I sooo felt for Mariam when she first went to live with the VILE Rasheed. Her relationship with Jalil had me in tears, and I kept waiting for him to rescue her or do something. Fancy letting her sleep outside. Oh and when Rasheed beat them for trying to leave and locked Laila and Aziz up, denying them water, that broke my heart too. It's bringing tears to my eyes thinking about it. I feel so angry as well, that people were treated this way. Okay maybe not all. Rasheed was just vile - vividly described by Hosseini, I could picture him and smell him. Toe curlingly so. The detail of his writing is superb, the characters and surroundings leap from the page

snowflakes as sighs imagery. Very poignant. And also when Laila tells Tariq, 'tell your secrets to the wind but don't blame it for telling the trees'.  

Mariam's life was so desperate that it's exhausted me. I can't even think about it without a lump in my throat and tears in my eyes. She deserved so much better than a father who was embarrassed about creating her, enforced marriage, miscarriages, beatings and so on. However the fact that her parting thoughts before she's executed are that she has loved and been loved. It shows immense courage and a peace of mind.

When Laila retrieved the box that was left to Mariam by her dying father, I was choked again. Reading the letter he'd left hoping that she'd had the life she deserved, when she'd had nothing like it was a complete assault on my emotions.

I know there have been comments that nothing much happens in this book, but I don't think that's the focus. It has made me really think about my life and what's still happening in Afghanistan. This is an issue I need to look into further and will continue reading into, both in fiction and non fiction.

I loved the characters of both Mariam and Laila, and the way that each of them grew over time, from childhood to mature, thinking adults. I felt like I could feel the changes in maturity in the way they viewed their lives and things around them. Like many of you, I was in tears but only at the end, when Laila spends the inheritance in fixing up the orphanage. I cannot imagine what it must be like to have do something like Laila did in leaving Aziza at the orphanage so she wouldn't starve to death, and yet I'm sure that it is the kind of decision people really did have to make. Mariam's decision to confess to the killing of Rasheed surprised me too, at the point in the book, but made total sense when the rest of the story unfolded. Not everything has a totally happy ending.

This is a very moving book in parts & what Laila & Mariam endured makes me glad to be where I am & more grateful for what I've got. I had already read The Bookseller of Kabul (which I recommend to everyone) & so was aware of the Taliban & how women were treated. What made me stop & think so often whilst reading, was that this book is set in modern times & I don't know why but I found that so shocking. It made me stop & think throughout the book, that this happened to women just a few years ago & not centuries ago. I found this especially true when Laila has her son, by c/section without anaesthetic !! This really brought tears to my eyes just thinking of the pain! I had my twins by c/section too (thankfully with an epidural) & just can't imagine how awful it must have been. Also to expect the doctor to operate in a burka! & have no sterile gloves! Maybe I won't complain about the NHS too much again. The bravery of Mariam at the end, in confessing to Rasheed's murder was very moving. I thought at first they might all go on the run, but then realised she would never have done anything else. She gave Laila & Aziza the chance of freedom & the life she never had. I know it is a novel but some of the characters seemed so real especially Mariam. Finally I still find it hard to believe that some men could show such cruelty, especially reading about the beatings Laila endured when trying to visit the orphanage. I just kept thinking these women could be their daughters, sisters, mothers & how would they like them to be treated like that. I've also recommended this book to others & found myself telling my sister & a friend about it at a party on Saturday night!!

for example when Mariam married Racheed it says that the next time she will sign her name in front of the Muller (sp?) (Priest) will be 25 years later. I only knew the 2nd time reading it what the author meant.

I found Mariam’s fate hugely heart breaking; she’d suffered so much in her life and for it end in such a tragic way was so upsetting. Yet, I also understood her incredibly brave decision. What a woman! I found the developing relationship between Laila and Mariam very touching and realistic – drinking tea in the yard together and slowly becoming to know and care for each other.

Also the twist with Tariq being alive …. I did not see that coming; I thought Laila was dreaming and was so happy for her that they would be reunited again.

Other stand out parts for me was the moment that Laila first feels her baby kick – she is feeling so low and then that moment just lifts her, amazing.

I was horrified at Mariam being made to chew gravel; Racheed was such a disgusting bully, I was not upset at his fate!

I also remember my heart beating so fast when Laila and Mariam try to escape – they are getting on the bus after giving that guy money for the tickets. I was so wanting them to escape, my heart sank when they were stopped in their tracks

...I also felt 100% sure that Tariq would reappear before the end of the novel too.