Reviews tagging 'Medical trauma'

A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini

49 reviews

bookswithlauren's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Alcoholism, Rape, Sexual assault, Torture, Child death, Death of parent, Miscarriage, Pregnancy, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Forced institutionalization, Murder, Police brutality, Sexism, Vomit, Sexual harassment, Toxic relationship, Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Blood, Body horror, Bullying, Confinement, Gore, Child abuse, Excrement, Hate crime, Islamophobia, Physical abuse, Religious bigotry, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Domestic abuse, Gaslighting, Genocide, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Medical trauma, Death, Grief, Racism, Slavery, Suicide, Trafficking, Violence, Body shaming, and War

ed_moore's review against another edition

emotional sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.25

Hosseini’s ‘A Thousand Splendid Suns’ is the tale of two women surviving through the patriarchy and political turmoil of Afghanistan, this being the control of the soviets, violence and civil war between different rebel factions and the rise of the Taliban. It was a brutal and honest depiction of Afghanistan’s struggles which didn’t shy away from depicting the true horrors of living there from starvation, violence and patriarchal control, to war and occupation and the labours of childbirth. 

It is difficult not to reflect on this alongside the other work of Hosseini’s that I have read: ‘The Kite Runner’ and whilst I preferred the longer term focus on the turmoils of Afghanistan which was lost in ‘The Kite Runner’s’ movement to America, I did however find myself much more attached to the characters of that book and to be more emotionally impacted by such. That may  be down to gender resonance. That is not to discredit from ‘A Thousand Splendid Suns’ however, as it was still utterly heart-wrenching and persistently took from the reader alike to the persistent theft of the livelihoods of Laila and Mariam. His use of foreshadowing is also really effective but in cases a bit explicit, it is clear when such is occurring but I would conclude it still works well.

Reading in todays political climate, with the return of the Taliban plaguing Afghanistan, it was also likely more harrowing and impactful than it would likely be if I read such when it was published. Knowing the country has regressed to the under-occupation state it faced in the book after 20 years independence and rebuilding was constantly on my mind and made every tragedy Hosseini described even more saddening and relevant. Hosseini really has a talent for tugging on the heart strings.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Pregnancy, Physical abuse, War, Sexism, Death of parent, Medical trauma, Murder, Adult/minor relationship, Child death, and Suicide

ellie_gonzalez's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful sad tense

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Medical trauma, Adult/minor relationship, Abandonment, Emotional abuse, Infertility, Miscarriage, War, Death of parent, and Domestic abuse

Moderate: Abortion, Forced institutionalization, and Alcoholism

thefooddater's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional reflective fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

A beautifully written story that I could not put down. Its a tale about sisterhood, especially in the face of extreme female oppression. The story also weaves in a bit of Afghan history. I've known about the Taliban through only news reports, but reading about how the rich culture and history has been destroyed by religious extremists and years of colonialism was eye opening.
Despite the dark topics, the ending is hopeful and shows the resilience of Afghans.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Police brutality, Death, Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, Colonisation, Death of parent, Misogyny, Domestic abuse, Gore, Alcoholism, Adult/minor relationship, Emotional abuse, Grief, Gun violence, Miscarriage, Murder, Religious bigotry, Child abuse, Classism, Genocide, Medical trauma, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Violence, and War

The book takes place between the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan to the early 2000's liberation of the country of the Taliban. There are also graphic scenes/depictions of sexual assault.

kitkat99's review against another edition

emotional hopeful reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent, Miscarriage, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Adult/minor relationship, Suicide, Medical trauma, Pregnancy, Death, Domestic abuse, War, Violence, and Religious bigotry

Moderate: Infidelity, Child death, and Rape

mary_c's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

This novel is not for the faint of heart.  It is painful and tragic.  There is repeatedly domestic violence, which is very intense and vivid.  There is general misogyny, hatred of women if they are unable to conceive, or if they give birth to girls.  There is graphic, war-related violence.  And that does not cover all the potential triggers that occur in the book.  Good writing, well-crafted story, important historical depiction, but it is not an easy read for the sensitive.  

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Pregnancy, Death of parent, Rape, Violence, War, Suicide, Blood, Domestic abuse, Infertility, Medical trauma, Abandonment, Gore, Grief, Misogyny, and Physical abuse

almaashussain's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

What a wonderful read. Many sad moments, but ultimately a satisfying ending. Understand the pashto and farsi words without needing a translation is so rewarding. Definitely a compelling and fulfilling read for us brown muslims!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cursing, Child abuse, Confinement, Grief, Violence, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Miscarriage, Murder, Blood, Bullying, Death, Pregnancy, Death of parent, Medical trauma, Adult/minor relationship, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Child death, Pedophilia, Torture, Sexual violence, Suicide, and War

reading_historical_romance's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Excrement, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, War, Death of parent, Torture, Violence, Bullying, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Murder, Police brutality, Adult/minor relationship, Blood, Child abuse, Child death, Grief, Infertility, Toxic relationship, Death, Sexual assault, Abandonment, Injury/Injury detail, Medical trauma, Rape, Sexism, Sexual violence, Sexual content, and Gun violence

reads2cope's review against another edition

4.5

Resilient is a word I'm tired of being demanded of those struggling to survive in the "East," but it is the most fitting to describe these characters. It was heartbreaking and infuriating to see each woman hope that after these bombs, peace will finally come, knowing the horrors that befell Afghanistan next. 

The middle of this novel almost had me giving up. Every violence that the Soviet Union, the civil war, the USA was made so real and clear, and then to have such beautiful, complex, wounded women abused by their husband made me want to stop reading. I'm so glad I didn't, the end of this book was everything I'd hoped for, though it still destroyed me.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Grief, Sexual assault, Domestic abuse, Child death, War, Colonisation, Abandonment, Bullying, Death, Miscarriage, Medical content, Medical trauma, Sexism, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Police brutality, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, Classism, Infertility, Rape, Misogyny, Blood, Emotional abuse, Murder, and Physical abuse

Moderate: Abortion and Stalking

gabriella_'s review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.75

i had to leave the room i was in to cry while reading this. idk if this is controversial but in some ways i preferred this over the kite runner. i think there are problematic elements in the book but it still has a captivating prose and poetic flow that is easy to get lost in

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Body horror, Classism, Death, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Self harm, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Infidelity, Pregnancy, Body shaming, Genocide, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Alcoholism, Blood, Medical content, Medical trauma, Adult/minor relationship, Religious bigotry, Sexual assault, Torture, Confinement, Misogyny, Injury/Injury detail, Child abuse, Forced institutionalization, Gore, Murder, Gaslighting, Grief, Sexual violence, Miscarriage, War, Abandonment, Child death, Gun violence, Pedophilia, Racism, Violence, Vomit, and Cursing