A Thousand Splendid Suns Book Report

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Reading List Book Report (A Thousand Splendid Sun’s) A Thousand Splendid Suns Summary Mariam, a young girl, lives in a small shack with her mother, Nana, outside of the city of Herat in Afghanistan. Nana had worked as a housemaid for the wealthy cinema owner Jalil, Mariam's father, but after she became pregnant, Jalil cast her out to the shack. Jalil has multiple legitimate wives and children, but Mariam is an illegitimate "harami" or bastard. Jalil visits Mariam once a week, telling stories and bringing gifts. She adores him. Mariam's other friend, Mullah Faizullah, teaches her the Koran and listens to her problems. Eventually, Mariam asks Jalil to take her to the cinema to see the new cartoon of Pinocchio. Jalil agrees to do so, but he does not come at the expected time. Mariam ventures into Herat herself. She sleeps outside Jalil's house waiting for him, but he will not see her. Jalil's chauffeur drives Mariam back home, where she finds that her mother has hanged herself. After Nana's funeral, Jalil takes Mariam in, but she no longer adores him. Jalil's wife tells Mariam that Mariam is to be married off to a shoe shop owner named Rasheed in Kabul. Mariam protests to no avail; Mariam and Rasheed marry and go to Kabul. At first, Rasheed is sweet and brings her gifts. Mariam gets pregnant seven times but loses the baby each time due to a health complication. Over time, Rasheed becomes verbally and physically abusive. At one point, Jalil tries to visit Mariam in Kabul, but she will not see him. Laila is born sometime after the marriage of Mariam and Rasheed. She lives in their neighborhood. Since her youth, Laila has a close male friend named Tariq. Tariq lost one of his legs from a land mine. As Tariq and Laila grow up, she falls in love with him. Ahmad and Noor, Laila's two older brothers, leave to fight for the Mujahideen in the jihad. After

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