I am going to go ahead and open a thread for our discussion of Khaled Hosseini's A Thousand Splendid Suns. It's a powerful book and one I do not want to forget.

The extent of the suffering and resilience of the book's two protagonists, Mariam and Laila, are fresh in my mind and I must commend Hosseini for writing a second novel with characters so real and likable and whose lives as page-turning as his first novel The Kite Runner.

Because The Kite Runner is one of my all-time favorite books and its characters almost all men, I was afraid Hosseini would overreach in writing about women. I expected disappointment. But I found my heart in my throat, nervous for these women, loving these women and unable to put this book down until I knew what happened to them. I was crestfallen when that man at the bus station turned them in, hoping they would escape and live happily ever after in Pakistan. But Hosseini is right that these women's fateful punishment by their abusive husband Rasheed was more realistic in Afghanistan today. (See the non-fiction book Kabul Beauty School.)

That said, Hosseini offered a glimpse of hope in the way of the orphanage, which is not unrealistic. In Kabul Beauty School, the women take immeasurable risks to learn a trade and earn some money. Afghan women like Laila do exist.

Which leads me to some discussion questions:

Do you think the U.S. occupation of Afghanistan will free women? (This thought crossed my mind as I felt that the women living under Russian communist control were much more free than under the Afghan-backed Taliban!)

I found this question on About.com and wondered the same thing:

When the Taliban first enter the city, Laila does not believe women will tolerate being forced out of jobs and treated with such indignity. Why do the educated women of Kabul endure such treatment? Why are the Taliban accepted?

Finally, do you think Mariam did the right thing in calling no witnesses or an attorney to defend her at her trial? This woman had much more balls than anyone, including her mother, gave her credit for IMHO. I thought it was brave and "gladiatoresque" of her.

What other scenes or passages stood out to you? Did you like this book? Why or why not?