"Learn this now and learn it well, my daughter: Like a compass needle that points north, a man's accusing finger always finds a woman. Always. You remember that, Mariam." 
 This is an amazing book, my best read of 2013. Through it, I got a glimpse into a world that is totally different from my own and it really made me realize just how lucky I am, how lucky most of us are. A Thousand Splendid Suns tells a powerful, uplifting story about the strength of two women who were living a world that condemned and oppressed their gender. The brutality that they suffered, the injustice of it all... it's an eye opener, honestly. Hosseini skillfully combined great fiction with social commentary and elements of history, and what you are left with is a masterpiece, a great work of literature. 
 This book left an impression on me and of course tears were shed. To borrow Glamour's words, 'Only the hardest of hearts could fail to be moved.'