Josh Blackham’s Reviews > A Thousand Splendid Suns > Status Update

Another note at this point. A rough week for a number of reasons - this text is unsettling to such a degree that if it continues I’ll likely just pop it down for a couple of weeks. I’m being an overly emotional individual this week and I’m unusually moved by this text. Reminds me of when I was reading McCarthy’s ‘The Road’.

From bad to worse.

Eurgh. This pretty rough going.

Sheesh - a tough one. Unsure what to make of Rasheed. There are elements of his character that seem genuinely charming or forgiving- yet he is rooted in cultural expectations and religious pressures. Tough to imagine both Rasheed and Mariam as anything other than victims of circumstance. I do not predict a happy ending. Loving the language being shared - really helps to embed a sense of authenticity.

A rough start but exactly what I’d expected. Not one to read before a 5 period day. Good development of character so far and setting of cultural barriers. I have a feeling that conflict is at the core of Mariam’s journey - I’m invested!

I must be the only English student never to have read 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘒𝘪𝘵𝘦 𝘙𝘶𝘯𝘯𝘦𝘳. Picked this up a few months back in Sue Ryder (5 for £1 - do you hear me complaining?)

Heard a lot about Hosseini’s vivid writing style in the past so it’s about time I explored his writing.

I predict a strong 5* - let’s see.