TEHRAN -- Iranian Mehdi Ghabraii is currently working on a translation of the bestselling novel “A Thousand Splendid Suns” by Afghan writer Khaled Hosseini.

The translator believes the story depicts the mutual influence of Iranian and Afghan cultures. Hosseini is noticeably proud of Persian culture and uses Hafez’s poetry in his work.

According to a review by the New York Times published on May 29, “‘A Thousand Splendid Suns’, focuses on mothers and daughters, and friendships between women. ‘Splendid Suns’ starts off programmatically and gains speed and emotional power as it slowly unfurls.

“Like its predecessor, the new novel features a very villainous villain and an almost saintly best friend who commits an act of enormous self-sacrifice to aid the hero/heroine. It attempts to show the fallout that Afghanistan’s violent history has had on a handful of individuals, ending in death at the hands of the Taliban for one character, and the promise of a new life for another.

“In the case of ‘Splendid Suns’, Hosseini quickly makes it clear that he intends to deal with the plight of women in Afghanistan. “Hosseini, who was born in Kabul and moved to the United States in 1980, writes in straight-ahead, utilitarian prose and creates characters that have the simplicity and primary-colored emotions of people in a fairy tale or fable.”

Khaled Hosseini’s “Kite Runner” was also a best seller in 2003.