Genre: Science Fiction, Published: 1966 Pages: 266 Tags: science fiction, epistolary novel Now, How do i explain to you guys that this book scratched a particular part of my brain that i didn't think was possible. Sorrow, anger, helplessness - what am i feeling? This is how you will feel while reading this book. The story is about charlie, a 32 year old man with intellectual disability, has an IQ of 68, works in a bakery , his uncle's friend runs. Charlie is insanely driven to get smart and miraculously he comes across an opportunity to be part of an experiment which could increase his IQ and make him the most intelligent person in the room. A little about the procedure, this has been already performed on a rat named 'Algernon' and results proven to be successful. Charlie was going to be the first human subject in this experiment. In the book, the story unfolds through a series of reports written by Charlie while he was a part of this experiment. The progre...
Genre: Historical Fiction, War Crime
Published: 2007
Pages: 433
Tags: Fiction
The story travels through 1960 to the early 2000s in Afghanistan, during which the country was under several wars, beginning with the Soviet invasion to Taliban rule. The narrative follows two women, Mariam and Laila, whose lives intertwine through a common mishap. Mariam is an illegitimate child born in Herat to a wealthy businessman, Jalil, and his maid Nana. By the time Mariam realized that her father's affection came with rules and limits, she had lost her mother. Mariam was just fifteen years old when she was married to Rasheed, a conservative and dominating widower who believed his ideal wife should be submissive and dutiful. All it took was a miscarriage, and the abuse against Mariam began.
Down the streets of Kabul, Laila grew up in a progressive household where her father believed education should be her top priority while everything else could wait. Her baba, Hakim, sowed the seed, encouraging Laila to contribute to Afghan society. Her childhood best friend, Tariq, was her only comfort between the confusing adults and a war-torn country.
One afternoon, a missile hit the roof, and Laila's life collapsed right in front of her eyes. Laila, with death in her eyes and a secret in her womb, was forced to marry a raging misogynist and an abuser. In the middle of a ruthless war and an abusive household, Mariam and Laila had only each other, struggling to fulfill the roles of a friend, a sister, a mother, and a daughter. Hosseini has precisely managed to bring in two different generations and two different upbringings and create a bond between them.
Khaled Hosseini meticulously addresses the sharp realities of war without any embellishment. He portrays through several instances that even in dire and defeated circumstances, men resorted to attacking, shunning, and attempting to boost their egos through the assertion of dominance over women. Through specific examples, Hosseini communicates to the readers that the societal rules in Afghanistan were constructed to favor, cater to, and pamper men. The same way, the war took away the opportunity to be independent for Laila, forcing her to rely on an abusive husband. The novel is a series of painful what-ifs, making the reader wish for an alternate reality for the protagonists.
The novel also delves into the portrayal of men who, amidst the misfortunes, aspire for the well-being of the women in their lives. Mullah Faizullah, who cherished Mariam as if she were his own daughter, consistently fostered her dreams of getting a real education. Hakim, Laila's father, encouraged Laila to pursue education, make a name for herself, and emphasize her equality with men. They understood that it requires both women and men to build a society founded on harmony and peace.
Despite being fictional, these instances offer us a glimpse into the harrowing situations Afghan women faced during the war. By the time you conclude this novel, your eyes will not only be filled with tears, but you will also be left with a heavy heart that flashes you with frames of hardships endured by these women, their unwavering resilience, a fragile strand of hope to cling to, and their determination to survive. If I don't stop here, my anger might reveal a few crucial spoilers. Therefore, I wish to emphasize to readers that this is one of those books that deserves a place on your must-read list in your lifetime.
[*Content Warning : mention of Suicide, Domestic Violence*.]
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