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stephmcoakley's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Religious bigotry, Self harm, Emotional abuse, Sexual violence, Domestic abuse, Islamophobia, Murder, Sexual assault, Cursing, Forced institutionalization, Gore, War, Violence, Grief, Toxic relationship, Vomit, Death of parent, Miscarriage, Rape, Abandonment, Abortion, Genocide, Gun violence, Infertility, Adult/minor relationship, Body horror, Blood, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Torture, Child death, Classism, Colonisation, Confinement, Injury/Injury detail, Medical trauma, Death, and Infidelity
pabi's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Graphic: Blood, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Miscarriage, Cursing, Death, Abandonment, Infertility, Medical trauma, Pregnancy, Violence, Domestic abuse, Genocide, Murder, Rape, Sexism, Adult/minor relationship, Bullying, Gun violence, Misogyny, Alcoholism, Confinement, Religious bigotry, War, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, and Physical abuse
Mariam you deserved the world.ashlislibrary's review against another edition
- 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
4.0
Graphic: Gun violence, Domestic abuse, War, Misogyny, Grief, Death of parent, Physical abuse, Miscarriage, Murder, Rape, Racial slurs, Sexual violence, Adult/minor relationship, and Confinement
dejnozkova's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
The novel is also as informative as it is heart wrenching, especially if you aren’t already familiar with the politics and recent history of the region. Hosseini artfully navigates issues of politics, authoritarianism, the oppression of women, and suppression of civil liberties without being heavy handed or lazy. These issues are organically taught through the experiences of the characters so that they are memorable and personal.
The novel is closed by offering a glimmer of sunshine to balance the darkness, which I personally love. I think that when authors write stories drenched in tragedy and outrage it’s important to also remark on the resiliency of the human spirit and our capacity to create and find beauty despite everything. I think Khaled Hosseini is one of those authors that actually acknowledges the flowers that can bloom after all the suffering. So for those of you tired of pessimistic endings I recommend this book as I feel it was down-to-earth and still hopeful.
Graphic: War, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexism, Toxic relationship, and Violence
Moderate: Colonisation, Grief, Gun violence, Panic attacks/disorders, Pregnancy, and Medical trauma
Minor: Abortion, Rape, Vomit, Alcohol, Confinement, Excrement, Miscarriage, and Pregnancy
gaycornbread420's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Rape, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, Grief, Gun violence, Medical trauma, Blood, Ableism, Adult/minor relationship, Death, Sexual assault, Violence, Body horror, Miscarriage, Vomit, War, Confinement, Death of parent, Misogyny, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Child abuse, and Pregnancy
lorie266's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Child abuse, Abandonment, Domestic abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Religious bigotry, Sexual violence, Ableism, Abortion, Pedophilia, Pregnancy, Violence, War, Blood, Murder, Death of parent, Infertility, Confinement, Emotional abuse, Grief, Infidelity, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Adult/minor relationship, Death, Gun violence, and Sexual assault
morsa's review against another edition
- 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
Moderate: Suicide, War, Murder, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Adult/minor relationship, Miscarriage, Death, Animal death, Violence, Death of parent, Infertility, Medical content, Child abuse, Misogyny, Body horror, Confinement, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Abandonment, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, and Blood
aliwhaley's review against another edition
- 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
3.0
More harrowing still is that, this was written in 2007, and the author obviously didn’t know that American troops would pull out of Afghanistan in 2021. That made the ending harder to swallow.
The first 150 pages feel like a preamble until the women move in together, and then the plot starts. After that, the pace picks up and we have something to root for. I felt the first 100 pages dragged a bit.
It does a good job of conjuring a world and drawing you into it. I cared about the characters, I cared what happened, and the villain is believable and terrifying.
But, I give this book three stars because of the slow start and the violent middle. It’s worth having read to learn more about Afghanistan, but it is not an enjoyable experience.
I think my qualm with this book is that it’s important, but it’s not interesting. There’s just something missing.
Graphic: Excrement, Violence, War, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Grief, Gun violence, Miscarriage, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Gore, and Pregnancy
Moderate: Abortion and Body horror
Minor: Child death
absurdlyalex's review against another edition
- 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
5.0
Graphic: Murder, Confinement, Domestic abuse, Child death, Miscarriage, Death, Adult/minor relationship, Violence, Death of parent, Sexism, Infertility, and Emotional abuse
Moderate: Grief, Sexual violence, and War
katrinarose's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
I did cry while reading this book, but I was almost angry at the fact. Hosseini is praised for how raw he displays the suffering of generations of people in Afghanistan, especially women, but combined with the lack of real character depth, it feels like trauma porn for a western audience. I go back and forth on this opinion because their suffering deserves to be told in all the horror it was, but I can’t decide (and in the end it’s not up for me to decide) whether it’s honoring them or exploiting them.
So I didn’t enjoy it due to the immense pain I felt for the Mariam and Laila (and all the other women who suffered), however I couldn’t put it down either. A 3.5 it is.
Graphic: Medical trauma, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, Rape, Religious bigotry, Sexual violence, Pedophilia, Pregnancy, Adult/minor relationship, Blood, Confinement, Death, Infertility, Sexism, Sexual content, Violence, Misogyny, War, Grief, and Miscarriage
Moderate: Child abuse, Child death, and Gaslighting