A Thousand Splendid Sons....

So far A Thousand Splendid Suns had been my favorite book to read this year. But if was not my favorite book to get, shelling out approximately $16.00 for it, even though I work at a bookstore. This book raises a lot of questions that Americans wouldn't be able to answer. Do people really live like this? Are women that oppressed? Is gender equality that far off from our society? And the answer is yes to all questions. The unfairness that Mariam, Laila, and all the other women in Afghanistan had to face each day was so harsh. When Laila went to visit Aziza at the orphanage, she was whipped along the way, because she needed a male escort everywhere she went. The whole idea of not being able to leave the house without a man is so unorthodox. Where would American women be if a terrorist group took over the country? Or what if it were women that took over and men, for once, were oppressed? It would be so difficult to imagine because we are in a sheltered life. I see this book as an eye opener, mainly because I get somewhat understand the situation is because I can see it on the news. Other books like The Awakening and A Doll's House showed what it was like for women at the time, but the idea was a little confusing in my mind. A Thousand Splendid Suns let me know what they are like for present day women and see that they still do live like this. Which is sad. :( But an overall good book.