In his second novel, Khaled Hosseini wrote a more gripping, compelling, page turner than his first, which says a lot considering how much I enjoyed the first novel. This novel follows two women, who grew up in vastly different lifestyles, and shows how the wars in Afghanistan ruined their families and eventually brought them together.

Throughout reading the novel, I got the feeling that these two lives, however dreadful and punished they seemed, are typical in Afghanistan. This made me realize how much I take for granted, the simple freedoms that I practice without the thought that some other force could snatch them from me. In this sense, the book made me more grateful for the country I live in.

Overall, I found the book easy to read and finished it quickly. The tale seemed powerful and held my attention till the end. Though not one of my all time favorites, I would recommend this book to others.