i just finished reading this book by Khaled Hosseini. I really like the title. Like his previous book, 'the Kite Runner', it took me a while to get into, but then i read the bulk of it over 24 hours! Which i'm not sure is a good thing. I think reading fast maybe makes you lose some of the intensity of the story... i'm not sure. I always read the back cover of a book to see what it's about but i think sometimes they are misleading, or raise your hopes, or channel your attention in a certain direction. They often emphasize one point over everything else that often doesn't seem to be SO central in the end. But i guess everyone will get struck by different parts, themes, people, depending on who they are.
What struck me, most of all, towards the end when the chapters began to be headed by dates i can actually remember and events i saw myself on the news (i guess this is part of 1. getting older and 2. new books) was that this story really could be the story of hundreds of people still living today. that Afghanistan's past is still very present. How many people still live in in fear and sleep with nightmares?
"I'm sorry," Laila says, marvelling at how every Afghan story is marked by death and loss and imaginable grief (p.350)
it made me want to grieve for this ravaged beautiful land. but i don't know how. suddenly it seemed a little bit closer, a little bit more real. yet still, so very very far away.
2 comments:
i just finished reading it too! powerful. you read the kite runner? i think i liked it more, though i read it first. but this was a good book. sad. puts everything else in perspective. he is a good writer.
wait a minute. just went back and read the post. saw that YES you have read the kite runner! sorry, i read the post when you first posted it and now that i have finished reading it myself am going back and posting. should re'read! i do agree with your thoughts on the back of books!!
good writing:
it made me want to grieve for this ravaged beautiful land. but i don't know how. suddenly it seemed a little bit closer, a little bit more real. yet still, so very very far away.
got your email. thanks! will reply officially either here over the next few days or when i get back to badajoz next week! time flies. ashley got back last night! catchup... speak soon!
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