A Thousand Splendid Suns Part 2

Author-Khaled Hosseini

Chapters 16-40

The main character of the book switches to a new person known as Laila. The events in this section of the book takes place around 9 years from where it left of with Mariam. The new main character Laila is around 9 years old and lives in the Kabul, the same city as Mariam. Her brothers Ahmad and Noor have joined with the jihad against the soviet union. Her parents Hakim and Fariba are constantly arguing. This is kind of new becuase her parents used to never argue. Laila also has a best friend and love interest named Tariq who recently left Kabul to visit family.
Laila has a hard time in life. She goes to school however has a very abusive teacher who talks about communism as well as saying males are superior to women. While walking home from school one day a boy named Khadim proposes marriage to her. She refuses and Khadim squirts her with a water gun that was filled with urine.
Events happen which lead up to a stranger coming to the door and stating that Laila's brothers have died. This causes Laila's mother to go into a state of depression in which see needs hospitality. Fariaba beings to have more suicidal thoughts. Laila is scared she could possibly kill herself.
After multiple bombings on the city of Kabul. Laila is almost hit by a bomb. After this incident Laila and her family decides that it is best for them to leave for Pakistan. The family decides to move to Pakistan. Upon exiting their house a bomb hits the family where everyone except Laila dies. However Laila was hit brutally and becomes unconscious. When Laila wakes up she finds herself in Mariam and Rasheed's house. They have taken care of her as well as tell her that her father and mother are dead. After hearing this Laila goes into a state of depression. However this worsens when a visitor comes to tell Laila that Tariq has died. One day Laila and Rasheed are talking while hearing their discussion Mariam believes that Rasheed is trying to set Laila up for marriage. Later in the day Mariam talks to Rahseed of how she does not think it is right for him to marry Laila. Rasheed threatens Mariam saying that he will kick Laila out of his house if he does not get the chance to marry her. Laila however discovers that she is pregnant with Tariq's child. She knows she must marry Rasheed if she wants to provide for the baby. Laila tells Rasheed that she wants to marry as soon as possible this way Rasheed will suspect that the child Laila is pregnant with is his.
Rasheed tells Laila to never leave the house unless he is with her as well as wear a burqa when out in public. Laila begins hearing stories from Mariam of how Rasheed mistreated his own son and begins getting worried that her child might not be safe. She decides to tell Rasheed that she is pregnant. Doing so Rasheed puts Laila on a higher living standard then Mariam.
Months later Laila has a child but Rasheed is very disappointed when it turns out to be a girl. He constantly complains about the maintenance for the child. Laila decides to name the baby Aziza. Laila continues to take care of the baby and becomes very close to her. Rasheed continues to get angry and Laila and the baby.
Sometimes Rasheed overhears Laila talk about Tariq to the baby. Rasheed begins to question Laila about what she did with Tariq. Laila believes it is best to lie and say nothing. Rasheed is still unsure. Aziza is forced to wear boys close because that is all Laila had. Rasheed bought boys clothes while Laila was pregnant. Mariam decides to let Laila have the girls dresses she made while she was pregnant. The girls begin to become more like friends. Eventually Laila believes its best she runs away. She begins to secretly steal money from Rasheed everyday in hopes she will have enough to run away towards the Spring.
It is the day that Laila and Mariam decide to leave. The take a taxi to the bus station. However in order to ride the bus they must find male to pose as their relative. This is due to women being forbidden to ride a bus without a male relative. They find someone to ride with them but the man decides to turn on them and tell the guards. Laila, Mariam and Aziza are taken to the police station and then back to their home. When they return Rasheed beats them and threatens to kill them if they ever do that again.
About two years later the Taliban invade Kabul. Many people are happy about this because most of the fighting has stopped. The Taliban mention to the people that there will be new rules. Some include men will be forced to have beards and wear turbans. Women on the other hand are forced to wear burqa's and unable to leave their house unaccompanied by a male. Rasheed is happy about the new rules of the Taliban. However Mariam and Laila are not.
Rasheed notices that Aziza's eye color does not match his or Laila's. He threatens to send Laila to the Taliban if he is not Aziza's father. Days pass and Laila finds out that she is pregnant again, this time with Rasheed's baby. She is considering aborting the baby but realizes that is murder. Months pass and she is going into labor. The Taliban have seperated hospitals male and female so women hospitals are not as nice. When they are at the hospital Laila is told she will need to have a c-section. The doctor also tells her that they have no anesthesia. Mariam offers to go find some but Laila says she can take it. Mariam is impressed how long Laila is able to go without screaming. Eventually after the operation they find out it is a boy. Rasheed is very happy to here this. They name the baby Zalmai.

Who should read this
I think that anyone that likes a good story should read this section. I also that anyone that can be distracted in a book should read this. Anyone interested in Afghanistan and daily life as well as anyone that likes suspense in books. Also anyone that read the previous book by this author The Kite Runner.

Why should they read this?
Overall it is a very good section of the book. It gives a lot of detail about what Laila and Mariam are going through. This is good for people that get distracted easily because it switches main characters almost like it is starting a different story. This should keep your mind on the book. I also think this section gives a good sense of what daily life is like in Afghanistan. There is also a good amount of suspense in this chapter.

Did I like this
I really enjoyed this section because I like how they through in another main character that is connected to Mariam in some way. I also like how there were many decisions for the main character to make. I enjoyed reading this section because I get a good sense of what life in Afghanistan is like. I also like how they added a new character Zalmai. Overall I thought this was a good section of the book.