"Like a compass needle that points north, a man's accusing finger always finds a woman. Always."

If there's a book that felt like someone's tearing my heart, this is it.

A Thousand Splendid Suns is a historical fiction that depicts the 30-year chronicle of Afghanistan's history—from the Soviet invasion to the reign of the Taliban to post-Taliban. This follows the story of two women from two different generations brought together by the tragic history that surrounds them.

This has been, perhaps, one of the books that had me drowning in a pool of tears. The tragic life women have to face in the hands of the patriarchy was so hard for me to picture that it actually felt like someone was squeezing the life out of me—the violence, the lack of rights, and everything that women have to face because of the society they live in. What made this a masterpiece is how much this book can project so many emotions out of its readers—from pain, hope, and even the anxiety and fear that when you flip a page, it feels like entering something worse. Everything about this book is compelling and heartbreaking, from the backstory of the characters to the present life they have to suffer and weather. Also, I really love how the feelings and thoughts of women were accurately portrayed despite the book being written by a man.

This is a story of family, friendship, love, survival, and hope despite the uncertainties of living in such a cruel world.