A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini Narrator: Atossa Leoni
Published by Simon & Schuster Audio on 05-02-07
Genres: Fiction, Historical, Literary
Length: 11 hrs and 43 mins
Format: Audiobook
Source: Scribd
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Overal Rating:
A Thousand Splendid Suns is a breathtaking story set against the volatile events of Afghanistan's last thirty years - from the Soviet invasion to the reign of the Taliban to post-Taliban rebuilding - that puts the violence, fear, hope, and faith of this country in intimate, human terms. It is a tale of two generations of characters brought jarringly together by the tragic sweep of war, where personal lives - the struggle to survive, raise a family, find happiness - are inextricable from the history playing out around them.
Propelled by the same storytelling instinct that made The Kite Runner a beloved classic, A Thousand Splendid Suns is at once a remarkable chronicle of three decades of Afghan history and a deeply moving account of family and friendship. It is a striking, heart-wrenching novel of an unforgiving time, an unlikely friendship, and an indestructible love - a stunning accomplishment.--front flap
I decided to listen to this book due to all the recent events that are happening in Afghanistan. Historical Fiction is an excellent way to get to discover history, and I needed a review, while I also wanted a way to know the country from inside. The events and characters in this book are fictitious but they resemble reality close enough to make this book an unforgettable experience.
I am not sure that I should say that I enjoyed this book. I found it inspiring, intriguing, and compelling, but some parts were quite hard due to violence, abuse, or just mention of crude facts. I just can’t believe the atrocities Afghan women have to suffer just for being born in the wrong place at the wrong time. It’s, nevertheless, a book that I would recommend to anyone curious about Afghanistan and its traditions. I found it interesting, engaging, and very well written. Both women’s stories are worth a read, but stay away if violence and desperation are not topics you want to read about.
Atossa Leoni’s narration was very pleasant to the ear. She has a very soft tone of voice, and her characters’ interpretations were good. The only setback I can mention is that all voices sounded similar, no matter whether male or female, which made some dialogs difficult to follow.
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My name is Elena. Since I was a little child I loved science fiction and fantasy, and I can’t resist a good novel. In 2015, while wait I started to listen to audiobooks and I discovered the pleasure in being able to read while doing my daily tasks, so there’s always an audiobook playing on my phone. If you see me with my Bluetooth headphones on, please be gentle, I get easily startled.
I live with my boyfriend, which I met during my six-year stay in Belgium, four cockatiels, eight lovebirds, and a hamster in Madrid, Spain; and I like to spend my free time knitting and sewing while listening to audiobooks.
