A Thousand Splendid Suns

They say that ignorance is bliss, and at times, I truly agree with that. But where does ignorance get us? Not too far in life if we hope to be good global, and local citizens. I took the opportunity to read "A Thousand Splendid Suns", a book that I have wanted to read for quite a while, and I was really impacted by this story. "Suns", by Khaled Hosseini(the same author who wrote the well known "Kite Runner", is the story of Afghani women and the daily trials and tribulations they have to endure simply because of tradition. Reading it, I had to step back and think about how I complain that women in most Western countries are not on an equal level with men in the job world, but at least we have the opportunity to work and live independently. I cannot imagine having my life run by my husband, or any man really, or actually, anyone.
The narrator of this story does a fantastic job of weaving the story with factual information about Afghanistan and local dialect and vocabulary. The tone of this story is rather somber and it is evident that the narrator is trying to shed light on this injustice that is going on even in the modern Afghani world. Hosseini, an Afghan himself, obviously has an attachment to this material and is probably writing about it because it is near and dear to him.
While it took me a bit to get into this story(the interspersed vocabulary through me off initially), once I was in, I felt connected and attached to this characters, crying at emotional moments, and sighing and yelling at frustrating parts. I was reading this while with a few friends, and I constantly kept yelling out, so much so that they all wanted to know what was wrong, leading me to go into a synopsis of the story and my internal frustration with the situations these women face.
This story follows two women who, living separate lives, are eventually brought together and through their mutually horrendous experiences, find light and happiness together and are hopeful for what will come with each new day. Male or female, this story teaches you a lot about what we need to appreciate that we take for granted, and gives a prospective of what others endure on a daily basis. This story was absolutely heartbreaking, but also life changing. The characters in this story(for the most part), are positive, hopeful and continue to believe that good things are to come, even in their darkest moments. That certainly helped me to put my petty problems into perspective!
I like that this story is a few stories intertwined: it is great to see how these women who lived separate lives are suddenly connected. Hosseini has a gift for weaving stories together, and also staying true to his native roots, and respect for tradition. It is difficult to show light on all of these social and political injustices, but he does so in an appropriate, and well recieved manner. This story, like the problems Afghani women are continuing to face, is not completely resolved, but it does leave the reader hopeful. Depressed, but hopeful.
While I was not particularly happy reading this story, I did enjoy it, I loved the writing style and the flow of the story. The message of the story was so somber and depressing, that it did not leave me very happy, but I am so happy that I did read this novel. It gave me a greater perspective on the country of Afghanistan, and I always enjoy learning through a novel that I am reading for pleasure, as opposed to reading a textbook and having to actively read, highlight, etc. Plus, reading a story about something that interests and challenges me, and gets me frustrated and saddened is always a good experience, and time well spent.
While this story is not a warm, fuzzy, feel good novel, it is one that certainly broadens your prospective and challenges you to think differently, and appreciate those smaller things in life. An amazing story, one that is fiction but is not far from the truth that real women face every day, I strongly encourage every woman to take the time to read this story, to help realize what women all over the world face. Open your horizons, remove yourself from an ignorant bliss and take the time to read, "A Thousand Splendid Suns". You will not regret it.