Reviews tagging 'Gun violence'

Sparks Like Stars by Nadia Hashimi

10 reviews

tahsintries's review

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief, Murder, Gun violence, Death of parent, Death, Child death, and Blood

Moderate: Child abuse, Genocide, War, and Medical content

Minor: Deportation, Islamophobia, and Confinement

laashpa's review

challenging dark inspiring reflective sad 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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Grief, Child death, Murder, Racism, Islamophobia, Death of parent, Gun violence, and Death

Minor: Child abuse, Cancer, Suicidal thoughts, and Pedophilia

emily_koopmann's review against another edition

emotional hopeful reflective fast-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: War

Moderate: Gun violence

internationalreads's review

dark emotional sad medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Pedophilia, Sexual assault, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Death of parent, Blood, Bullying, Child death, Death, Child abuse, Grief, Gun violence, Religious bigotry, Islamophobia, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual violence, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Violence, War, and Xenophobia

kelsielovesbooks's review

emotional reflective sad medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent, Gun violence, and Murder

Moderate: Cancer, Child death, Confinement, Death, Grief, Islamophobia, Medical trauma, Terminal illness, Violence, and War

rebeccarudisill's review

adventurous challenging dark emotional 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? No

4.75

This book was not at all what I expected, but it was exactly what I needed. A very engaging and thought provoking story that had me gripped if not from page 1 then from chapter 2. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Death, Death of parent, Grief, Gun violence, Medical content, Mass/school shootings, Murder, Terminal illness, and War

Moderate: Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Islamophobia, Cancer, Injury/Injury detail, Panic attacks/disorders, and Pedophilia

katypicken's review

challenging emotional reflective medium-paced

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

4.25

A beautiful book dealing with the life of a young girl who escapes the coup in Afghanistan in 1978 and comes to live in America. Many years later, now working as a surgeon, she meets the man who saved her - but who may also have killed her family.
This book deals with some big themes and big emotions, and there are numerous interwoven storylines. The characterisations are three-dimensional and real, and Sitara/Aryana's emotions throughout are believable and well-portrayed. Beautiful poetic language.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Confinement, Death of parent, Cancer, Gun violence, Islamophobia, Medical content, and Violence

serendipitysbooks's review against another edition

emotional informative reflective sad medium-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

4.25

 Sparks Like Stars was a solid, enjoyable read for me. I love it when historical fiction exposes me to events I know little about and this delivered, being centred around the 1978 military coup in Afghanistan. I really liked how it highlighted the thriving richness (and I’m not talking financial here) of the country before warfare, foreign interference and religious extremists took hold. I always love a heroine I can root for and Sitara fit that bill. We see her first as an eight year old who witnessed her entire family murdered in a coup inside the presidential palace. Using her wits and with some help she survives and escapes to the United States. Thirty years later she is working as an oncologist when an encounter with a former Afghani palace guard leads to her return to her homeland seeking answers to the fate of her family. I was quickly invested in Sitara’s well-being and worried about her safety including while escaping her country, in the foster care system and later when challenging Afghan authorities. I also appreciate good writing and this book didn’t disappoint. I especially loved the imagery relating to light and stars, not to mention the explicit parallels to Anastasia Romanov. So much historical fiction utilises a dual timeline. This book was refreshing for its straightforward linear narrative.

Great storytelling and a book I’d recommend. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent, Grief, and Gun violence

happiestwhenreading's review

emotional hopeful reflective sad medium-paced

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

4.0

I don’t know much about Afghanistan’s history; and sadly, I’m like most Americans who only became aware of the country after the events of 9/11. Since then, I have read several books set in the Middle East region, but I’m sure this book will forever stand out to me.

The book begins in 1978 in Afghanistan where Sitara has an idealic life. Her father is a close advisor to the President Daoud, so the palace and all its lush gardens are her playground. One night, the military turned on the President, invaded the palace, and killed everyone – except Sitara. For whatever reason, one of the military guards has mercy on Sitara and smuggles her out to an American diplomat who eventually adopts and raises her in America. Flash forward to NYC in 2008 where Sitara (but now known as Aryana) is a successful surgeon. On a chance encounter, she comes face to face with her past and, once again, her world is flipped upside down.

Hashimi’s writing immediately pulled me in. While her writing is succinct, it is also quite metaphorical and profound. I sunk into her lyrical prose first, and eventually found that I had also sunk into the story as well. I loved Hasimi’s character development, but most of all, I loved returning to Kabul and learning more about the history of Afghanistan. This book felt like I took a journey and I came out on the otherside better for having took it!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Death, Death of parent, Grief, Gun violence, Islamophobia, Medical content, Murder, and Violence

Moderate: Chronic illness, Cancer, and Terminal illness

Minor: Confinement

reading_ladies_blog's review

emotional reflective sad medium-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? It's complicated

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cancer, Child abuse, Gun violence, Death, Death of parent, and Grief