A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini

Mariam's status at birth

Harami (illegitimate child)

Nana's former job

Jalil's house servant

Number of Jalil's legitimate children

9 (3 wives)

Where Mariam and Nana live

Kolba (hut near Herat)

"Shining spitoon"

Nana's nickname for Jalil's pendant

Real cause of Nana's seizures

Epilepsy

What Jalil and Mariam do while singing

Fish for trout

Song Jalil teaches Mariam

"Mashhad City"

How Nana dies

Hangs herself

Mariam's age when married to Rasheed

15

Rasheed's occupation

Shoemaker

Fate of Rasheed's first family

Died in car accident

Mariam's miscarriages

7

Rasheed's abuse example

Forces Mariam to chew pebbles

What Rasheed demands wives wear

Burqas

Laila's childhood best friend

Tariq

How Tariq loses his leg

Landmine explosion

Event that kills Laila's parents

Rocket attack (1992)

Laila's trick to marry Rasheed

Fakes pregnancy

Real father of Aziza

Tariq

Laila and Mariam's escape attempt

Bus to Mazar-i-Sharif

Why they're caught escaping

No male guardian

Object used to kill Rasheed

Shovel

Who confesses to the murder

Mariam

Mariam's execution method

Taliban firing squad

Symbolism of the kolba

Shame

Laila's final job

Orphanage worker

Name of Laila and Rasheed's son

Zalmai

What Laila finds after war

Jalil's apology letter

Final gift to Mariam's memory

Names orphanage after her

"Like a compass needle" quote

Men blame women

Bread (naan) symbolizes

Survival

Burqa represents

Oppression

Shovel symbolizes

Female rebellion

Herat vs. Kabul

Innocence vs. war

Soviet invasion year

1979

Taliban's strictest rule

Ban on women's education

Public execution method

Stoning

Year Laila returns to Kabul

2003

What falls in 2001

Taliban regime

Jalil has 7 daughters

False (9 total kids)

Nana lived in Jalil's mansion

False (kolba)

Laila's fake pregnancy was for Zalmai

False (Aziza)

Mariam kills Rasheed with a knife

False (shovel)

Tariq dies in the rocket attack

False (he leaves for Pakistan)

"A man's accusing finger always finds a woman"

Nana

"Of all hardships, none is worse than waiting"

Mariam

"I'm sorry you suffered, but I'm not sorry I loved Tariq"

Laila

"You’re a very bright girl. Truly you are."

Babi (Laila's father)

"We’ll leave this spring, Laila. I promise."

Tariq (broken promise)

Fariba's decline

Dementia after sons die in war

Babi's profession

Teacher

What Babi wanted Laila to be

Educated

Aziza's fear at orphanage

That Laila won't return

Zalmai's loyalty to

Rasheed's memory

Nana (Mariam’s mother)

DIE - Commits suicide by hanging after Mariam’s forced marriage to Rasheed (1974).

Jalil (Mariam’s father)

DIE - Dies of illness; leaves Mariam an inheritance she never receives (1987).

Fariba (Laila’s mother)

DIE - Killed alongside Hakim in a rocket strike during Kabul’s civil war (1992).

Hakim (Laila’s father)

DIE - Progressive teacher killed in same attack as Fariba.

Ahmad & Noor (Laila’s brothers)

DIE - Martyred fighting Soviet forces (1980s).

Rasheed

DIE - Bludgeoned by Mariam with a shovel during attack on Laila (2000).

Mariam

DIE - Executed by Taliban for killing Rasheed; dies with quiet dignity (2001).

Zalmai (Rasheed’s son)

SURVIVE - Remains with Laila but harbors resentment toward her.

Aziza (Laila & Tariq’s daughter)

SURVIVE - Rescued from orphanage; becomes symbol of Afghanistan’s future.

Tariq

SURVIVE - Returns after faking death; marries Laila and adopts Zalmai.

Mullah Faizullah

DIE - Mariam’s Quran tutor; dies of old age before her execution.

Abdul Sharif

DIE - Rasheed’s accomplice who falsely reports Tariq’s death; dies in prison.

Khala Rangmaal

DIE - Nana’s only friend; dies before Nana’s suicide.

Giti & Hasina

DIE - Laila’s friends killed in pre-Taliban rocket attacks.

Wahida

SURVIVE - Neighbor who comforts Laila after her parents’ deaths.