A Thousand Splendid Suns

A Thousand Splendid Suns is a 2007 novel by Afghan-born Khaled Hosseini, who was granted asylum in the US as a child during the Soviet-Afghan War in 1980. It is the story of Mariam and Laila, two women married to the same man, Rasheed, while the Taliban comes to power. The novel was chosen as one of the American Library Associations’ Best Books for Young Adults in 2008, was number one on the New York Times Bestseller List for 15 weeks, and was selected as one of the 100 “most inspiring” novels by BBC Arts in 2019.

All of Hosseini’s novels, including The Kite Runner (2003) and And the Mountains Echoed (2013), feature Afghanistan and Afghan protagonists. They each explore family, love, and friendship in the context of political and cultural upheaval, but A Thousand Splendid Suns focuses most specifically on the changing role of women in Afghan society.

Content warning: The source text and this guide discuss domestic violence, child loss, and suicide.

Plot Summary

Born in 1959 near Herat, Afghanistan, Mariam is the illegitimate child of a wealthy man,

Unlock all 74 pages of this Study Guide

Plus, gain access to 8,900+ more expert-written Study Guides.

Including features:

+ Mobile App

+ Printable PDF

+ Literary AI Tools

Unlock Full Library