Monday 4th May
I have tried to encourage my wānanga team to find a book that they are passionate about, a topic they have an interest in, as this will motivate them to continue to keep on reading. Its one of my favorite things to sit out in the sun shine and immerse myself into the story line of a book like I was there experiencing it for myself. We are asking students to write a book review on each of the books that they read. so I thought I would lead by example and put one of the ones that I have read during lockdown on here.
A Thousand Splendid Suns
Khaled Hosseini
Why you selected the novel?
This book is from the same Author of "The Kite Runner" I really enjoyed that book and had heard that this one was indeed better. It had good reviews and I enjoy books that often have that real life element to it.
What did you think about it overall?
This story is told through the eyes of two young women who grow up during the time of unrest in the country of Afghanistan. They tell stories of starvation, brutality and decisions made from fear and true desperation. This is certainly not a light read, it has a real human side to it and you feel such different emotions for these two ladies as the story unfolds. The fact that even though the story is not based on true circumstances, you know that the events in the book were. As a female that has a fairly strong and independent view on life it makes me sad at how second rate females were thought of, it seems so old school, yet it was less than 20 years ago.
What was your favourite part?
Its hard to identify a favourite part, because the best parts were probably the ones that were the hardest to read due to the sadness or cruelty. I loved seeing the growth of the female characters in this book. That in a time when the mindset round women were that, that they should be seen and not heard, these two women found strength within their friendship to band together and seek out the best life that they could live.
Who were the characters?
The story was told by two woman Mariam and Laila (twenty years her junior)
- Mariam was the illegitimate daughter of one of the wealthiest men of Herat. She and her mum had been banished to a house in the remote part of the city. At the age of 15 Mariam was married to Rasheed. In this relationship Mariam experienced heartbreak, sorrow and years of abuse. She was not able to give Rasheed the child he so badly desired and due to that their marriage was full of such hatred and poor treatment.
- Twenty years later Rasheed married his second wife 15year old Laila, who unlike Mariam was able to give the gift of children to Rasheed, particularly a boy. However, Laila and Rasheed's relationship was not without it's own issues around lies, deceit and the hard to read abuse. Laila's story was more about love and how the love of her life allowed her to survive through the darkest days.
- Rasheed saw him as the savior in the book - he allowed these two girls to come into his life and he was able to give them protection, food and shelter, with what he saw as very little in return from them. In reality was a cold hearted man, who perhaps got what he deserved in the end.
- Tariq; the lovable rough in this story, he would normally be the character that you feel sorry for due to his disability. But he makes the most of life and stands up for those he sees as being bullied. Throughout the story you see the relationship between Lalia and himself grow and develop into so much more that friendship.
Would you recommend this book and who do you think would enjoy this?
I would highly recommend this book, to anyone that has read the Kite Runner already then they will certainly want to read this. However, anyone that likes those books that tells of peoples real life struggles and who then rises above would enjoy this. The uniqueness of this book being told through female voice is also uplifting. While the underlying love story that intertwines itself through the despair and distraction offers something for everyone.
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