Mariam is only fifteen when she is sent to Kabul to marry the troubled and
bitter Rasheed, who is thirty years her senior. Nearly two decades later,
in a climate of growing unrest, tragedy strikes fifteen-year-old Laila, who
must leave her home and join Mariam's unhappy household. Laila and Mariam
are to find consolation in each other, their friendship to grow as deep as
the bond between sisters, as strong as the ties between mother and
daughter. With the passing of time comes Taliban rule over Afghanistan, the
streets of Kabul loud with the sound of gunfire and bombs, life a desperate
struggle against starvation, brutality and fear, the women's endurance
tested beyond their worst imaginings. Yet love can move a person to act in
unexpected ways, lead them to overcome the most daunting obstacles with a
startling heroism. In the end it is love that triumphs over death and
destruction. A Thousand Splendid Sunsis an unforgettable portrait of a
wounded country and a deeply moving story of family and friendship. It is a
beautiful, heart-wrenching story of an unforgiving time, an unlikely bond
and an indestructible love.