• A Thousand Splendid Suns

  • By: Khaled Hosseini
  • Narrated by: Atossa Leoni
  • Length: 11 hrs and 43 mins
  • 4.6 out of 5 stars (14,401 ratings)

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A Thousand Splendid Suns  By  cover art

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
Overall
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
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    10,254
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Story
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  • 3 Stars
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  • 2 Stars
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  • 1 Stars
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Beautiful story.

A moving story about struggle , loss, grief, strength, perseverance and love ! A must read for all.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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Beautiful

Absolutely beautiful story. I finished it in two days abc I want to go to Afghanistan now.

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    5 out of 5 stars
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Best Book This Year

By far the best book I have read/listened to this year. A notable follow up to Kite Runner. This is truely a meaningfull story.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Would recommend (but a heads up....)

At first I was apprehensive when I began listening to this book I wasn't sure the narrator would be enjoyable, or that the storyline would be something I could relate to. I was completely surprised at how I enjoyed the narrator and how I appreciated the characters in this story. I give a "heads up" because there is some graphic violence that may bother some people. I would rate the violence as a 5 leaning towards 6 on a scale of 1 to 10 with 10 being the worst. I admit that I am sensitive to these things and it may not be graphic at all for some other readers. This was a book I had trouble putting down several times. I find my thoughts still returning to it and thinking about certain parts. I might return to this book again.

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    5 out of 5 stars
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Incredible

An heart wrenching story which encapsulates the horrors that Afghanistan’s women must have all faced if left behind in Afghanistan during the Taliban regime.. unfortunately it’s happening again so even more poignant ..

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    5 out of 5 stars

wonderful

I was emotionally bested in this book, the author is a master at having the reader feel the main characters plight.

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    5 out of 5 stars
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    1 out of 5 stars
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Read the book

Beautiful story. I enjoyed The Kite Runner very much. The narration of this book is so disappointing. Her intonation and cadence sounds very unnatural.

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    5 out of 5 stars
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Another masterpiece from Khaled

Brilliant book and story line.
Brilliant narrators
A must have to all listeners and readers!

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    5 out of 5 stars
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    2 out of 5 stars
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fave

I've read this book 3 times, and couldn't wait to hear it on audio. i was not fond of narrator. it felt so, robotic .. just one tone. no excitement .
still my favorite story from this author. i still cry for my favorite character, Mariam.

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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Absolutely stunning

I loved this book because the story was amazing you truly felt like you were there in Afghanistan struggling with what the characters went through. I’d recommend this book to a more mature audience like 17+ because it can get kinda intense which can make the experience a little uncomfortable

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