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  • A Thousand Splendid Suns

  • By: Khaled Hosseini
  • Narrated by: Atossa Leoni
  • Length: 11 hrs and 43 mins
  • 4.8 out of 5 stars (441 ratings)

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A Thousand Splendid Suns

By: Khaled Hosseini
Narrated by: Atossa Leoni
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Publisher's Summary

Propelled by the same superb instinct for storytelling that made The Kite Runner a beloved classic, A Thousand Splendid Suns is at once an incredible chronicle of 30 years of Afghanistan history and a deeply moving story of family, friendship, faith, and the salvation to be found in love.

Born a generation apart and with very different ideas about love and family, Mariam and Laila are two women brought jarringly together by war, by loss, and by fate. As they endure the ever-escalating dangers around them, in their home as well as in the streets of Kabul, they come to form a bond that makes them both sisters and mother-daughter to each other, and that will ultimately alter the course not just of their own lives but of the next generation. With heart-wrenching power and suspense, Hosseini shows how a woman's love for her family can move her to shocking and heroic acts of self-sacrifice, and that in the end it is love, or even the memory of love, that is often the key to survival.

A stunning accomplishment, A Thousand Splendid Suns is a haunting, heartbreaking, compelling story of an unforgiving time, an unlikely friendship, and an indestructible love.

©2007 TKR Publications, LLC. All rights reserved (P)2007 Simon and Schuster Inc. All rights reserved.

Critic Reviews

"Another searing epic....[Hosseini's] tale is a powerful, harrowing depiction of Afghanistan, but also a lyrical evocation of the lives and enduring hopes of its resilient characters." (Publishers Weekly)
"Unimaginably tragic, Hosseini's magnificent second novel is a sad and beautiful testament to both Afghani suffering and strength. Readers who lost themselves in The Kite Runner will not want to miss this unforgettable follow up." (Booklist)

What listeners say about A Thousand Splendid Suns

Average Customer Ratings
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  • Overall
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Beautifully told story.

Such a well crafted story that unfortunately is deeply rooted in truths. Being an Afghan who fled the tribal wars at the age of 4 this story is particularly full of life to me. Thank you Khaled Hosseini.

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2 people found this helpful

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    1 out of 5 stars
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terrible audio

the voice was computer generated and I could not get past ot even though people recommended the book itself.

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1 person found this helpful

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Beautifully heartbreaking

One of the most deeply saddening books I’ve ever read, but one that was utterly beautiful in its message of uncovering what happens every day in the world.

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    5 out of 5 stars
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Heartbreakingly beautiful.

Somehow, amidst the injustice, war and the savagery of men, this is a story of hope.

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    5 out of 5 stars
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A beautiful story

This book was a pleasure to listen to with its wonderful narration taking the listener into troubled Afghanistan and all it has, and continues to endure. The story is one of compassion and endurance and must read or listen for all.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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A Journey

I loved this book. I didn’t want it to end. The narration was perfect. A story of love and hardships.

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A thousand splendid suns

Very real and thorough character development. Captures human relationship dynamics and feelings very well! Well done

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    5 out of 5 stars
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A captivating story which I loved listening too.

Loved every page. Such a captivating writer, I couldn’t put it down. It feels like an authentic insight into a different culture.

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best book i’ve read

this made me cry like a baby about 15 times. other than this, i have not cried in years. this novel is a masterpiece.

the end of chapter 47 is beautifully written. in just a few paragraphs, hosseini concludes and answers every thematic question that he asks throughout the novel. the interpretation he paints is so melancholy and moving that it would make even the staunchest, most stoic man fall in tears.

i was going to write some of my favourite quotes from the novel, but it is endlessly quotable; almost every line is worthy of recognition. if you’d like some heart breaking lines about patriarchy, war, hope, motherhood, or even just some very pretty prose, just listen to it. in the first chapter alone, you’ll get what you came for.

the voice acting is also amazing. truely a 10/10 experience.

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  • Overall
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What a story

Unfortunately I know too many of these real life stories. So beautifully written and I finished it in 2 days

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