Reviews tagging 'Medical trauma'

A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini

50 reviews

fatsss's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful reflective sad fast-paced

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

5.0

This was a reread and it was still as good as the first time I read it. Hosseini is an amazing writer. 

Although a reader can be skeptical about the stories of women being written by a man, he did a great job at portraying their stories. 

It’s filled with so much pain so it’s guaranteed to make you teary eyed. I also admire how easy it is to get sucked into this world because of Hosseni’s ability to use words that create vivid images. 

The book reenforces all the horrible pain and tragedy that comes with war especially those faced by women and children. I liked that Hosseini emphasized that the pain these two groups go through during war is incomparable. 

Though this book has the power to let readers see and understand the struggles of Afghanistan women, I feel the way it portrayed these struggles, it may also give readers who should not have the space to give opinions on certain issues the space to do so. 

For example, the discourse around women wearing burqa’s or hijabs where random people who it doesn’t concern say they are against it when it honestly isn’t their business. 

It reminds me of what Roxanne Gay said in Bad feminist, paraphrasing, she said forcing women not to wear the burqa is just as bad as forcing them to. 

Well at the end of the day, nothing is black and white and it’s all more complicated than that. 

But yes, good book. But approach with caution it deals with so many hard things. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny, Grief, Medical trauma, Domestic abuse, War, Violence, Gun violence, and Adult/minor relationship

Moderate: Miscarriage

mohginreads's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad slow-paced

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

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Sexism, Physical abuse, Murder, War, Sexual violence, Miscarriage, Medical trauma, Torture, and Domestic abuse

wifeslife's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad tense slow-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

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Pregnancy, Medical trauma, Child death, Adult/minor relationship, Classism, Child abuse, Sexism, Abortion, Injury/Injury detail, Emotional abuse, War, Toxic relationship, Misogyny, Confinement, Bullying, Blood, Abandonment, Miscarriage, Mental illness, Death, Violence, Religious bigotry, Rape, Physical abuse, Murder, Infertility, Grief, Domestic abuse, Torture, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, and Police brutality

stephmcoakley's review

adventurous emotional informative inspiring reflective sad fast-paced

• 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

---

Content Warnings

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

mirandyli's review against another edition

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

5.0

I reread this book recently, about 12 years after reading it in high school. It is still as devastatingly sad yet beautiful. It will probably break your heart more than The Kite Runner did. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Domestic abuse, Islamophobia, Pregnancy, Rape, Religious bigotry, Violence, Misogyny, Sexism, Physical abuse, War, Murder, Sexual violence, Emotional abuse, Grief, Infertility, Adult/minor relationship, Blood, Medical trauma, and Miscarriage

lauramcc7's review against another edition

challenging dark sad slow-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? No

2.5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Religious bigotry, Bullying, Emotional abuse, Rape, Abortion, Adult/minor relationship, Blood, Child abuse, Death, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Grief, Infertility, Medical trauma, Miscarriage, Pregnancy, Sexism, Sexual assault, Violence, Sexual content, and War

pabi'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? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

---

Content Warnings

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.

pattycrabby's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative reflective sad tense slow-paced

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

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Medical trauma, Infertility, Grief, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual violence, Domestic abuse, War, Suicide, Violence, Miscarriage, Child death, and Death of parent

dejnozkova's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful informative inspiring sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0

I feel that this book was beautifully balanced, just as The Kite Runner was. But unlike The Kite Runner, this novel presents the stories of women; their struggles, their dreams, their disappointments, their bravery and tenderness, and their relationships with each other. His characters’ histories and personalities are intimately fleshed out in a way that makes them believable, intriguing, and emotionally impactful. It was a treat to watch them evolve over the course of Afghan history (from the 70’s through the 00’s), how they react to historical events and politics and how this shapes their inner domestic lives. 

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.

---

Content Warnings

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

challenging dark emotional sad tense slow-paced

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

4.0

---

Content Warnings

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