Discuss your initial reaction to A Thousand Splendid Suns. What has stood out to you? What do you think of the writing so far? What do you think of the story so far? Make a prediction about an important aspect from Part One. Your response must be at least 100 words, and you need to read and respond (in a manner that promotes discussion) to at least 2 of your classmates.
48 Comments
Abby Denshaw
1/22/2016 08:12:17 am
My initial reaction to a Thousand Splendid Suns was that it was a little slow to start and was a little boring for the kind of books I normally read, however after about page 12 I got really into the book and ended up finishing it in about a day and a half. Since I've already finished it, I won;t spoil anything, but it does take a bunch of turns that you don;t expect and makes you get attached to the wrong characters. All in all it is a truly amazing and inspiring book, that makes you really pay attention to how grateful you should be for you life and be thankful for all that you've had.
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Taylor Kynaston
1/22/2016 08:16:40 am
I agree there are many turns that aren't expected.
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Sarah Houston
1/22/2016 08:18:06 am
I agree that the book did start off slowly initially, but it does pick up quite a bit later. Frankly the way it picks up made me angry.
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Kyle
1/22/2016 08:19:57 am
Wow, a day and a half? It doesn't seem like that good a book to finish in a day.
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Teri Yates
1/22/2016 08:21:26 am
I do agree with getting into the book, but I don't think I can finish it that fast.
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Michelle Carrillo
1/22/2016 08:22:04 am
Very true, the book starts out a bit slow but once you start you can't stop.
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Hannah Foster
1/22/2016 08:23:23 am
I agree that it was a little slow at first but I did get attached to Miriam right away. I hope she doesn't turn out to be the wrong person to get attached to!
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Grace Colaw
1/24/2016 01:30:18 pm
I totally agree with you. I didn't want to stop reading because all the twists made me want to figure out what is going to happen next. Honestly, I had to put it down because it was getting to be too much for me.
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Kento Aizawa
1/24/2016 07:08:32 pm
I don't think the book started slowly mostly because I was fascinated by the characterization of Mariam and the background of her family. I can't wait to see the psychological effects of her childhood later in the book.
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Hannah Corbus
1/24/2016 08:17:07 pm
I actually really loved the beginning! I was sucked in right off the bat! The way that she was treated by her mother bothered me enough that I had to keep reading.
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Kye Brewer
1/24/2016 09:37:49 pm
Jeez that's a lot of reading, 415 pages in under two days...
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Taylor Kynaston
1/22/2016 08:15:46 am
From what i have read and reacted to in "A Thousand Splendid Suns" is the division between mother and daughter. The mom, even though it is her own daughter, loathes her and never wanted her to ever be born. Not only this the daughter also hates her own mother. Which leads to greater division between the two so far. I feel as though the strained relationship will have a huge effect later in the story. I also feel as though the father will be the antagonist at the end and the mother has been right all this time. the mother will end up being right at the end of the story and the father is actually a very bad man.
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Sarah Houston
1/22/2016 08:20:51 am
I disagree that Nana loathes Mariam. I think that she is fond of her daughter, but circumstances have made Nana bitter. She got pregnant young and abandoned by her family. She is depressed and feel that no one wants her or can help her. But I do think that she loves her daughter in the best way she can manage.
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Abby Denshaw
1/22/2016 08:21:32 am
That's a great take on what's going to happen in the book!
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Teri Yates
1/22/2016 08:23:32 am
I agree with the division between the mother and daughter. It makes me struggle a little bit with the moms attitude.
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Grace Colaw
1/24/2016 01:33:24 pm
Although there may seem to be a hatred between the mother and daughter duo, I don't believe that they actually do hate each other. I think that her mom is just a bitter woman who has been put through a lot in her life and Mariam is just a growing girl who is just starting to gain her need for Independence.
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Spenser Wine
1/24/2016 05:16:24 pm
I disagree that the mother and daughter do not love each other. I think that the mother just doesn't necessarily does a good job of showing her love. But I do believe that the mother is right about the father and that he is a bad man.
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Kento Aizawa
1/24/2016 07:02:23 pm
I don't think the mother hates her daughter, but rather loathes the circumstances following the conception of her daughter. The father is the driving force between the separation between Mariam and her mother.
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Kyle
1/24/2016 07:49:50 pm
Interesting take
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Kye Brewer
1/24/2016 09:38:13 pm
I would agree, his father is not the greatest man
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Sarah Houston
1/22/2016 08:16:25 am
My initial reaction to A Thousand Splendid Suns was good. I've already read the book before, but it's been several years and I forgot a few things. It kind of fascinates me how the author integrated some her language in the book. The descriptions of the characters and her surroundings are very elaborate. I could feel her Nana's bitterness and Mariam's wonder at things outside of her home coupled with admiration for her father. The situation after she goes to visit her dad is very sad, and the way her father handles the tragedy of Nana is fascinating. Her dad claims to love her but marries her off within a week of her mothers death. And the husband was almost 30 years older than her and a complete slob. I think this is the death of whatever happiness Mariam had up until then.
