A Thousand Splendid Suns
Like The Kite Runner, A Thousand Splendid Suns is solid story-telling, compelling, but not brilliant. This story gives insight into the lives of Afghani women, and the trials of living in a society that has historically been ruled by men. Mariam and Laila are years apart, but through various routes both become married to a much older traditional man who provides stability in a country not helpful to single women, but nothing else. The descriptions of their life, their escape to Kashmir and their return show how deep cultural and patriotic ties run in those parts of the world. Here in Australia, where we're so young and so lucky, a book like this is truly mind opening.