Synopsis: This is a dramatic story about a family in 1950's Afghanistan that is forced to make a terrible choice. The book follows the lives of young Abdullah and his beloved sister Pari as they are faced with the ramifications of their family's heartbreaking decision. Interwoven into the story of the siblings are people whose lives they've touched, if only briefly.
Review: This is such a well-written book and the first chapter is stunning. Abdullah and Pari are wonderful characters and readers will be rapt at their story. It's an excellent read and a touching story, but it doesn't pack the same emotional punch as Hosseini's previous books, The Kite Runner and A Thousand Splendid Suns. The book's powerful story gets a bit muddied down with too many characters, all of which are connected, but some only very, very briefly. There are several chapters dedicated to the backstories of different characters that, despite being compelling in their own regard, do not move the main story forward. It reads like a collection of short stories and it ultimately takes away from the story of Abdullah and Pari, who I wanted to hear more about.
Spoilers: I didn't immediately make the connection between Abdullah and Pari's story with the book's opening chapter, but once I did, I was excited by the thought that Abdullah or perhaps their father would rescue Pari. How disappointing! The ending was heartbreaking. I wanted Pari and Abdullah to be reunited under happier circumstances but with Abdullah's illness, it felt almost as if they weren't reunited at all. I could have done without Markos and Thalia's story as well as the Bashiri cousins. I do enjoy books whose characters are intertwined in interesting ways, but I felt like these characters in particular had no value in the story. Ultimately I liked this book and I will be anxious to read Hosseini's next book, but with the hope that it is reminiscent of his first two books.
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