Reviews tagging 'Murder'

Sparks Like Stars by Nadia Hashimi

15 reviews

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

emily842752's review

slow-paced

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Child death, Child abuse, Murder, Grief, Cancer, and Terminal illness

Minor: Animal cruelty

balancethebooks's review

adventurous emotional reflective 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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Murder, and War

Minor: Sexual violence

angelaf's review

adventurous challenging emotional reflective sad tense slow-paced

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

3.0

Sparks Like Stars traces the heartbreaking story of a young girl orphaned in Afghanistan's 1978 Saur Revolution. The author beautifully tells of a country before war and the events that decimated the land and its people. If you enjoy emotional stories with long story arcs, this may be the book for you. A heads up that sensitive readers may want to skip a few pages due to challenging subject matter. Read if you enjoy: complicated life experiences, learning about history, character-driven novels

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder and Abandonment

Minor: Drug use

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