Reviews tagging 'Abandonment'

The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini

61 reviews

alexisgarcia's review against another edition

dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

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

3.0

i was expecting to love this because i love the genre and everyone raves about it. however, i struggled enjoying a book where i really despised the main character. i never really wanted him to succeed so i never really got invested unfortunately. i only got invested in the side characters story which was devastating. the writing was amazing though. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Colonisation, Rape, Toxic friendship, Cursing, Death, Death of parent, Gun violence, Sexual violence, Abandonment, Adult/minor relationship, Classism, Grief, Pedophilia, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Infertility, Alcohol, Blood, Body horror, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Murder, Sexual assault, Violence, and War

darshana's review against another edition

dark emotional 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? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Grief, Abandonment, Sexual violence, Self harm, Bullying, Death, Violence, Suicide attempt, War, Slavery, Rape, Sexual assault, Blood, Physical abuse, Gaslighting, Emotional abuse, and Cursing

hasritha's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• 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: Self harm, Infertility, Cancer, Child abuse, Child death, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Suicide attempt, Sexual harassment, Rape, Racism, Abandonment, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Sexual assault, Grief, Pedophilia, Blood, and Bullying

noahfence's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad medium-paced

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

5.0

the kite runner is an absolutely heartbreaking and tragic exploration into taboo friendships, guilt, social and political turmoil, boyhood and manhood and, eventually, redemption. it follows the story of two boys, the underprivileged hazara hassan and the fortunate pashtun amir—and the seemingly irreparable rift that forms between them due to a tragic incident on what is meant to be a day of victory and celebration. it leaves amir reeling with guilt and self-hatred, of which stubbornly pervades into his adult life, and that he eventually goes to extreme lengths to atone for.

this was required reading for my a level course and i wasn’t sure what to expect before i read it. however, i can confidently state that i am left a changed person after reading the kite runner. it moved me to tears on multiple occasions and left me to reflect on the relationships i hold with those i hold most dear in my life, and how i need to hold them tight and never let them go.

broadly this book is the story of a troubled man learning that ‘there is a way to be good again’, and grasping that opportunity with both hands. i feel that, with its initial themes of self-hatred and lacking parental love, it resonates with many of us very deeply. and after the book has done this, it then jumps at the chance to show us how to learn to love ourselves again, and how to build and nurture that same, previously missing, parental love within ourselves so we may find the courage to atone for the bad things we have done… and, after all that, eventually find we are able to forgive ourselves.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Cancer, Death of parent, Gore, Murder, Rape, Suicide, Suicide attempt, and Terminal illness

Moderate: Ableism, Child abuse, Classism, Xenophobia, Grief, Medical content, Sexual violence, Gun violence, Infertility, Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Racism, Sexism, Toxic relationship, Vomit, and War

Minor: Drug use, Genocide, Abandonment, and Infidelity

drewhowerton's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad tense medium-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? Yes

5.0

Absolutely amazing. What a journey. What a story. I’m so emotional. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Colonisation, Death, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Genocide, Grief, Medical content, Medical trauma, Rape, Religious bigotry, Self harm, Sexual assault, Violence, Chronic illness, Abandonment, Adult/minor relationship, Blood, Bullying, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Hate crime, Infertility, Injury/Injury detail, Islamophobia, Kidnapping, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Sexual violence, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Terminal illness, Torture, Suicide attempt, and War

beatriceku's review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional mysterious reflective tense fast-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

5.0

this book is many things. a waste of time is not one of them. the story is an overwhelming and heart wrenching tale, one that i feel is relatable, but other-worldly at the same time. you’ve heard it said before, but this is truly one important book. does anything ‘good’ necessarily happen in this novel! i would probably argue not. but it is filled with complexity and layers of human emotion that are unreachable in your typical YA novels and arguably, the most renowned classics. it speaks to the immigrant experience, the heartbreak of war, guilt, shame, class, and so many more in a gripping, nuanced, and eloquent manner. not only so, but is a riveting read, with twists and a fair share of devastating turns. all in all, although the term is cliche - it is an important read. to not only understand the history of Afghanistan, and the story of Amir, but also as a guide in how to navigate our own burdens and deepest shames.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gun violence, Abandonment, Adult/minor relationship, Blood, Bullying, Child abuse, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Genocide, Grief, Gore, Islamophobia, Medical trauma, Mental illness, Murder, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Classism, Death of parent, Hate crime, Torture, Violence, Vomit, War, Medical content, Pedophilia, Police brutality, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexism, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Terminal illness, Racial slurs, Racism, and Self harm

ashley_1206's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• 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

