminate in gruesome, tragic scenes. I read A Thousand Splendid Suns at the edge of my seat, body tense at moments, moved to tears at others, because I needed to ensure the characters made it through okay -- you see I had come to care about their survival!
So I want to encourage you to go ahead and make a cup of chai (my favorite blend of tea), pick up this feast of a novel and sink into it. I guarantee you will not be disappointed.