Personal Testimonial
I thoroughly enjoyed this book, because it had a variety of culture, adventure and excitement. It was entertaining while informative about Middle Eastern culture in Afghanistan. I would recommend this book to anybody who's looking for a interesting book for pleasure. The book initially starts off talking about Middle Eastern culture in Afghanistan.
I would recommend this book to anybody who's looking for a interesting book, and is interested in learning about other cultures. The book initially starts off somewhat slow, but builds very quickly after only a few chapters. If I were to read it again I would research every term that I did not understand, in order to add more background and understanding to what I was reading. Overall I'd give this book 5 stars out of 5 stars, for its variety of characters, environments and themes. The author is very descriptive, and is constantly challenging in the reader to further their knowledge and ability to understand context. Overall it is very fast-paced, and the tone changes dramatically throughout the novel. I very much enjoyed this book, and would recommend it to anybody.
I would recommend this book to anybody who's looking for a interesting book, and is interested in learning about other cultures. The book initially starts off somewhat slow, but builds very quickly after only a few chapters. If I were to read it again I would research every term that I did not understand, in order to add more background and understanding to what I was reading. Overall I'd give this book 5 stars out of 5 stars, for its variety of characters, environments and themes. The author is very descriptive, and is constantly challenging in the reader to further their knowledge and ability to understand context. Overall it is very fast-paced, and the tone changes dramatically throughout the novel. I very much enjoyed this book, and would recommend it to anybody.
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Metacognitive
The book started off following a character named Mariam, and her controlling mother living in a small house. Mariam was a harami, which meant that she was birthed out of wedlock. The author shows the reader how she was treated when he says "She understood then what Nana meant, that a harami was an unwanted thing: that she, Mariam, was an illegitimate person who would never have legitimate claim to the things other people had, things such as love, family, home, acceptance" speaking to the way the society held Mariam (Hosseini 33). The beginning of the novel is dedicated to showing Mariam's hardships growing up, and her inability to connect with her father. When Mariam was given to an older man to be married, it broke my heart. For she was not given a choice in the situation and was forced to move to a city named Kabul where she knew nobody.
The book continues to talk about Mariam's new life in Kabul then it shifts to a new character named Laila. Laila was born in Kabul and grew up with a mother who overlooked her and every situation. For Laila's brothers were fighting in the war, and Laila's mother was heartbroken. Laila was born quite a few years after Mariam moved to Kabul, for Mariam was much older than Laila. It was sad to see Laila closed off from her mother, for reminding me of Mariam and her childhood. However it brought me joy as a reader to see Laila let go of all her pain when she was with Tariq. Tariq was her neighbor and when they were together they would forget about the war. One of the saddest parts of the novel was When Tariq could moved away, and Laila's parents were killed in a bombing. Laila was injured in the bombing as well, and was put in the hospital with no family to care for her. Wow this part of the novel made me sympathize for Laila, it made me realize how blessed I was to have a family in my life.
At this point in the novel Mariam and Laila meet for the first time, for Mariam took care of Laila while she was in the hospital. However Rasheed, Mariam's husband, had different intentions to make Laila his second wife along with Mariam, for Mariam could not bear him a child. This made Mariam furious, and Laila and Mariam would not become friends for a long time. It was hard to sympathize with just one of the characters at this point of the book, because Miriam and Laila both seemed innocent in their positions.
The women in this book where severely under appreciated, and were subject to their husbands decisions or punishments. This impacted me the most, because they give up so much knowledge and perspective this way by suppressing 50% of the population. This book compares to 1984, because the government and rulers suppress the population through a multitude of rules and fear. Mariam impacted me the most, when she gave her life for Laila and her kin. Because it showed the selflessness and compassion that Marian hat, even though those feelings were seldom reciprocated to her. Marian touched me, and showed me how to truly have compassion for those around me in my every day life. When the Taliban control Kabul they take away all of the rights of women, and threatened to kill any of those who go against the regime. This is similar to the thought police and big brother in the book 1984, and how they suppress the population by controlling certain aspects of their everyday life.
