Kim's Review

Well, I just realized that my brother Mark has my book and when I wrote some notes on the book I didn't add the names of the characters! Maybe someone can remind me of the names and I can speak further about them.

first of all, I loved the book - I couldn't put it down. I read his first book the Kite Runner which I believe is equally as good. I liked 1000 Splendid Suns because it's characters were mainly women and it was a nice contrast from the 1st book whose main characters where men. I love his books because it shows us, teach us, a real part of the culture and life in Afghanistan that we aren't able to see. The only images or news we get about Afghanistan is about the Taliban and war and even though these are issues in the book at least we get personal, back stories of how people really live (even though the characters are fictional).
I loved learning about the history of Afghanistan. It really humanized these people which the media tend to dehuminize or desensitize us through constant images of war etc... I loved how the author really showed us the innocence of childhood, friendship and first loves. Those first relationships are so important and when you get older you forget how powerful they are and how they are your world so they are so powerful. Laila (i'm not sure if that's her name) was so sweet, and they way he wrote about her and her love I could totally imagine them in my head. I realized that we are not very different at all - that most of us in the world are all the same. We want love, safety, and health and peace. and we go through the same experiences - first loves, best friends etc...
The taliban is so crazy and these poor women being treated liked animals - worse than animals! it's strange how these people (the taliban) could think that the word of god would mean treating women like shit.....and how they would put their country in economic jeopardy over religion which i believe is only about male power.

i thought the auther had an intersting story, his characters were all full and interesting and i really loved it!

September 21, 2007 1:45 PM