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eellikk's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
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
joodreads's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
5.0
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
ressicajicks's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Domestic abuse, War, Death of parent, Misogyny, Grief, Emotional abuse, Adult/minor relationship, Child death, and Infertility
Minor: Abortion
erinelgersma's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Graphic: War, Rape, Murder, Child abuse, Abortion, Suicide, Domestic abuse, and Adult/minor relationship
spvdbooks's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Violence, War, Misogyny, Grief, Death, Sexism, Toxic relationship, Adult/minor relationship, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Domestic abuse, Torture, and Murder
Moderate: Sexual violence, Miscarriage, and Blood
Minor: Abortion
natthahlyh's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Abortion, Alcoholism, Emotional abuse, Murder, Rape, Domestic abuse, Grief, Medical content, Misogyny, Death, Death of parent, Miscarriage, Religious bigotry, Violence, Adult/minor relationship, Blood, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Sexism, and War
thelightabyss's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Violence, Death, Emotional abuse, Death of parent, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, Gun violence, and War
Moderate: Child death, Religious bigotry, Murder, Misogyny, Injury/Injury detail, Miscarriage, Grief, Rape, and Pregnancy
Minor: Ableism, Abortion, and Torture
esther_me's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Blood, Death, Abortion, Alcohol, Bullying, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Gaslighting, Gun violence, Emotional abuse, and Miscarriage
anmariefweeks's review against another edition
5.0
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
angelikatha's review against another edition
- 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
Khaled has this detached but magnetic way of storytelling as if he's just passing on some news he overheard from the streets, as if these are all so common and prevalent that there's no other way to convey them than in a matter-of-fact manner. He surely knows how to make it sting even more. Truth be told, once and for all. Hurts hurled. No one spared. And it's horrible, horrible to think this is the truth in this fiction, that these are happening in Afghanistan, and probably in still some other parts of the world, probably somewhere nearer, somewhere just outside of here.
There is a main theme about life, particularly a woman's life, being an ode to quiet endurance. That what is visible in a woman's facade is only just a "slight tremor" of what is at the highest magnitude of suffering in the core. That most times women are indeed helplessly left with no other choice but to endure--and so silently for so long-- the unjust, unspeakable, undeserved violence and deprivation, because what else is there but an even more terrible oppression as a consequence of fighting for our rights?
Mariam had been bruised and battered for so long for no other reason than being a woman, taught by the world at such a young age, in the cruelest way, that she is no match for a man-- as if she had to match them to begin with. But for love, for her children, she fought back once and for all, and with all her might.
Afghanistan is a woman. And so are all countries where war is waged, where misogynists rule, where corruption takes over compassion in the hearts of supposedly capable people more than anything else.
This is a reminder of what we have been fighting for alongside other things And this is my hope for women that we all may find courage in the face of oppression. That so should we, amid faltering knees and a quivering heart. So should we fight. That we fight nonetheless.
PS: Although Khalil dedicates this book to the women of Afghanistan, I think he also wants to remind us that some men are just victims too, because the real victims here are children in general, and the real opponent is a larger misguided system that teaches boys and girls these false, unethical, self-serving beliefs.
PPS: Not saying that what Mariam resulted in doing in the end was the rightest thing to do. But see the tragedy, where the "no other way" leads to in the face of injustice, how she was just acting in self-defense and for someone else's salvation, and still she paid for it with her life, as if she did it only out of self-indulgence the way Rasheed did so all those years of abuse, and despite her life being an atonement already just for the "sin" of being born, and being born a woman.
Graphic: Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexism, and Violence
Moderate: War
Minor: Abortion, Body shaming, Death of parent, Murder, and Suicide