Reviews tagging 'Gore'

A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini

44 reviews

thefooddater's review

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.

mary_c's review

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

gabriella_'s review

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

kiwichill's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful reflective sad tense 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

5.0

A historical drama which follows the lives of two women over decades, with a background of conflicts and wars in Afghanistan 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Confinement, Forced institutionalization, Mental illness, Torture, Violence, Death of parent, Miscarriage, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Excrement, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Misogyny, Toxic relationship, Death, Medical trauma, Religious bigotry, Abortion, Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Blood, Body horror, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicide, Trafficking, Body shaming, Racial slurs, Grief, Infertility, Rape, War, Bullying, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Pregnancy, and Gore

Moderate: Chronic illness, Sexual content, Abandonment, Infidelity, Cursing, Gun violence, Murder, Hate crime, Police brutality, Self harm, and Sexism

maajidah's review

challenging dark emotional informative reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0

"one last time, Mariam did as she was told" 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Pregnancy, Gore, Miscarriage, Rape, Toxic relationship, Medical trauma, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Kidnapping, Confinement, Forced institutionalization, War, Child death, Adult/minor relationship, Blood, Bullying, Child abuse, Classism, Colonisation, Death, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Sexual violence, Violence, Grief, Infertility, Mental illness, Misogyny, Murder, Police brutality, Religious bigotry, Sexism, Sexual assault, and Torture

serenspace's review

dark emotional 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? No

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief, Genocide, Gore, Pregnancy, War, Death, Domestic abuse, Misogyny, and Adult/minor relationship

It's not often that I feel completely hopeless for the characters in a book. There is usually some hope of miracles or happy endings. But the majority of this left me feeling defeated for Mariam and Laila, so completely extinguished. The style of writing Hosseini employs is emotionally rich and devastating, keeping me on my toes while also filling me with immovable dread. It encapsulates the fear of a nation torn by war, putting me squarely in the shoes of those left behind. Mariam's ending broke me, such conviction that despite everything, there are things, people, worth fighting for. Laila's ending, far more hopeful and happy yet tainted by gried, avoided the quality of a happy-ever-after by walking through her entire life, showing every part of her. If anybody should be happy, Laila tops the list, followed of course by Tariq, Aziza, Zalmai... A brilliant novel.

jazzyismuysnazzyygay's review

dark emotional informative inspiring sad tense fast-paced

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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Death of parent, Toxic relationship, Miscarriage, Grief, Gore, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Child abuse, Confinement, Body horror, Suicide, and Physical abuse

33cosmo's review

dark emotional informative 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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Blood, Classism, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Excrement, Genocide, Sexual content, and War

Moderate: Gun violence, Abortion, Body horror, Pregnancy, Cursing, Death, Death of parent, Genocide, Gore, Infertility, Injury/Injury detail, Racism, Violence, War, Bullying, Child abuse, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Child death, Classism, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Murder, Police brutality, Grief, Infidelity, Sexual content, Rape, Sexual assault, and Torture

Minor: Vomit, Abortion, Medical content, Mental illness, Alcohol, Chronic illness, Medical trauma, and Panic attacks/disorders

fanchera's review

challenging 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? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief, Injury/Injury detail, War, Death, Death of parent, Gore, Murder, Rape, Blood, Physical abuse, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Child death, Confinement, Miscarriage, Violence, and Infertility

dontwanthvn's review

challenging emotional informative tense fast-paced

• Loveable characters? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Torture, War, Death of parent, Gore, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Adult/minor relationship, Violence, Miscarriage, Blood, Death, Chronic illness, Domestic abuse, and Gun violence

Moderate: Incest, Animal cruelty, Suicide, and Confinement