A Thousand Splendid Suns

I've read several reviews of Khaled Hosseini's book, A Thousand Splendid Suns at Semicolon and thought perhaps it should go on my list to read. Then Miss Betty offered to loan me her copy. I asked her if it was a good book, and she answered, "Not particularly, but you ought to read it anyway."

Not getting a warm, enthusiastic recommendation to read it, I wasn't setting aside time to really get into it. Last week I read about the first third of the book, and thought it was okay. Not riveting, but okay. Then last night before bed I picked it up and read until the last few pages. The story got better (not better as in "happy," but better as in "interesting"), and I didn't think I could bear to go to sleep without finishing it. But Steve had to go to sleep before I finished it, so I shut the book, turned off the light, and lay awake until 2:00 a.m. digesting what I'd read.

This afternoon I read the final few pages, and decided I liked it. Yes, it was pretty depressing, but the ending was hopeful. I would imagine that if I lived in Afghanistan during the time depicted in the book I would have to live in hope that the future would be better - otherwise it would be difficult to live each day as it came.