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Taylor Kynaston
1/22/2016 08:18:10 am
I'm still trying to figure out the father also! He is a very interesting character.
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Michelle Carrillo
1/22/2016 08:20:08 am
I agree with you, it's going to be interesting to see if Mariam and her father are ever reunited.
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Jessica Wylie
1/24/2016 06:51:53 pm
I thought it was interesting how Nana still tried to impress Jalil when he came over, even though she said horrible things about him. It will be interesting to see if Jalil ever tries to see Mariam again.
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Paige Schmidt
1/24/2016 09:13:03 pm
I had noticed the different language in the book...it is hard to read swiftly when you do not know how to pronounce words or what they mean. I like how there is descriptions sometimes, but other times there is not any description and it is kind of frustrating.
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Michelle Carrillo
1/22/2016 08:18:44 am
I've actually really liked A Thousand Splendid Suns so far. Part 1 has been very interesting and very emotional. I've really like the point of view of the book and how observant Mariam is. Mariam has to grow up so quickly in part 1 and it’s really sad. She loses her mother, is deceived by her father, and then is forced to leave the little things that she had in this past life to marry a man that she does not know. I could never imagine having to go through any of those things especially in the short amount of time that she had to do it in.
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Abby Denshaw
1/22/2016 08:23:45 am
I agree, not only is deceit a huge part in the book, it helps build Mariam into the woman she become later on in the book.
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Lindsey Moore
1/24/2016 04:37:35 pm
It was really sad how Mariam was forced to marry the man. I don't understand why Jalil couldn't just take care of her.
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Jessica Wylie
1/24/2016 06:49:17 pm
I agree that she has had to grow up so quickly. Not only was she forced to marry a man she does not know, he turns out to be abusive and adds on to the list of horrible things she has experienced.
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Teri Yates
1/22/2016 08:19:08 am
At the beginning of the book Marium is only 5 years old which caught my eye. I think it is because she has such an opinion about Nana for only being 5. She reminds me when I was little, stubborn and refused to believe what people said about others who I loved. I wanted to develop an opinion myself and didn't like people who put others down. I tend to think on the bright side and maybe Marium thinks on the bright side of Jalil. I think the book is really good so far and has lured me in. I bet the Nana and Marium get in a huge fight eventually because Nana is always putting Jalil down who Maruim loves very much.
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Hannah Foster
1/22/2016 08:24:48 am
I like how you related the book to yourself. That is a good way to start it out!
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Hannah Foster
1/22/2016 08:22:11 am
So far I like the book. The fact that it is of another culture has stood out to me. I always like reading stories that have to do with places I am not familiar with because it gives me an idea of what it is like sometimes. The writing is great. It isn't hard to understand and the author does a good job of making sure that you know what the words in other languages mean eventually. So far, the story is drawing me in and I'm excited to read the rest of the book. I feel that later in the story Miriam will see the tree that she supposedly saw as a child and it will bring back the memories that she doesn't remember, which will have a story along with it. I feel that these memories may be why her Nana doesn't want anything to do with the story about the tree. She must have some bad memories there with Jalil.
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Spenser Wine
1/24/2016 05:20:04 pm
I agree that the author does a good job of explaining the words that are in other languages.
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Grace Colaw
1/24/2016 01:27:17 pm
Since I have already read to part 3 I can't really make predictions but all I will say is that it plays with your emotions so much. The twist and turns in this book make it that much harder to put down. After the first few pages I already felt a connection with Mariam and all the emotions she felt, I felt those with her. The writing makes it an easy read. The imagery and detail creates the picture of Kabul and her husband who in my opinion is one of those guys you see and you just feel creeped out. But overall, I love this book. It gives a great perspective on life and how privileged we are here in America.
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Lindsey Moore
1/24/2016 04:34:25 pm
It is impossible to put down! I think we can blame all of part one on Jalil.
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Lindsey Moore
1/24/2016 04:31:35 pm
I love this book! Holy cow, it is phenomenal! In the beginning I was really confused about what was going on. It took me awhile to realize that Nana is not Mariam's grandma, but she's her mom. The relationship between Mariam and her father, Jalil, really stood out to me. How Mariam looks up to him so much despite how Jalil doesn't let Mariam ever leave the kolba to visit his family. I also found interesting how Nana always wore her best and used her best plates when Jalil visited. Despite what Jalil did to her, Nana still wanted to impress him.The writing in amazing! It is intellectual, but still easy to read and understand. The story so far is amazing! Oh my goodness! I haven't read a book this good in a long time. There are so many emotions I go through while reading this book. I'm in part 3 so I can't really make any predictions.
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Spenser Wine
1/24/2016 05:12:13 pm
Surprisingly I am actually enjoying this book! It is very interesting to see the relationship between Mariam and her mother as Mariam believes very little of what her mother has to say. In my opinion it's very surprising to see a daughter not want to believe the one woman who's actually been in her life and taken care of her. This book has already angered me on how poorly women are treated in this culture, but I am looking forward to the rest of the book.
