Tuesday, July 5, 2016

A Thousand Splendid Suns - PICTURESQUE, but, POINTLESS







Picking up “A thousand splendid suns” from the magician who had created “The kite runner” my hope was sky-high. I expected the book to be as wonderful as his first one. This, very, expectation is the worst thing one can have. It would play dirty tricks with your heart. It will amplify the unsatisfied feeling you have. It will make you believe that you are offered a bowl of rice, when you were expecting a feast.

Apologies, Khaled Hosseini!

He may never read this blog post, but it was my responsibility to apologize to him. As I had failed to keep expectation at bay. Had I not known him, had I not read his debut book, had I not expected anything, I would have definitely enjoyed the book more.
  
Of course, I have enjoyed reading the book. But we are human beings and we want everything MORE. 

The story is narrated in first person through the eyes of two female protagonists Mariyam and Laila. They are not linked with each other, until the book reaches the third section. An incident results in one entering into other’s life. The story changes from there and mostly you would sense what is coming. 

Here, it would not be wrong if a reader feels the incident was inserted

Since, nothing much was happening in the book until that point. It certainly was the case with me. I felt the centre portion was sagging and the author was trying to find ways to move it ahead.
Trying to give a meaningful twist. 

The narration was good and descriptions vivid. Being a talented author, Hosseini could describe each scene and incident perfectly. You can see it happening in front of your eyes. You can feel the pain. 

You will feel helpless, as Mariam. 

You will be pained, as Laila. 

You will be angry with the Taliban (here, he has repeated the rules by Taliban as in The Kite Runner). 

However, at the end you will be left wanting for……more. Read it if you like emotionally charged, which is close to real life. Don’t expect a joy read at any point in the book. 

Pros: Beautifully articulated emotions, strong female characters.

Cons: Storyline, too much Afghanistan, forcefully inserted scenes. 

Rating: 3.5/5

No comments:

What are the Benefits of Hiring a PR Agency?

Media recognition, brand identity, public awareness and establishment of credibility are the essential aspects for a business firm t...