The only book review I have left to do is Khaled Hosseini's (author of The Kite Runner) second novel, A Thousand Splendid Suns. I give it a B+ with the kindest praise possible. Just as in The Kite Runner, I couldn't help but get sucked into the story, so it is definitely a quick read. That's always a good sign.
However, perhaps because it followed The Kite Runner, I just wasn't as blown away by this story. It is still very interesting to read about the region during this time, but I felt that a lot of the styling and descriptions seemed overplayed the second time around. Hosseini is praised for his ability to aptly describe emotions and surroundings. I definitely felt that with The Kite Runner. Here, while it is mostly true, there were a few times that I found it to be a bit forced, almost cheesy.
The story itself is wonderful. The book transitions between the viewpoints of two different women whose lives start out very differently but end up very intertwined. Hosseini is undeniably masterful at this. Despite my criticisms earlier, I do find his ability to write from a woman's viewpoint impressive.
I would definitely say this is a successful second novel, no sophomore slump here. I just personally enjoyed his first work more.
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