Afghanistan, a country in South Asia. Over the years we have heard alot of things about Afghanistan and it’s people, but we have heard and seen it all through the eyes and narrative of media and others. Today we are going to enlighten you about 3 novels which will show you Afghanistan through the eyes of an Afghan himself.
1) A Thousand Splendid Suns
A Thousand Splendid Suns is a magneficent story written by the Afghan-American novelist Khaled Hosseini. The book was published in 2007 and was a huge success for the writer. The story revolves around Mariam, Laila, Tariq and Rasheed. In the first part of the book, Khaled Hosseini narrates the story of Mariam, a teenage girl who lives with her mother Nana in a kolba while her father lives in Herat and comes to visit her often. Mariam’s life was all good until a drastic event occured in her life after which she was married to Rasheed, a showmaker in Kabul who is 15 years older than her. In the second part of the book, we read the story of Laila and Tariq. Laila and Tariq are best friends and live a simple life in a war zoned Kabul. Laila was all fine until Taliban came and leveled everyone to the ground. Nearly, two deceniums later Mariam and Laila’s fates intersect. From the streets of Herat to the Kolbas of Gul Daman, from the houses in Deh Mazang to the busy roads of Kabul, Khaled Hosseini will tell you a beautiful yet a heart-wrenching story. I loved this book because of the fact that it gives an insight about what Afghanistan was and what happened to it over the years. “A Thousand Splendid Suns” will enlighten you about all that happened to Afghanistan and its people, it will tell you the soul-piercing story of Afghans and will surely leave you in tears. Hend, a reviewer on Goodreads said;
“I have never cried while reading a book,like I Did while reading this one!”
2) The Kite Runner
The Kite Runner is the debut novel of Khaled Hosseini. It was published in 2003 and was one of the best sellers. “The Kite Runner” tells the story of Amir an adolescent boy from Wazir Akbar Khan district of Kabul and his friend Hassan. Amir belongs to a wealthy family, he is an intelligent and sensitive boy. Amir’s father is a business man and Hassan is his servant. Hassan is the closest friend of Amir but Amir often gets jealous of him if he receives affection from Amir’s father. Amir has skills of story-telling and he becomes a published novelist from an aspiring writer. As Amir grows up and now lives in United States, he struggles to find his place in the world because of traumatic childhood events that have left him affected. Apart from the story of Amir’s personal life, Khaled Hosseini also tells about how Afghanistan has evolved over the years. From the Soviet Invasion to the fleeing of refuges to Pakistan and the rising rule of Taliban, Khaled Hosseini tells the tale of courage and retrieval. The book will touch your heart in many ways, as said by a reader on goodreads;
“No words can describe the heaviness i am feeling in my heart right now.”
3) And The Mountains Echoed
This is the third book of Khaled Hossieni, and was published in 2013. “And The Mountains Echoed” is different from other books of Khaled Hosseini, it consists on nine chapters each chapter being narrated by a different character. The book revolves around two people in particular; Abdullah and his sister Pari. Both the siblings live in a small village of Afghanistan– Shadbagh with their father and step-mother. Their father who is known as Saboor is jobless and is in search of a job. Abdullah is like a second father to Pari, he can sacrifice anything for his sister. One day Abdullah, Pari and their father travel to Kabul as their father has found a job their in a mansion. Mrs. Nila Wahdati, the wife of mansion owner one day separates Abdullah and Pari when Pari is adopted by the owners of Mansion. Meanwhile, other chapters continue to narrate the story each from their own perspective. From Shadagh to Kabul, From Kabul to San Francisco and the Greek Islands, Khaled Hosseini narrates the lovely story of a brother and sister. There are many factors which make the book special for the reader one of them is the relation of Pari and Abdullah, the love between these two and the events that occured while they were apart will definitely touch your heart. As said by Leah, a reviewer on goodreads;
“A beautiful and very moving book that brought me to tears on several occasions, this isn’t fundamentally about politics or war; it is about the unforgettable people who populate its pages – about humanity.”
We hope these books also touch your heart same as they did touched mine. These beautiful stories about Afghanistan and its people will surely leave an impact on your heart. Happy Reading!
