Just finished reading "A thousand splendid suns" by Khaled Hosseini and can not help but to write it's review and my first ever post in 2012 ... :)
I would not say book is BEST in it's category .. but it is a good read for the one who would like to know about the war-ridden afghanistan , the country who suffered , survived through 'n' number of wars weighed upon them by invaders. The price paid by native is just heart wrenching I do not know whether story is true or not but it should not matter , if one gets to know the "rules and regulations" that were on natives in Taliban-ruled Afghanistan. Rules on women were all so outraging and it clearly indicated women as a dirt in the eye of Taliban government.
Rough Plot : Story is about Afghan women who were TRUE victims of constant war in Afghanistan. Mariam is a girl who is born out of wedlock to a cinema owner in city Herat. She and her mother lives out of city and are visited by very less people including a old man who teaches Qaran to marium. Once out of curiosity she reaches to her father's home in city and then shown the "REALITY" that she is not at all welcomed into his family. After coming back to her home, she finds that her mother have committed suicide in fear that her daughter will never return. This kills Mariam's aspirations, ambitions, her true self also. She is soon then married off to a shoe store owner in Kabul who is twice her age.
She initially tries to amend her ways with Rasheed , her husband but then when she is unable to keep his child ,he grows hateful towards her . Years pass ..
Now in meanwhile few blocks away lives Laila , a only daughter of a school teacher who wants to see her turn into an educated woman. She is very close to one of her frnd Tariq who is living with disability .Laila's dreams are crushed when Mujahideen war rages over kabul and civilians are crushed like anything in between warlords's territory. She witnesses death of her two older brothers and her friends. Her troubles increases when Tariq leaves the city . She is in deep grief and while parting ways both of them realizes the "special bond" of love they share for each other. In a flood of emotions they both unite for first time in a thought that they might not see each other in rest of their life. She is devastated and He promises to come back for her.
After few days when Tariq leaves her parents also decides to leave the country for good. But destinity strikes Laila again and this time it is very bad. While shifting their luggage their house is destroyed by rocket and only she survives and is rescued by Rasheed. Laila is taken care by Mariam by orders of Rasheed who has a plot behind it. He tries to impose on Laila that Tariq is no more and then makes a proposal of marriage to her who is just 14 and Rasheed then 50. Mariam tries to stop him but she know she does not stand a chance as he has right to marry again if there is no prospect of a child frm Mariam ..
Laila also agrees because she has to give father's name to her child frm Tariq. They marry and Marium is now treated like a dirt by Rasheed. But Marium declares to Laila that she will have to do equal amount of house hold work as she does. Soon Laila announces her pregnancy. Marium is at first stays very distant from Laila. Both of the women qurrel with each other all the time. Laila gives birth to Tariq's daughter Aziza and Rasheed is annoyed as it is NOT SON... Little Aziza makes place in Marium's heart and Laila, Marium confides. They share their secrets and shares a deep bond.
Their failed attempt to run away from rasheed makes him voilent and in it's aftermath Aziza is nearly killed by hunger.
In mean while, Taliban takes over the government of Afghanistan and real trouble for women starts.
Laila gives birth to rasheed's son through ceiser operation in a hospital where no anasthetic is provided by Taliban Government.
Years pass by only when a day is rises when Tariq comes to visit Laila....
Zalmai, rasheed's son tell him that one man came to visit Laila.. and rasheed beats Laila to death but somehow Marium saves her by killing Rasheed. Marium now feels peace wash over her as she takes revenge and she thinks her aim in life is complete.
She makes Laila go with Tariq along with children and she takes a whole blame on her for Rasheed's murder and then executed by Talibs in a ground when thousands and thousands afghan's are watching it ... Laila and Tariq flees to Pakistan territory only to return when Taliban government is no longer on power. Laila then visits Herat to truly bid farewell to Marium. She visits mariam's old home and also finds the Letter written by Mariam's father , Jalil to Mariam and some money. Jalil reveals that he is apologetic to make Mariam marry to some stranger. But now it's of no use. Mariam is gone far beyond any emotions. Laila uses that money to start a school for children in Kabul.
