A thousand splendid suns

A thousand splendid suns, a novel by Khaled Hosseini

Yesterday i was read that book, from the beginning over actually i'm not interesting with this book, because the whole theme of the book is about Afghanistan in war situation which is really strange for me.

But then after one page i found that this book is really cool, i can stop to read even for take my eat time. so then i spend my whole Sunday to read it.

At the beginning this book tell a story about Mariam, a harami (child who is born beyond a marriage) from Nana and Jalil. Jalil is a rich businessman where Nana was working as a servant at his big house. After she delivering Mariam, Jalil put Nana and Mariam at a Qolba across the river which make them secluded from Herat, the city where Jalil and his big family live.

Nana always tell Mariam a bad story about Jalil, how Jalil never defend Mariam in the front of his family and deliver her to this suffering. But Mariam never believe, she even almost hate Nana because of the story, in Mariam's eyes Jalil is a great dad, he always visit her every Thursday and give her so many cute things and tell her stories about Herat and movie which played in his own theater, one of the movie that Mariam always remember is PINOKIO

On her 15th birthday Mariam has one request to Jalil, she want to watch PINOKIO in his theater, with all her step brothers and sisters. But Jalil cannot fulfill it and cannot refuse it all at once.

Mariam decide to go to meet Jalil, even Nana has threaten to suicide if Mariam go.

When Mariam see the gate of Jalil's big house, the guard restrain her. Mariam insist to get in but the guard keep to restrain, Mariam stay until she fall asleep and wake up in the morning and see Jalil's face in the window. Mariam really disappointed and go back to Qolba. She just realized that Nana was right about Jalil.

Jalil's driver sent her back home, but at qolba Mariam really shock when she found that Nana has kill her self when she go to Jalil's house.

With her pain Mariam only silence when Jalil bring her to his house, a house where Jalil's with his three wifes and nine kids are living.

After several days Jalil ask Mariam to marry Rasheed, a shoe maker from Kabul , his business colleague. Mariam say yes, then after her marriage, Raheed bring her to Kabul, away from Herat. At the beginning of her marriage is not really bad, Rasheed really concern about her, especially when she was pregnant, he take Mariam in tender touch. But then the accident happens, Mariam lose her baby suddenly Rasheed become a maniak, he start to hit and yell.

The second part of book is tell about Laila, a smart cute girl Mariam's neighbor. Her dad is a teacher and her mom is a cheerful housewife. But after Laila's two brother go to the war battle Soviet , Laila's mom has lose her spirit for life, she hiding below her blanket almost whole day. So Laila's life are only with her father which really a smart and passion guy.
Laila has a best friend named Tariq, Tariq is a mine victim, he lose one of his foot. They grew together. At that time Kabul’s situation become worst, Laila's brother killed in action.
At a meantime Laila start to fall in love with Tariq and vice versa, then something happen Laila lose her virginity at the moment when Tariq decide to moving to another country considering his Dad's health which become worst after the war rised in Kabul.
After Tariq moving, Laila’s mom agree to move too. Laila was in preparation to sale their stuff and move it to the street when suddenly the bomb crash her house, kill her mom and dad who still stay in the house. Laila was collapse and found her self laying in Rasheed bed, Mariam take care of her until she feeling well.
But then Rasheed mean to marry Laila as a second wife, considering the Tariq baby who’s already grew in her womb, Laila agree. Laila hurt her hand to get virginity blood at the first night when Rasheed came to her room and making love. Rasheed really love her and set Laila as a princess and Mariam as the servant at his house.
Nine month later the baby was born, and unfortunately the baby was a girl, Rasheed really angry and start act like a maniac again, same thing like he was to do to Mariam. Laila named her baby Aziza. Aziza then grew without her dad love, at this time Mariam and Laila has unite emotionally as two mistreated lady, Mariam start to love Aziza. Then Laila have a second kid, now it’s a boy named Khalmai, Khalmai was Rasheed in miniature, Rasheed really love him.
When Mujaheedin taking over Kabul, Kabul start in awful situation, hunger, people killed everywhere, women come become a widow. At that time Rasheed’s shoes shop was burned and their family become a deep hunger. Rasheed sent Aziza to charitable institution.
Then Tariq come back to Kabul and start to meet Laila, Rasheed was angry….at one moment they in a heavy fight when Mariam get involved and hit Rasheed head until he is dead. Mariam ask Laila to runaway with Tariq while she facing law which will threat her. Laila and Tariq married and have a happy life in Pakistan, together with Khalmai and Aziza.
The story is ended with action of Laila’s family going back to Kabul and have a happily life with Mariam’s inheritance from Jalil while Mariam’s ended her life in the gallows as she sentenced to die by hanging.

Sometimes I think Mariam’s life was really unfair compared with Laila’s……come on, Laila have a kids, a loving husband and even money!!! And she’s pretty too. But see Mariam, she is unwanted since she was in the womb, and it’s happens along her life until her death. Whoaaa….but it’s only in my opinion, as someone who has no skills in literature, well I just love to read. But for the whole, I love this book.