A Thousand Splendid Suns....

...is a very sad book to say the least. I've just finished Part One, and so far Mariam - the protagonist - has:

• come home to find her mother hanging from the tree in her front yard
• realized that her father whom she "worshiped" really doesn't care about her...
• ...and is hurriedly given away to a fat old shoemaker for marriage [at age 15]
  
• taken away from everything and everybody familiar, unwillingly brought 650 km away from home
  
• had six miscarriages, and as a result, endured beatings from her husband

Don't get me wrong though, the book is very well written, and its definitely hard to put down, but its just the subject matter thats tragic, and even a little disturbing at times. But, even still, another thing that has to be taken into mind is that the story takes place in Afghanistan, where women are treated as inferiors is normal behavior. Mariam's story is probably a little more tragic than others, but overall, her issues with marriage are what many women were, and still are, treated.

Its stories like these that make me grateful for growing up in Edina, and not having to experience hardships such as these.

Oh and I don't know why it says that I posted this at 12:58, its really 3:29 pm...