A Thousand Spledid Suns - A much too long review

Okay, firstly, we'll be moving by Monday. We have a lot of packing to do.

And now!

I finally finished A Thousand Splendid Suns.

If you plan on reading the book, don't read this review. Because I just give crap away. Okey doke?

It took me a really long time to read (this is odd, I can usually finish books withing 24-48 hours), not because I didn't like it though, it was just hard for me to get into it at first.

Once I was into it, though, it was hard to put down.

I was about two Afghan women, Miriam - who was born out of wedlock and is shamed for most of her childhood, and Laila - who was intelligent and in love with a one legged guy.

The first part of the book is about Miriam. Because she was born out of wedlock people sort of shun her, and they're mean to her. Her dad is kind of rich, but Miriam and her mother, Nana, live in a little hovel by themselves outside of town. Nana is afraid that Miriam will choose her father, Jalil, over Nana. When she's fifteen, Miriam goes to visit Jalil on her birthday, Nana views this as betrayal, and hangs herself. Miriam is left alone so Jalil has to take her in. His wives don't like this, though, so he quickly marries Miriam off to a total douchebag named Rasheed, who lives in another town.

Rasheed is okay to Miriam at first but when she has a series of miscarriages he gets gradually more abusive.

The second part of the book is about Laila. She's a lot younger than Miriam, but she lives in the same town. Her father is a school teacher, he teaches Laila that an education is the most important thing. Laila's mother is kind of sucky. Her two sons are in the war, and she seems to have given all of her love to them and saved none for Laila.

Laila is in love with a one legged boy named Tariq. When she's about fourteen they do it, and then his family has to leave because Kabul(where they live) isn't safe.

Shortly afterward Laila's family finds out that her two brothers have died, so they decide that they need to get out of Kabul too. Before they can, though, a bomb lands on their house killing both Laila's parents.

Laila lives and is taken in by Miriam and Rasheed. Rasheed(asshat that he is) wants to marry Laila, and she agrees because she is pregnant with Tariq's baby, and that's a serious no no over there.

So! Laila has Tariq's baby girl, Aziza, and later on gives birth to a baby of Rasheed's. A boy, named Zalmai.

Rasheed is abusive, Kabul is really dangerous, and Miriam and Laila are just really miserable.

Then, quite a bit later, Tariq comes back. Rasheed finds out and tries to kill Laila. Miriam kills with with a shovel (he had it coming, the jerk).

Laila, Aziza, and Talmai run away with Tariq and find relative happiness.

Miriam sacrifices herself. Confessing to the murder so the fuzz wont go after Laila.

Miriam goes to prison, and then is beheaded.

It was a sad sad book. It was also really good. It drew me in. The characters had depth and the story was solid and moving.

It's a good book.