The book continues to talk about Mariam's new life in Kabul then it shifts to a new character named Laila. Laila was born in Kabul and grew up with a mother who overlooked her and every situation. For Laila's brothers were fighting in the war, and Laila's mother was heartbroken. Laila was born quite a few years after Mariam moved to Kabul, for Mariam was much older than Laila. It was sad to see Laila closed off from her mother, for reminding me of Mariam and her childhood. However it brought me joy as a reader to see Laila let go of all her pain when she was with Tariq. Tariq was her neighbor and when they were together they would forget about the war. One of the saddest parts of the novel was When Tariq could moved away, and Laila's parents were killed in a bombing. Laila was injured in the bombing as well, and was put in the hospital with no family to care for her. Wow this part of the novel made me sympathize for Laila, it made me realize how blessed I was to have a family in my life.
At this point in the novel Mariam and Laila meet for the first time, for Mariam took care of Laila while she was in the hospital. However Rasheed, Mariam's husband, had different intentions to make Laila his second wife along with Mariam, for Mariam could not bear him a child. This made Mariam furious, and Laila and Mariam would not become friends for a long time. It was hard to sympathize with just one of the characters at this point of the book, because Miriam and Laila both seemed innocent in their positions.
The women in this book where severely under appreciated, and were subject to their husbands decisions or punishments. This impacted me the most, because they give up so much knowledge and perspective this way by suppressing 50% of the population. This book compares to 1984, because the government and rulers suppress the population through a multitude of rules and fear. Mariam impacted me the most, when she gave her life for Laila and her kin. Because it showed the selflessness and compassion that Marian hat, even though those feelings were seldom reciprocated to her. Marian touched me, and showed me how to truly have compassion for those around me in my every day life. When the Taliban control Kabul they take away all of the rights of women, and threatened to kill any of those who go against the regime. This is similar to the thought police and big brother in the book 1984, and how they suppress the population by controlling certain aspects of their everyday life.
Questions
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1. If Mariam's mother did not die, would she have been given away to Rasheed?
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Theme
One of the overarching theme is that this book is the distraction of war, and the dearth of benefits cost by it. The author takes a strong stance against war throughout the entire novel. For example before the Taliban entered Kabul, women were able to be outside without a man and have an education. But it was taken away by the anarchical dictatorship, and cause the society to take a step backwards. But more importantly the author uses the war to highlight compassion and the characters. Throughout the book the war cause destruction, pain, and took away freedom and liberties that once were granted to the people in Kabul and in Afghanistan. But in this book the author shows the audience that with compassion you can still change lives, no matter the circumstances.
Mariam grew up with an abusive mother, and a nonexistent father and lived in a cramped hut for most of her childhood. She was then given to me obese rugged man, who was abusive throughout their marriage. She then was treated poorly, and watched your husband marry another woman. Throughout Mariam's life they were very little things that she can control, but what she could was holding onto her compassion and grace period for Mariam gave her life for a woman who married her husband, to save Laila and her children from death. When Marimum is about to die she looks back on how "Though there had been moments of beauty in it. Mariam knew that life for the most part had been unkind to her. But as she walked the final twenty paces, she could not help but wish for more of it. […] Yet as she closed her eyes, it was not regret any longer but a sensation of abundant peace that washed over her. She thought of her entry into this world, the harami daughter of a lowly villager, an unintended thing, a pitiable, regrettable accident. A weed. And yet she was leaving the world as a woman who had loved and been loved back" although she had a rough start she ended her life beautifully (Hosseini 356). The author shows the theme of compassion through war, to show that no matter the circumstances you can always control yourself, and choose grace.
Mariam grew up with an abusive mother, and a nonexistent father and lived in a cramped hut for most of her childhood. She was then given to me obese rugged man, who was abusive throughout their marriage. She then was treated poorly, and watched your husband marry another woman. Throughout Mariam's life they were very little things that she can control, but what she could was holding onto her compassion and grace period for Mariam gave her life for a woman who married her husband, to save Laila and her children from death. When Marimum is about to die she looks back on how "Though there had been moments of beauty in it. Mariam knew that life for the most part had been unkind to her. But as she walked the final twenty paces, she could not help but wish for more of it. […] Yet as she closed her eyes, it was not regret any longer but a sensation of abundant peace that washed over her. She thought of her entry into this world, the harami daughter of a lowly villager, an unintended thing, a pitiable, regrettable accident. A weed. And yet she was leaving the world as a woman who had loved and been loved back" although she had a rough start she ended her life beautifully (Hosseini 356). The author shows the theme of compassion through war, to show that no matter the circumstances you can always control yourself, and choose grace.
