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laurabeth9's review against another edition
4.0
great book..really makes you think about the world outside your own bubble.
jladuke's review against another edition
5.0
It is not often that I read a book where I am disgusted by the main character, and yet really care about the book. I loved this book and the richness of the writing.
lil_nuke23's review against another edition
5.0
Fantastic. So many puzzle pieces that fit together on so many levels, so many lessons of friendship, forgiveness, doing the right thing, truth, and family....not to mention a glimpse into Afghanistan's culture and history from the perspective of a native man. Loved it. Would read again.
nicolemisra's review against another edition
4.0
Wow. Khaled Hosseini truly is a wonderful writer. He shows the beauty of Afghan culture and the brokenness of Afghanistan. I had such doubts before reading this. Should I read it? I was particularly nervous because the story surrounds the way Amir does not stop Hassan's rape from occurring.
There are many triggering parts of this novel: sexual abuse/trauma, suicide attempts, a stoning... Yet, life isn't pretty. Rape and molestation happens happens. We cannot ignore it. Hosseini doesn't hide from reality, but the writing is not particularly graphic, and for that, I was thankful. Hosseini gives readers a safe place to mentally rehearse the thoughts of "what would I do if I were in Amir's situation?" And he gives us a glimpse into healing.
It took me years to read it. Don't read it lightly.
There are many triggering parts of this novel: sexual abuse/trauma, suicide attempts, a stoning... Yet, life isn't pretty. Rape and molestation happens happens. We cannot ignore it. Hosseini doesn't hide from reality, but the writing is not particularly graphic, and for that, I was thankful. Hosseini gives readers a safe place to mentally rehearse the thoughts of "what would I do if I were in Amir's situation?" And he gives us a glimpse into healing.
It took me years to read it. Don't read it lightly.
dontfalter's review against another edition
4.0
3.75
This is a great historical fiction book, yes, a beautiful heartbreaking and heartwarming story at the same time. The narrative is good, it's not too slow and overly descriptive, and it compels you to care for the characters. After the childhood story, I cared for Hassan so much, he's just that pure soul that this world doesn't deserve, I wished that there were more Hassan in this book. What didn't work for me is the story feels kinda fabricated, sometimes too convenient and wraps up the way it should for books to have moral message and stuff. The one quote that impacted me a lot is this:
"Perspective was a luxury when your head was constantly buzzing with a swarm of demons."
Because I've felt it many times, how you can't see anything when you were stuck in darkness, and of course, for you, a thousand times over.
This is a great historical fiction book, yes, a beautiful heartbreaking and heartwarming story at the same time. The narrative is good, it's not too slow and overly descriptive, and it compels you to care for the characters. After the childhood story, I cared for Hassan so much, he's just that pure soul that this world doesn't deserve, I wished that there were more Hassan in this book. What didn't work for me is the story feels kinda fabricated, sometimes too convenient and wraps up the way it should for books to have moral message and stuff. The one quote that impacted me a lot is this:
"Perspective was a luxury when your head was constantly buzzing with a swarm of demons."
Because I've felt it many times, how you can't see anything when you were stuck in darkness, and of course, for you, a thousand times over.
bearcatbookworm's review against another edition
1.0
One of the most unlikeable protagonists ever - even in his moment of redemption you don't root for him.
rachelfein's review against another edition
4.0
Loved the last half but the first half didn’t really grip me that much and I read this in between books but once into the last half I sped through and felt more connected to the characters
clairey9's review against another edition
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0