Reviews tagging 'Mass/school shootings'

A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini

15 reviews

roasted_bean's review

challenging dark emotional sad tense fast-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Violence, Domestic abuse, Torture, Genocide, Murder, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Adult/minor relationship, Sexual violence, Death, Gun violence, and Mass/school shootings

conye's review

challenging dark hopeful sad medium-paced

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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mass/school shootings, Rape, Suicide attempt, Violence, Sexual violence, Trafficking, War, Police brutality, and Miscarriage

larissasbookclub's review against another edition

emotional informative reflective sad medium-paced

5.0

BOOK REVIEW

A Thousand Splendid Suns / Khalid Hosseini

Rating ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

STUNNING! such an eye opening read for me and I literally felt so many emotions - happy, sad, angry, ashamed 😮‍💨

I enjoyed the dual POV in this one, it was interesting seeing some parts of the book from both Mariam and Layla’s POV, especially when Layla first became part of the family. 

upon finishing this one, I sat on the floor crying because it just made me so sad, but also happy because despite all the grief and loss that is experienced by our two FMC’s, they still hold so much hope and love in their hearts. this review truly cannot do this book the justice it deserves, but I hope you choose to give it a go and if you do, please let me know your thoughts! 

reading books like A Thousand Splendid Suns and Pomegranate & Fig definitely makes me grateful to live in a country where women have rights and can make our own choices for our bodies, careers and futures. it always hurts my heart to read stories like these, but they are so important to read and share, because there are so many people who don’t have the same benefits and advantages as us. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape

Moderate: Child death, War, Death of parent, Violence, and Toxic relationship

Minor: Death, Mass/school shootings, Murder, Gun violence, Grief, and Domestic abuse

read_by_sudha21's review

challenging emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad tense fast-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? Yes

5.0

First things first I am so glad I picked this book and read it. I don't know when was the last time I felt so many emotions for a book I was reading. Khaled Hosseini...you gorgeous gorgeous human! How can someone write this beautiful?!?!?! I personally hate reading 3rd person POV but this book...this book is just perfect. The writing is just gorgeous ( lack of better adjectives)
I completed reading this book in 4 days and believe me when I say this...I was dreaming about these characters in my sleep. I was in my imaginary Kabul and Herat. I love the relevance of certain aspects in the story...something mentioned at a point in this story will become relevant in the future. I loved Tariq. I loved how Mariam and Laila's stories mirror and contrast each other at the same time. It's an easy 5 stars for me. Thank you for coming this far into this review. I really hope you can feel the emotions the way I did if you pick it up. Do check TWs before reading. Thank you! Hope you have a great day. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: War, Violence, Suicide, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Rape, Adult/minor relationship, Death, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Miscarriage, Infertility, and Mass/school shootings

tanjan's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful informative inspiring sad

• 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Sexual assault, Child abuse, Torture, Death of parent, Mass/school shootings, and War

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

spencerjie's review

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

joodreads's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense slow-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Grief, Murder, Sexism, Sexual harassment, Suicide, Domestic abuse, Pedophilia, Sexual violence, Suicide attempt, Abortion, Child death, Classism, Death of parent, Police brutality, Pregnancy, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Vomit, War, Cursing, Gaslighting, Genocide, Mass/school shootings, Sexual assault, Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, and Religious bigotry

pomegranate117's review

dark emotional 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? It's complicated

5.0

I never felt this connected to a character from a book before, the way the story moves to different parts of life and people and the horrors of war is heartbreaking but so haunting at the same time, you keep reading about these characters and their lives is full of ups and downs and you’re thrown into this mixer of emotions that breaks your heart in the best way possible. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Gun violence, Misogyny, Violence, War, Abandonment, Child death, Death, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Mass/school shootings, Miscarriage, Physical abuse, Police brutality, Religious bigotry, and Suicide

anmariefweeks's review

dark emotional informative inspiring medium-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Police brutality, Torture, War, Gun violence, Abandonment, Adult/minor relationship, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Infertility, Mass/school shootings, Suicide, Abortion, Child death, Domestic abuse, Hate crime, Medical trauma, Miscarriage, Racism, Rape, and Sexual assault