The title ‘A Thousand Splendid suns’ is a phrase picked from one of the Afghan poet Saib-e-Tabrizi’s poems.
A Thousand Splendid Suns takes the reader through an heart-wrenching journey into the lives of two women, Mariam and Laila.
Mariam, born of illegitimate circumstances is married off to a much older man Rasheed by her father’s family. Disheartened, Mariam subdues to her fate and decides to devote herself to Rasheed. A miscarriage changes Rasheed’s attitude towards her and what follows is a marriage of miserable neglect and abuse.
Laila grows up under the influence of her intellect father, who imbibes in her the notion of being independent in spite of being a woman. “You can be anything that you want”, he tells her.
The war in Afghanistan more than just serves as a backdrop in this story; it kills innocent lives and alters the course of life for the remaining. Laila loses her family and her lover in the war. After being rescued by Rasheed and Mariam, circumstances force her into a marriage with Rasheed and thus inviting the wrath of Mariam.
Eventually when she gives birth to a baby girl, Laila too becomes the subject of Rasheed’s abuses.
A new bond is born between the two women when Laila defends Mariam from a beating by Rasheed. This new friendship gives them a new breath of life, growing stronger by the day until it turns into something as strong as a mother – daughter relationship. The two women endure many joys and hardships which include the birth of Zalmai, poverty, sending Aziza to an orphanage and the now routine Rasheed’s abuses and beatings. Just when there was no more to life, Tariq reenters Laila’s life.
This news doesn’t go down well with Rasheed, which would eventually lead to dire consequences. Rasheed engages in a more than usual beating almost attempting to kill Laila. This time round, it is Mariam who defends Laila by killing Rasheed.
There is no place to hide and Mariam decides to turn in herself to the Taliban. The women will now have to tread different paths- a whole new life for Laila and for Mariam, it’s Death.
