After reading the Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini which really was a very good book, I was looking forward to reading his second one. The first one had rave reviews and I must say that it delivered to the expectations. I got my hand on this one when my sister forwarded a copy of it. I read it in less than one day flat as it was simply unputdownable. This one is the story of two women in Afghanistan whose lives unravel against the background of the political turmoil of 3 decades. The unfortunate situations and the helplessness faced by the women is portrayed very well. In this book, whenever something has to go wrong it does. It has very few happy situations. It has very realistically depicted the status of women in a place where their freedom is snatched away and they have to depend on men – a husband, a father or a son for the smallest of rights. It is very depressing to read that certain women continue to live in such abysmal conditions. Their lives, indeed the value of their lives is no more than that of an animal. The book does end on an optimistic note and I do hope that Afghanistan is on the mend for the sake of its people.
The book disturbs as it realistically tells a fictional tale. The trauma of war, the helplessness of people as governments indulge in dictatorial decisions on behalf of their people, the deaths, the losses due to war……. I think it will surely move any human being. Overall, a very well told tale which gets one thinking but it is sad and depressing as life is I guess.
A must read !