Reviews tagging 'Toxic friendship'

Drachenläufer by Khaled Hosseini

63 reviews

redefiningrachel's review against another edition

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? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness, Terminal illness, War, Self harm, Racism, Racial slurs, Murder, Death of parent, Death, Suicide attempt, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, Pedophilia, Cancer, Violence, and Rape

Moderate: Medical content, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Vomit, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Blood, Body horror, and Kidnapping

Minor: Cannibalism

themrshedrick816's review against another edition

challenging emotional informative tense slow-paced

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

4.0

 I wanted to read this book because I knew it had a lot of cultural aspects to it as well as being considered a “banned” book. It’s not my usual style/genre of reading, but with that being said, it was good. I did struggle some with the concepts and cultural differences and fully understanding them as I read but also enjoy that I feel more educated on them after reading this book. Overall, there were a lot of difficult, sad, and frustrating parts to read, but I do think the story was told well.  While not based on a true story, I did feel that all the aspects and hardships faced by the characters are real things that happen to Afghans and I feel that after reading this book I have an even deeper sympathy for what people of this origin faced during this time period. I do recommend this book, not necessarily as a “pleasure” read but as an expand your knowledge read, if that makes sense. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent, Cancer, Self harm, Toxic friendship, Violence, War, Death, Cultural appropriation, Racism, Genocide, Medical trauma, Murder, Rape, Suicide attempt, Grief, Hate crime, Physical abuse, and Sexual assault

ienbdri's review

dark emotional inspiring sad 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? Yes

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Suicide, Child death, Child abuse, Grief, Racism, Sexual violence, Suicide attempt, War, Blood, Bullying, Cancer, Death, Infertility, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Toxic friendship, and Violence

hellothereforeitsalex's review against another edition

dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

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

4.0

The story is skilfully crafted, it covers a large period of time and hits you at every turn. Rolling through the loss of innocence, the full spectrum of emotion guilt, loss and everything else. It covers the conflict in Afghanistan from the eyes of one of its people. 

⚠️ GOOGLE TRIGGERS ⚠️

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Racism, Sexual content, Self harm, Sexual assault, Death, Genocide, Sexual harassment, Adult/minor relationship, Animal cruelty, Death of parent, Animal death, Child death, Blood, Emotional abuse, Gore, Hate crime, Mental illness, Murder, Sexual violence, Gun violence, Medical content, Medical trauma, Rape, Suicide attempt, Cancer, Body horror, Toxic friendship, Classism, Domestic abuse, Infidelity, Islamophobia, Xenophobia, Drug abuse, Religious bigotry, Physical abuse, Pedophilia, War, and Violence

shiftycow1313's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful informative reflective sad tense 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? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Death, War, Religious bigotry, Cancer, Police brutality, Abandonment, Toxic friendship, Sexual violence, Suicide attempt, Injury/Injury detail, Pedophilia, Grief, Animal death, Racism, Child abuse, Self harm, Kidnapping, Murder, Blood, Rape, Miscarriage, Adult/minor relationship, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Violence, Infertility, Ableism, Classism, Misogyny, Sexism, Death of parent, Genocide, Terminal illness, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, and Vomit

rainerasnic's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense slow-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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Rape, War, and Toxic friendship

Moderate: Racism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Cancer, Bullying, Genocide, Infertility, Gun violence, and Emotional abuse

Minor: Animal death and Abandonment

mauricekofi's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense slow-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

5.0

This book absolutely broke me and made me whole, over and over again. All I will say is I should have listened to my friend when she told me she cried as a child reading this book, it's not for the light of heart. Yet still, Hosseini impacts a critical understanding of life and consequences for those in the global south, through the lens of an Afghan boy, grown into a man, who lived in privilege before his country turned to ruin by the policies of European and Western powers. My review does not do justice for how wonderfully sad, informative, and foundational this book is. In a post-Afghanistan war America, I dearly wish more Americans and young students read this book, to ask themselves why we are taught the things we know about other countries and challenge when and where American "intervention" is needed.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: War, Rape, Sexual violence, and Violence

Moderate: Torture, Toxic friendship, Terminal illness, and Suicide attempt

dearbhlanoonan's review against another edition

adventurous inspiring sad fast-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? Yes

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Content Warnings

Graphic: War, Medical content, Violence, Death of parent, Vomit, Toxic friendship, Suicide attempt, Religious bigotry, Racism, and Ableism

Moderate: Rape and Death

b3ttysbooks33's review against another edition

informative reflective sad tense fast-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

This book is not only a relatable, emotional story about regret, but also a haunting and impactful insight into the tragic historical and ongoing conflict in Afghanistan.

note: some people criticize the depictions of religion and politics, but I feel that because most of these controversial opinions come from characters who is clearly deeply flawed, the author leaves room for such issues to be discussed rather than dictating a specific narrative.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent, Grief, Medical trauma, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexual violence, Gun violence, Hate crime, Sexual assault, Suicide, Terminal illness, War, Child death, Classism, Colonisation, Genocide, Pedophilia, Child abuse, Toxic friendship, Infertility, Islamophobia, Murder, Physical abuse, Violence, Death, and Suicide attempt

hedyharper's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful mysterious reflective sad tense slow-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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Religious bigotry, Abandonment, Death, Emotional abuse, Medical trauma, Rape, Toxic friendship, Trafficking, Cancer, Racism, Infertility, Death of parent, Medical content, Xenophobia, Sexual content, Terminal illness, Child abuse, Ableism, Blood, Bullying, Classism, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual assault, Suicide attempt, Violence, Vomit, and War

Moderate: Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Forced institutionalization, Genocide, Infertility, Islamophobia, Mental illness, Terminal illness, Gun violence, Misogyny, and Ableism

Minor: Infidelity, Forced institutionalization, Police brutality, Miscarriage, Confinement, Vomit, and Pregnancy