A Thousand Splendid Suns

I saw a table full of the book the last time I visited Barnes and Noble. I made a mental note to put it on my list at the library, but before I had a chance to do so, Nita mentioned that she had it already and I could get on her waiting list for it. Then Maggie bought it and passed it along last week.
. . . .
I could not put it down. If you read and liked The Kite Runner, I believe you will like this book just as much. Like Kite Runner, the book is set in Afghanistan. It is about two women, Mariam and Leila, and their relationship is the heart of the book. Disappointments from men abound for Mariam, from her shallow father who is ashamed of her illegitimacy to the older man he marries her off to. He turns out to be a ruthless abuser. Leila fares better in the "what are men like" department, having a father who absolutely dotes on her and a tender, loving boyfriend. Yet life for Leila turns as sour as Mariam's life, until the two realize that they have each other.
. . . .
Hosseini explains the politics of Afghanistan in a way that is understandable; yet he doesn't dwell on the politics. He is here to tell Mariam's story, Leila's story, and he tells it so very well. A book that easily earns an "A" from me.