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A Thousand Splendid Suns

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A Thousand Splendid Suns

Written by: Khaled Hosseini
Narrated by: Atossa Leoni
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About this listen

Propelled by the same superb instinct for storytelling that made The Kite Runner a beloved classic, A Thousand Splendid Suns is at once an incredible chronicle of 30 years of Afghanistan history and a deeply moving story of family, friendship, faith, and the salvation to be found in love.

Born a generation apart and with very different ideas about love and family, Mariam and Laila are two women brought jarringly together by war, by loss, and by fate. As they endure the ever-escalating dangers around them, in their home as well as in the streets of Kabul, they come to form a bond that makes them both sisters and mother-daughter to each other, and that will ultimately alter the course not just of their own lives but of the next generation. With heart-wrenching power and suspense, Hosseini shows how a woman's love for her family can move her to shocking and heroic acts of self-sacrifice, and that in the end it is love, or even the memory of love, that is often the key to survival.

A stunning accomplishment, A Thousand Splendid Suns is a haunting, heartbreaking, compelling story of an unforgiving time, an unlikely friendship, and an indestructible love.

©2007 TKR Publications, LLC. All rights reserved (P)2007 Simon and Schuster Inc. All rights reserved.
Fiction Genre Fiction Literary Fiction Tearjerking Heartfelt Feel-Good War
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What the critics say

"Another searing epic....[Hosseini's] tale is a powerful, harrowing depiction of Afghanistan, but also a lyrical evocation of the lives and enduring hopes of its resilient characters." (Publishers Weekly)
"Unimaginably tragic, Hosseini's magnificent second novel is a sad and beautiful testament to both Afghani suffering and strength. Readers who lost themselves in The Kite Runner will not want to miss this unforgettable follow up." (Booklist)

What listeners say about A Thousand Splendid Suns

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Remarkable story of our neighbourland

Very engaging and heartbreaking story excellent narration👌.thank God!otherwise I leave books in middle if they are monotone.

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    4 out of 5 stars

poignant. terrible. love this book.

The narrator is terrific. The story kind of slow and boring thru the first half, but without my noticing, I was hooked and fell in love with the characters (truly hate a few of them forever as well). I cried too much. Had far too much empathy and confused what-are-you-doings, but do believe that's one of the joys of reading: that we can learn about other people and the ways of others and hopefully become better people ourselves as a result of the journey.
A really good book. Really good. This one will be with me for a very long time.

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1 person found this helpful

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Incredible story and narration.

This is a beautiful novel and introduced me to a world I would not have known about. I must also compliment the narrator. Her reading was so lovely and flawless. It made the novel even more enjoyable. She’s very talented.

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A heartwarming yet heartbreaking story of love, violence and war

The story is one of joy, hope, heartbreak, violence and redemption. When I bought it I saw that someone had complained of the narrator’s accent. I think her mild English accent adds to the imagery, to the story, and brings life to the characters. I enjoyed it a great deal.

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A stunner of a book!

This was a wonderful book. I listened to it on Audible, and I think it would have been better to read it, but the narrator did a good job. This is a story of two strong women who were part of the history of Afghanistan for the past 30 years, from the Russian takeover to the Taliban and beyond. I have to admit that I put off reading this book because I didn't think it would measure up to The Kite Runner, but it did and then some. This is a story of two strong women who are thrown together under very stressful circumstances. Miriam was 15 years old when she was bequeathed to a much older man. She left a home where she did not get along with her mother, but adored her father and brother. She became pregnant and lost her baby, and many others besides. Her husband was a brutal man and shunned Mariam. When another young girl is brought into her home as a second wife, Mariam.did not allow herself to get attached to Laila until Rasheed, their husband, started beating and abusing her as well. A strong alliance is formed between these two women and Laila's two children are also part of the bond, and inevitably, when something horrible happens, they align themselves together. This is a gut-wrenching and difficult story to read and in my case, listen to. But it is a story that must be told. Hosseini has done a marvellous job with this story, and it has become a modern classic. His characters are so real, and his history elements so exact. I am sorry I waited so long to read this book. I fell in love with Miriam and Laila and marvelled at their strength and forbearance.

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    4 out of 5 stars
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Great story, not a fan of narrator

I’m very picky with voices, didn’t love the narrator. But the story was amazing. A slow burn, push through! The second half the book picks up in pace. Will recommend over and over again. Get pick for book club, a lot of good discussion points. Feeling very grateful to be a woman in Canada after this read.

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so conflicted

The story was amazing. At first I almost lost interest because of the narrator. I understand accents I live in a multicultural country, but the pronunciation of some words was so harsh I was turned off the book and hedged on not finishing. An example would be if the word were 'greedy' the narrator said 'gweedy'. I get that people have accents and embrace as much but given your stature as an author I can't fathom that you couldn't have found one person that spoke English and whatever other language that wouldn't have bastardized this so badly?

For those of you still reading. I loved it. I was holding my breath at times wondering what would happen next.

My conclusion is that if you're reading this in print you'll be amazed. If you're listening to the audio book you might be annoyed but it's well worth finishing it off!!

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    5 out of 5 stars
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Heart rending

As a Dutch immigrant’s son, growing up in Canada, and marrying a daughter of an angry Muslim man, I am quite aware of the Rashid character and what he represents to my wife’s history. Had her father not died I wouldn’t have had the privilege of marrying her. The world needs to understand that in most cases the hijabs and Bourkas are subjugation of women.

Very well presented and incredibly well written story that I think should be mandatory high school literature on all reading lists.

I recommend it highly.

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Understanding.....

This is a beautifully written account of life as it worked for women during a certain time of recent Afghan History. It is a reminder of how compassion should alway rule and guide our hearts and our decisions. As with other books by Khaled Hosseini I have felt captivated and engaged in the story lines of human strength that is necessary in times of survival. Thank you!

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A Thousand Splendid Suns review

Splendid story with thousands rays of shining lights of hope-:)
Hope for better Afghanistan and peaceful world.

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