Right. About 1000 Splendid Suns: The book is about two women being abused in a variety of ways through the years, and their solidarity under this abuse. Yes, that is terrible. Yes, we all feel sorry for them. And that is it, really. It is a simple book with a simple message.
My main problem with the book was that it is utterly ridiculous to anyone who knows anything about Islam, its traditions, etc. The author has left Afghanistan with his family as a child. He has lived in Paris, and then in California, where he lives to this day. In short, he doesn't know much about Afghanistan and this is painfully obvious in the book: 95% of the story is indoors and main characters talk to a handful of people, probably so that the author can avoid having to talk about Afghan people, their interactions, and especially their cities, landmarks, customs, etc.
He wasn't in Afghanistan when the Taliban came. He wasn't there when Taliban fought Soviets. He wasn't there when Soviets withdrew. He heard about all this from TV and newspapers, just like the rest of us. The only Afghan monument discussed in the whole book are the two Buddha statues blown up by the Taliban that everyone else in the world knows about. The books/authors it references are Western Classics like Pinocchio, Old Man and the Sea, etc.
The story takes place during some great upheavals - invasions, civil war, resistance, regime change. Normally, these would be woven into the story line. Not in this book. Here, they are told by third parties, once in a while.
Basically, 1000 Splendid Suns is a book written in English for a Western audience, by an American who is Afghan only by heritage. The author was definitely trying to meet his western audience's preconceptions & expectations about Afghanistan.
Can I also say that I was quite annoyed by the blatant sucking up to America? Not only the references to Hemingway, etc but especially Laila's father saying "Americans are a generous people. They will help us with food and money"
Toe curlingly bad.