A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini

This book tells the story of Mariam and Laila, first and second wives to Rasheed.  The story takes place over three decades in the country of Afghanistan.  Mariam is emotionally, and mentally neglected for much of her childhood, but she is a girl in Afghanistan, so this is to be expected.  Laila has love from her father, but only resentments for and from her depressed mother.  The Afghanistan in the story is under Russian rule, warlord rule, and the tali ban, and there is no peace for anyone.  Rasheed is a jerk, he wants his women to be only his, and hidden from the world by burka and silence.  For many years Mariam is abused by Rasheed, in one incident he makes her chew on gravel when he isnt pleased with his rice.  Mariam cannot give him the heir he thinks he needs, so he marries Laila.  Laila has recently lost her parents to a missile, and is pregnant by her lifelong love.  It takes time, but eventually these two women strengthen each other, become each others family, and grow whole.  The turmoil doesn’t end until Rasheed is dead, and Mariam pays for the deed.  This is an awesome book, very well-written, and emotional.  I do not make a pretty picture crying over the keyboard at work.  10/10