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Nolan Milleson
1/24/2016 08:54:53 pm
I agree about how poorly women are treated. The line, "A man's accusing finger always finds a woman."
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Jessica Wylie
1/24/2016 06:47:15 pm
I have really enjoyed reading A Thousand Splendid Suns. I usually read a lot of non-fiction, but since this book seems so realistic I have liked it a lot. The thing that has stood out to me the most is how much abuse and neglect Mariam has already gone through by the age of nineteen. The writing so far has been great, and pulls out a lot of emotions from me for what Mariam has experienced. My prediction is that Mariam is not going to be able to ever get pregnant, and Rasheed will grow more violent and probably replace her with another wife.
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Kento Aizawa
1/24/2016 06:57:18 pm
I am finding the book to be very interesting so far in part 1. I think Hosseini does an incredible job with the characterization and the sequence of the events. I like being able to follow the characters' thought processes due to the point of view that this book is written in. Although the story takes place in the Middle East, a lot of the conflicts and controversial topics that arises in the book can be related to ourselves and the society we live in. I think that's why the book reads fast. I think the events that happen in the beginning of the book with Mariam and her parents and the arranged marriage will have a huge impact on Mariam's decisions and actions later in the book. Because these events are so significant in shaping her cognitive process, I can't wait to see what happens next as I read this book as a psychological thriller.
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Hannah Corbus
1/24/2016 08:21:50 pm
I completely agree with you on this! I think that the things that happened to her in the past are going to have a huge psychological effect on her later - and even now. Mariam will likely have a hard time working through the past hurts in her life.
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Paige Schmidt
1/24/2016 09:09:25 pm
I do agree that this book is written in the Middle East but it applies to out lives as well. I hadn't thought of this until now.
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Kyle
1/24/2016 07:57:22 pm
From what I have read so far in "A Thousand Splendid Suns" my reaction is of mild interest. The relationship between the mother (Nana) and daughter (Mariam) is not a good one. The mother calls the daughter a bastard child and talks rather harshly to and about her. Jalil on the other hand, enjoys Mariam and is always excited to see her. I think Jalil is being fake and only pretending to be a loving person because Nana isn't. In the future of the book I feel like maybe Jalil will show his true side and that maybe Nana might be right about Jalil being a horrible person.
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Hannah Corbus
1/24/2016 08:15:03 pm
I honestly really like this book. I was pulled in from the very beginning. I recently read a book that also took place in Afghanistan so it’s really interesting to be able to compare how the culture is portrayed in the two books. As I read, I get more and more upset by how Afghani women are treated. I’m even fairly frustrated with Mariam as she is beginning to accept and become accustomed to being mistreated by her husband. I’ve noticed that Mariam has allowed the words of her mother to settle too close to her heart and let them follow her in life. These past hurts have undoubtably effected her relationship and happiness in her current marriage.
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Nolan Milleson
1/24/2016 09:08:46 pm
I think a lot of what happens to anyone when they are younger stays with them throughout their lives. It is hard to disregard someone who took care of you for so long. Thus, it isn't terribly surprising she is affected by her past.
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Nolan Milleson
1/24/2016 09:06:32 pm
The book so far is very hard to get into compared to other books I have read, but this is similar to how the author’s other book Kite Runner began and it ended strong. I find it very interesting that a mother can have such blatant hatred towards her daughter. I also think that most of Mariam’s mother’s hatred towards men is driven by how she was treated by Jalil after she was found to be pregnant. Whatever happens in this book if it’s even half as entertaining as Kite Runner it’s going to be a very entertaining and complex book to read.
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Paige Schmidt
1/24/2016 09:07:08 pm
My first impression of A Thousand Splendid Suns after reading the first couple pages was that this book was boring. But I pushed through and kept reading and it got more interesting after the introduction of the book. So when i kept reading, it surprised me that they called the girl a “Bastard child” until i realized she had the girl out of wedlock. I also thought it was interesting that the girl and her mother have to live in a different town. One of the things that stood out most to me was that the girl was hearing two different stories from her mother and father about different life events that she couldn’t remember. Overall, the book is good but the beginning drug a little bit.
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Kye Brewer
1/24/2016 09:30:19 pm
Communism of course! Communism always stands out, and will most likely play into the future of the book. There's also the whole Mariam thing too though... It was interesting how much she matured by the end of the first part. She went from little girl who's never touched a car, to a beaten abused wife in like thirty pages of writing. It went from "I would love to see a cartoon" to "I fear Rasheed is going to make me eat pebbles" so fast that it was hard to take in. The story's ok, it's not a book I'd normally read but its leaps and bounds better than the scarlet letter so I don't mind it. I have a feeling the gun in the dresser might come into play sometime, as well as that line about "she wouldn't sign another contract for 27 years." I mean, that one line kinda spoils the whole book... I now know she's going to live up to her 40's, she's going to have some legal work or something done (divorce maybe?) she'll still be able to write, and she's actually going to get up the guts to do something.
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