A THOUSAND SPLENDID SUNS

A THOUSAND SPLENDID SUNS- KHALED HOSSEINI

The second novel by Khaled Hossieni, “A Thousand Splendid Suns”, was released in 2007. The novel narrates the miserable lives of two Afghan women who come together as though destined. The title of the book comes from a line in the Josephine Davis translation of the poem "Kabul", by the 17th-century Iranian poet Siab-e-Tabrizi:
Every street of Kabul is enthralling to the eye
Through the bazaars, caravans of Egypt pass
One could not count the moons that shimmer on her roofs
And the thousand splendid suns that hide behind her walls.

The two women in the novel are Mariam and Laila, around whom the four parts of the novel revolves. Mariam is the daughter of Jalil and Nana. Being the illegitimate daughter of the reputed businessman, Jalil, Mariam lives in a kolba in Herat with her mother, who used to be the servant at Jalil’s. but Jalil intensely loves Mariam and often visits her though Nana disapproves of these visits. One day Jalil fails to keep the promise of taking Mariam for outing and she eventually lands up at his house. Mariam’s missing greatly hurts her mother and she hangs herself. Jalil has a large family with three wives and children. So he marries away the fifteen year old Mariam to a shoemaker from Kabul, Rasheed , thirty years older to her. Though initially Rasheed is portrayed as a loving husband, subsequently his true colours are revealed. He begins to torture Mariam and is much disturbed that they will not have any children. Hereon the tumultuous life of Mariam with Rashid unfolds.

Laila is a girl in the same neighbourhood who is fond of her friend Tariq, who is handicapped in an accident. Though deep, their friendship knows the boundaries set by the society. In the meantime war visits Afghanistan and Kabul is bombarded by rockets. Tariq and his family decide to leave Kabul and their emotional farewell leads to love making. Laila’s family also decides to leave the place, but her parents are killed in a rocket attack. Laila is deeply injured and is cared by Mariam. Rashid expresses his desire to marry Laila. Initially she opposes to the proposal, but on learning that Tariq is dead and she is carrying Tariq’s child, Laila agrees.

Mariam much annoyed by this develops hatred towards Laila. Rasheed is eager to have a child from his second, young and attractive wife. Laila gives birth to a girl, Aziza and Rasheed becomes suspicious of the child. Aziza soon becomes the link between Laila and Mariam. They both love her and care for her so does she reciprocates the love. Soon Laila and Mariam realize their interdependent existence and become best friends. They begin to develop the feeling that Rasheed is their common enemy.

Soon, Laila gives birth to a son of Rasheed, Zalmai, who epitomizes his father and keeps track of Laila and Mariam. One day a man comes to the house and the novel takes a different turn. With his entry into the novel, the lives of the characters begin to see bright colours. With the death of Rasheed they are both relieved from the tortures of the beast. Though Mariam is not destined to experience true happiness in life, Laila has a refreshingly new life ahead.

The novel is a good narrative of the social taboos and the political instability of Afghanistan. As with the first novel, the response to this novel was also mixed, as a section of people refused to accept the Afghan nation and the society as portrayed by Hosseini. The work stands out for its narrative style and the simple and strong language. It is equally wonderful as its forerunner “The Kite Runner”. This novel is soon to be made into a movie.