Khaled Hosseini, a Afghan-American author who remains most famous for his book The Kite Runner, excellently weaves together realistic and emotional themes through his novels. For very good reasons, The Kite Runner is a common book to read senior year. The book has excellent writing, heartbreaking story lines, and overall brings togethers a tragic yet beautiful story. While The Kite Runner is an amazing work, Hosseini also writes, in my opinion, a better novel with a similar surrounding. A Thousand Splendid Suns tells the story of two women whose lives get inevitably drawn together, and follows their experiences during the political strife in Afghanistan. Hosseini leans into topics such as domestic violence and sisterhood. He shows how the characters deal with their hardship in a relatable way, even to people experiencing different things.
Because of a similar setting, many similarities exist between the books. Below is a list of some similarities and differences between the two books.
Similarities:
- Both books focus on friendship and relationships in their own ways. The Kite Runner follows Amir and Hassan and their relationship throughout the novel, while A Thousand Splendid Suns showcases the bond formed between Laila and Mariam as they suffer together under their shared husband.
- Both are set in Afghanistan and showcase the impact the war and tumultuous political climate has on the characters.
- Hossieni focuses on family heavily in both novels. In The Kite Runner, Amir’s relationship with his father and the seeking of his approval is central to the book while in A Thousand Splendid Suns shows Laila and Mariam sacrificing themselves for their children, as well as the unlikely family bond that forms between them.
Differences:
- Hossieni uses a third person perspective for A Thousand Splendid Suns while The Kite Runner utilizes first person: Excellent in both perspectives, Hossieni uses first person in The Kite Runner through the protagonist: Amir. While it is good to get a grasp on his thoughts and emotions throughout the novel, and while the audience has a chance to get to know him as a character a little better, this perspective limits everything to one sided. A Thousand Splendid Suns follows two main characters all in third person, in order to allow the reader to jump between the two. Despite the usual detachment that is felt when reading a novel in third person, Hosseini allows the audience to empathize with both characters, while experiencing the whole picture.
- As previously mentioned, The Kite Runner follows one protagonist, Amir. Amir is often viewed as a negative character by the audience because of his poor decision making. A Thousand Splendid Suns follows Mariam and Laila, and shows the unlikely friendship between the two women as they are trapped by the same household, fears, and oppression.
Overall, both books are beautifully written and reading them feels like you are right there with the characters. Hosseini illustrates the settings and the characters in ways that wrap the reader up into the world. Definitely read both books if you are looking for a good cry.