4.0

4⭐️

i actually liked this book because of how deep it was and the amount of significance it held. if you’re going to read this or are forced to read this for school please prepare yourself because a lot of the time a lot of traumatic and triggering things happen. but i did enjoy this book more than i enjoyed my other required readings for school.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Blood, Cancer, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Grief, Infertility, Infidelity, Pedophilia, Self harm, Sexual violence, Violence, Vomit, Abandonment, Bullying, Child death, Classism, Death, Death of parent, Injury/Injury detail, Mass/school shootings, Medical content, Pregnancy, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Suicide attempt, and War

monicalaurette's review against another edition

dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

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

3.0

“Because the past claws its way out.”

So this book was something that I had always heard of as such a great book and something everyone should read. So I bought it years ago. Then my mom borrowed it for one of her college courses and loved it, so I kept the book even though I never looked up the summary. So I went into this book totally blind. And part of me wishes I was still blind to it.

I could not get myself to really enjoy the book. I think I finished the book out of spite for the main character because I just didn’t like him. Most of what he did rubbed me the wrong way, even as a child yes some of those things, and I don’t feel that he really changed by the end. The only thing I liked was Amir’s wife and the fact that we got justice for Hassan through his son.

“But Baba had found a way to create good out of his remorse… What had I ever done to right things?”

The trauma and assault that Hassan went through, while I guess I understand why it was added in the book, given the story and the time it was written, but I felt that it wasn’t needed, especially with the constant flashbacks with new details that Amir had. I almost stopped the book when it happened and each time it was brought up again I was close to stopping, but I had to know what happened to Hassan by the end. And I was only sad about what happened to him and his wife.

The somewhat namesake of the book, that kite tournament, was very interesting to read about though. I’d love to watch something like that or participate in. I think that it was a great point to start and stop the book during two different tournaments; possibly the two most important ones in Amir’s life.

Due to me just not liking this book or the main character (given the fact that his growth really only happened during the last few chapters in my opinion) I gave The Kite Runner 3 stars. I was originally going to do 3.5 stars but after thinking about it more I decided against it. I have started the author’s second book, and I wonder if I’ll complete it or DNF should I feel the same as I did with this one.

“Or, maybe, it was meant not to be.”

Hassan was just too loyal and accepting. The mother who abandoned him comes back years later and he aides her back to health, he does what he is told and never tells on Amir, and for just watching the home while Rahim was gone he is met with trauma, grief, and his own death.

I know why Baba also probably paid for the surgery, but did anyone ask Hassan if he even wanted to get the surgery done on this lip? Because I feel like he only did it because his master told him to.

I didn’t like how we were supposed to just always feel bad for Amir when all bad that came to him was karma and his own doing. He was a rich boy and had bad things happen to him yeah, but what about all the bad he did himself?

Sohrab hitting Assef in the eye with that brass using the slingshot felt like poetic justice. The weapon and threat from Hassan finally came true and he should feel proud for what he did.

Soraya’s infertility was something that had to be done to bring Sohrab home, but I wish that it talked more into Soraya’s sadness with him and focused on her a little during that time. As someone with fertility issues it was sad to see that it was only written as a way to bring a child in later, that no woman can be happy without a child in her life.

I KNEW THEY WERE BROTHERS WHY ELSE WOULD BABA TREAT HIM LIKE THAT!?

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, War, Body shaming, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Murder, Sexual violence, Suicide attempt, Toxic friendship, Hate crime, Violence, Blood, Death, and Gun violence

Moderate: Abandonment, Adult/minor relationship, Blood, Medical trauma, Miscarriage, Bullying, Death of parent, Grief, Infertility, Islamophobia, Panic attacks/disorders, and Pedophilia

Minor: Classism

bookbug26's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• 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

I just wish I knew about the trigger warnings.
Very impactful storytelling. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Miscarriage, Physical abuse, Torture, War, Toxic friendship, Blood, Fatphobia, Incest, Self harm, Sexual harassment, Suicide attempt, Rape, Abandonment, Bullying, Cancer, Child abuse, Death, Death of parent, Gore, Grief, Pedophilia, and Violence

carina_shal's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional hopeful reflective 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? Yes

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Violence, Suicide attempt, Murder, War, Grief, Bullying, Sexual violence, Death, Death of parent, Sexual assault, Rape, Physical abuse, Hate crime, and Blood

Moderate: Abandonment, Chronic illness, and Terminal illness