This site uses cookies to deliver our services, improve performance, for analytics, and (if not signed in) for advertising. By using LibraryThing you acknowledge that you have read and understand our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. Your use of the site and services is subject to these policies and terms.
Presents a story inspired by human love, how people take care of one another, and how choices resonate through subsequent generations. Afghanistan, 1952. Abdullah and his sister Pari live with their father and step-mother in the small village of Shadbagh. Their father, Saboor, is constantly in search of work and they struggle together through poverty and brutal winters. To Adbullah, Pari, as beautiful and sweet-natured as the fairy for which she was named, is everything.… (more)
BookshelfMonstrosity: Sold by their impoverished families, the young Afghan girls at the center of these sweeping novels undergo long, arduous journeys, geographically and emotionally, before coming to terms with their experiences. Though centuries separate the narratives, both offer richly detailed settings.… (more)
I love this book most because it is by an author with two best-selling books who did not just repeat his previous successful formulas but branched out for a different style of story and did so successfully. To me that shows growth and integrity as a writer, and I'm happy to appreciate all three novels for their own merits and not because I've like the author in the past.
This novel is more similar to a collection of short stories that have connected characters, but it is a novel because there is a specific thread that weaves the stories together. Each section is different from the others by POV, time, location, even style. Like short stories, the author has limited space with which to portray characters and actions, but each segment of this novel is as intriguing as the next. Each "main character" has depth and breadth and is likable in his/her own right. The scenes and time periods are also depicted with enough balance between detail and relevance. Selfishly, I like this novel in contrast to [b:Kite Runner|77203|The Kite Runner|Khaled Hosseini|http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1309288316s/77203.jpg|3295919] and [b:Thousand Splendid Suns|128029|A Thousand Splendid Suns|Khaled Hosseini|http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1345958969s/128029.jpg|3271379] because the subject is not quite as gut-wrenchingly tragic or difficult.
I had really enjoyed The Kite Runner, so it is possible that my expectations were too high. Khaled Hosseini can tell a good story - the problem here is that there are way too many stories in this book, stories that never get a chance to mature into GOOD stories. You only get glimpses of potential. I really liked the story of Pari and Abdullah, cared about other characters, but it all drowned in subplots... When the book tried going to Greece, France, or California, I only saw their pale shadows. The only place that I could see, smell, and taste was Afghanistan. I wish the novel had stayed there. ( )
A touching story of the interconnected lives of people living in Afghanistan during the 20th and into 21st century. The poverty, trauma and care people lived with during various uphevels of the country. Beautifully resolved at the end without being overly sentimental. ( )
This book was beautifully written and the characters were rich and complex. It's largely a story about family and he certainly captures the complexity of the relationships. This was the first book by this author that I've read and probably the first centered in Afghanistan and about their culture. I especially liked the characters of Nabi and Pari. Reviews call this book "bittersweet" and that is definitely true. All of the characters suffer loss and longing but there is also a lot of love. Just like in real families and real life. ( )
Presents a story inspired by human love, how people take care of one another, and how choices resonate through subsequent generations. Afghanistan, 1952. Abdullah and his sister Pari live with their father and step-mother in the small village of Shadbagh. Their father, Saboor, is constantly in search of work and they struggle together through poverty and brutal winters. To Adbullah, Pari, as beautiful and sweet-natured as the fairy for which she was named, is everything.
This novel is more similar to a collection of short stories that have connected characters, but it is a novel because there is a specific thread that weaves the stories together. Each section is different from the others by POV, time, location, even style. Like short stories, the author has limited space with which to portray characters and actions, but each segment of this novel is as intriguing as the next. Each "main character" has depth and breadth and is likable in his/her own right. The scenes and time periods are also depicted with enough balance between detail and relevance.
Selfishly, I like this novel in contrast to [b:Kite Runner|77203|The Kite Runner|Khaled Hosseini|http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1309288316s/77203.jpg|3295919] and [b:Thousand Splendid Suns|128029|A Thousand Splendid Suns|Khaled Hosseini|http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1345958969s/128029.jpg|3271379] because the subject is not quite as gut-wrenchingly tragic or difficult.
Certainly worth the read.