A Thousand Splendid Suns question

I don't know if it is normal but I did cry a couple of times while reading this book more because it wasn't "fiction" fiction that one could excuse in the name of happening in a parallel world. This.. this happened in this very world. And as Hosseini puts it, the extent of pain and suffering is quite realistic, if not real - so it must be. I would want to invite opinions on this kind of engaged writing and its impact on the reader.