Reviews tagging 'Blood'

Mille Soleils Splendides by Khaled Hosseini

104 reviews

kiwialexa's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Abortion, Adult/minor relationship, Blood, Domestic abuse, Gun violence, Miscarriage, Physical abuse, Sexism, Sexual violence, Death, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Violence, War, Death of parent, Murder, Misogyny, and Torture

audra_spiven's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful informative 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? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny, Sexism, Abandonment, Blood, Adult/minor relationship, Domestic abuse, Sexual violence, Suicide, Violence, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Religious bigotry, War, and Miscarriage

bookishdaylight's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad tense slow-paced

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

4.25

I was not prepared for the emotional turmoil this book had put me through. It was so beautifully written however it can be alarming at some points in which there were so many heavy topics and events that happened that when I think about it, it makes me tear up again.

It's about family, love, and loss and how the characters experienced one of the most traumatic things a child, a woman could ever go through. This was set in Afghanistan in where this was during a war that occurred in that country that changed the lives of so many people.

I couldn't imagine thinking about being a woman in that time and in that place going through so many hardships in life where they hardly even lived. They were disregarded and had to go abide by a lot of regulations and if those rules were broken, even if it was simply going outside then they would be punished, beaten, or terminated. So many cruelties that women had to suffer through at the hand of men.

The most inspiring thing that happened was how resilient Mariam and Laila were despite all the things that they had to went through. They had each other when no one could even save them where It was such comfort how they found solace in one another.

This was truly an amazing read and it has touched my heart and will forever be remembered. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body shaming, Death, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Adult/minor relationship, Blood, Confinement, Domestic abuse, Grief, Physical abuse, Abandonment, Violence, Child abuse, Gaslighting, Miscarriage, War, and Slavery

audc's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad tense 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? No

4.75

Would give it 5 stars but I don’t think I ever plan on reading it any time soon. BUT, I would DEFINITELY, DEFINITELY, DEFINITELY, recommend it and have and my friend loved it. 

Of the top of my head:
So many emotions! I can’t believe Mariam’s character development!!! Following these TWO STRONG WOMEN from childhood! 

It’s triggering, but it’s probably nothing close to the reality. This book needed to be written. The writing is just so flavorful and precise; I couldn’t stop underlining!!! 

It drags at some points, but it’ everytime it’s so worth it! 

I really appreciate that this book is not westernized and that throughout there’s that single thread of Afghanistan. 
I appreciate that though the story is set during the larger picture of the Taliban and political insecurity, famine, social upheaval the book focuses on these women and the smallest details of their lives. Rippling effect that further encompasses the history at large. Making it a lot more impactful. 

!!Very Triggering!! 

At least a happy ending will continue to live in this book despite what actually happened. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Colonisation, Slavery, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Genocide, Kidnapping, Mass/school shootings, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Gore, Gun violence, Infertility, Abortion, Classism, Confinement, Physical abuse, Police brutality, Religious bigotry, Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Antisemitism, Car accident, Emotional abuse, Excrement, Misogyny, Pregnancy, Racial slurs, Rape, Torture, Death, Death of parent, Deportation, Domestic abuse, Terminal illness, War, Gaslighting, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Miscarriage, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexism, Vomit, and Xenophobia

Minor: Emotional abuse, Racial slurs, Vomit, Car accident, Classism, Fire/Fire injury, Blood, Body horror, Colonisation, Murder, Abandonment, Panic attacks/disorders, Terminal illness, Xenophobia, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Antisemitism, Deportation, Domestic abuse, Excrement, Alcoholism, Death, Death of parent, Infertility, Injury/Injury detail, Mass/school shootings, Ableism, Pedophilia, Abortion, Alcohol, Child abuse, Confinement, Forced institutionalization, Gaslighting, Genocide, Grief, Hate crime, Misogyny, Slavery, Torture, Gore, Gun violence, Medical content, Miscarriage, Religious bigotry, Sexual harassment, and Suicidal thoughts

monicalaurette's review against another edition

I DNFed this book at 49% and let me tell you why: I wasn’t the biggest fan of the Kite Runner to start, so I went into this book wondering if I’d like it more. I did but only by a little bit. 

