Author : Khaled Hosseini
Year Published : 2007
Language : English
pages : 384
“Of all the hardships a person had to face, none was more punishing than the simple act of waiting.”
― Khaled Hosseini, A Thousand Splendid Suns
This is story about woman of Afghanistan when they are going through their country revolutions, war and culture that never take their side.
The novel centers around the relationship between Mariam and Laila. It is split into four parts, with a focus on Mariam in the first part, continuing with Laila in the second, the relationship between the two women in the third part and Laila's life with Tariq in part four, which is also the only part written in the present tense.
Mariam is a Harami- a illegitimate child from a very wealthy businessman in Herat, Jalil. She lives in Kolba- a hut along with her mother in Herat. Every thursday, her father will visit her in her Kolba for short hours and play with her. Sometimes his father will tell him stories of his family- (three legal wives and some of legal children), or they just went to fishing.
Every Thursday is Mariam's favorite day of the week. She really waiting to see her father and sometimes that pissed her mother. Her mother is former maid in Jalil's house and when Jalil found out she is pregnant, he take them outside the house and leave them in Kolba in the border the city because his father is ashamed of the rumors.
Mariam mother is bitter woman who has no time except cursing and complain about life. Mariam's mother principle is that the only woman has to have is the power to endure from suffers. Until one day, Mariam is so curious about her-never-seen family and decide to visit her father's house in Herat.
As expected, her father didn't open his house for her, she slept outside the fence for a night and finally understand what her mother always said about her father. That Jalil ashamed of Mariam.
Heartbroken, she went back to her Kolba just to found out that her mother commit a suicide. Drifted and confused, Her father take her in just to deliver her to older widow man-Rasheed who soon become his husband.
Her marriage, of course did not happy. She is just teenager when meeting her husband. Serials of miscarriage, until turn out to be domestic violence.
On the Part II is story about Laila. a girl growing up in Kabul who is close friends with Tariq, a boy living in her neighborhood. They eventually develop a romantic relationship despite being aware of the social boundaries between men and women in Afghan society. War comes to Afghanistan, and Kabul is bombarded by rocket attacks. Tariq's family decides to leave the city, and the emotional farewell between Laila and Tariq culminates with them making love. Laila's family also decides to leave Kabul, but as they are packing a rocket destroys the house, killing her parents and severely injuring Laila. Laila is subsequently taken in by Rasheed and Mariam.
After recovering from her injuries, Laila discovers that she is pregnant with Tariq's child. After being informed that Tariq has died, she agrees to marry Rasheed, who is eager to have a young and attractive second wife, and hopes to have a son with her. When Laila gives birth to a daughter, Aziza, Rasheed is displeased and suspicious, and he soon becomes abusive towards Laila. Mariam and Laila eventually become confidants and best friends. They plan to run away from Rasheed and leave Kabul but are caught at the bus station. Rasheed beats them and deprives them of water for several days, almost killing Aziza.
And then the story develop between how Mariam-the older wife and Laila-the young and smart woman against their abusive husband-Rasheed.
***
I must say,at first I am skeptic about the male author capability to write from the female point of view, moreover it is a very dramatic story. Even it is for Khaled Hossaeni. And then i must admit, I am satisfied enough. Oke, there is no melancholic feeling of woman (that usually woman author bring it for the best), but still i can capture the sadness and sorrow.
Overall, this is like a big picture of Afghanistan culture. Even Hossaeni isn't living in Kabul when revolution happens, but he is successfully deliver a lot of knowledge and culture that happen in Afghanistan that time. I finally realized that not all Afghan is taliban-fans. Most of them against the cruelness of Taliban, and sorry to say, previously, I thought Afghan is just terrorist, a radical moslems-country.
Beside the amazing culture and history storytelling, I must admit that Hossaeni is a very good storyteller. From the start to the end, from the kite runner until and the mountain echoed (still reading it), the way Hossaeni deliver the story is never make me bored. Net even once.
And the biggest revelation is I am crying when I reach the ending of this book. I cry and angry, and i curse Hossaeni. How come there is nothing good happen to delicate and gentle people like Mariam?
where is the silver lining we always believe?
Despite everything, this book is a must-read book to poke our curiosity to found out what is really happen in Afghanistan. As a women, I am tortured when finding out how Afghan treat woman only below his knee. Woman is second grade citizen and has no luxury of their life.
I love and hate this book. Yes, this book is kinda ambivalent for me. but this book is darn good.
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