For me it’s more on Khaled’s writing style and prose than the actual story he told. So because of that, and the fact I could tell how the story would end based on the summary and sections of the book I did read, I decided to not continue reading it.

One thing I felt was interesting was that both girls had sort of the same relationships with their parents for the majority of the time. Both loved their fathers and while they loved their mothers, had a more stand-offish relationship with them. And sadly when both parents left their lives, it was through trauma and heartbreak.

With Khaled’s stories that I’ve read, I just find it also uncomfortable to have miscarriage and a woman’s infertility something that is part of the story. Like the only thing left to make them a true woman is ripped away but then “hey! Here’s a child that you didn’t birth but you’ll now love and you’re whole again” rubbed me the wrong way. Especially as someone who has fertility issues (though I never plan to have children, but still). And while I’m not an amputee or know anyone who is (that I can recall right now while writing this) having Laila compare the loss of Tariq to phantom limb pain was off-putting, but I also see why that specific comparison was made towards Tariq since he was, in fact, missing a leg and had a prosthetic.

Perhaps if I watched this as a movie or show instead of reading it I’d finish it. But I know the ending (broadly) and don’t really care about the characters, I don’t know if I’ll ever search that out.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gun violence, Blood, Domestic abuse, Suicide, War, Violence, and Death

Moderate: Child death, Emotional abuse, Pregnancy, Miscarriage, Sexual content, Death, Grief, Incest, Abandonment, and Death of parent

tezariah's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative sad tense medium-paced

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

3.0

Every book starts at 3 stars for me. Now, every few moments, this book kept dwindling from 3 stars to 4 stars to 2 stars, and then right back to 3 stars. The reason for that is primarily because even though I felt an attachment to the characters, I still felt disconnected from the story itself. Who knows...it may be my fault when it comes to my reading mood but this book didn't make me as passionate about the storyline as I had for Kite Runner. 

I had no idea what to expect from the story, but for me, that is a regular thing as I am one who doesn't like knowing what a story is about before reading. I'm not sure what I was looking for while reading this, but I did enjoy the characters a lot. I cared about them deeply. And I would have never picked up this book on my own if it wasn't for me having joined my neighborhood book club. 

I am happy that I read this book. Hosseini seems to be a writer of deep character studies and that to me is what makes his books so heart-wrenching. I don't think I will be reading his other book, but I can't ever fully make that claim because somehow I always find myself doing what I never think I would do.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Miscarriage, War, Child death, Grief, Emotional abuse, Infertility, Blood, Death, Death of parent, Physical abuse, Police brutality, Rape, Violence, Abandonment, Adult/minor relationship, Sexual content, and Toxic relationship

spencerjie's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense 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? Yes

4.5

this book is, understandably, incredibly dark. taking place in war-torn Afghanistan, these personal stories get to the root of the effects of war, traditionalism, womanhood, religion, and so much more. gorgeous prose and insightful storytelling. i would be very cautious and cognizant that you are in a decent mental health space before you read this book because it is nothing short of brutal from beginning to end.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Infidelity, Islamophobia, Misogyny, Police brutality, Sexual assault, Abandonment, Adult/minor relationship, Blood, Child abuse, Child death, Death of parent, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Genocide, Gore, Grief, Gun violence, Infertility, Injury/Injury detail, Mass/school shootings, Medical trauma, Miscarriage, Mental illness, Murder, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Torture, Vomit, Violence, and War

eellikk's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful informative fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abortion, Injury/Injury detail, Slavery, Death, Bullying, Emotional abuse, Medical content, Miscarriage, Rape, Adult/minor relationship, Blood, Child abuse, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Grief, Gun violence, Infertility, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Suicide, Torture, Violence, Vomit, and War

cappuccino_'s review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad tense fast-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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Physical abuse, War, Violence, Sexual violence, Rape, Medical trauma, Emotional abuse, Ableism, Torture, Suicide, Adult/minor relationship, Blood, Child death, and Murder

aaronjdilkes's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful reflective sad tense 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? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Child abuse, Violence, Death, Sexual assault, War, Suicide, Sexism, Rape, Pregnancy, Murder, Miscarriage, Injury/Injury detail, Grief, Death of parent, and Blood