Reviews tagging 'Medical trauma'

A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini

50 reviews

emoklestad's review

emotional informative sad slow-paced

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

4.25

Slow but a good story that comes full circle—sad but still glimmers of hope. Learned a lot about Afghanistan.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Violence, War, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Medical trauma, and Murder

katrinarose's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad medium-paced

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

3.5

I have struggled to rate this book. I didn’t enjoy it, but I did fly through it. The writing style is beautiful and emotional but not overly flowery. My biggest complaint is that the characters were a bit black and white - either painted as a monster or perfect. I appreciate depth and complexity even in the most vile characters. In lacking this, most actions the characters took were a bit predictable.

I did cry while reading this book, but I was almost angry at the fact. Hosseini is praised for how raw he displays the suffering of generations of people in Afghanistan, especially women, but combined with the lack of real character depth, it feels like trauma porn for a western audience. I go back and forth on this opinion because their suffering deserves to be told in all the horror it was, but I can’t decide (and in the end it’s not up for me to decide) whether it’s honoring them or exploiting them.

So I didn’t enjoy it due to the immense pain I felt for the Mariam and Laila (and all the other women who suffered), however I couldn’t put it down either. A 3.5 it is.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Medical trauma, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, Rape, Religious bigotry, Sexual violence, Pedophilia, Pregnancy, Adult/minor relationship, Blood, Confinement, Death, Infertility, Sexism, Sexual content, Violence, Misogyny, War, Grief, and Miscarriage

Moderate: Child abuse, Child death, and Gaslighting

spencerjie'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? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

this book is, understandably, incredibly dark. taking place in war-torn Afghanistan, these personal stories get to the root of the effects of war, traditionalism, womanhood, religion, and so much more. gorgeous prose and insightful storytelling. i would be very cautious and cognizant that you are in a decent mental health space before you read this book because it is nothing short of brutal from beginning to end.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Infidelity, Islamophobia, Misogyny, Police brutality, Sexual assault, Abandonment, Adult/minor relationship, Blood, Child abuse, Child death, Death of parent, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Genocide, Gore, Grief, Gun violence, Infertility, Injury/Injury detail, Mass/school shootings, Medical trauma, Miscarriage, Mental illness, Murder, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Torture, Vomit, Violence, and War

snwalsh's review against another edition

dark emotional informative reflective 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? No

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent, Sexual assault, Murder, Medical trauma, and War

cappuccino_'s review against another edition

challenging 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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Physical abuse, War, Violence, Sexual violence, Rape, Medical trauma, Emotional abuse, Ableism, Torture, Suicide, Adult/minor relationship, Blood, Child death, and Murder

bookswstella's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

4.25

This book was so beautiful, heartbreaking and real. Mariam and Laila’s stories are both heartbreaking, you can literally touch on the emotions in this book. 
I love the dual POV and the story is so touching. It really made me think about the difference between men and woman and it’s fascinating how different the world sees on it.

It’s so so beautiful and well written and I will definitely read more by Khaled Hosseini!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent, Medical trauma, Emotional abuse, Violence, Abandonment, War, Blood, Deadnaming, Adult/minor relationship, and Gun violence

Minor: Child abuse, Torture, Sexual violence, Hate crime, and Sexual assault

tahsintries's review against another edition

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Misogyny, Religious bigotry, Physical abuse, Domestic abuse, Miscarriage, Pedophilia, and Adult/minor relationship

Moderate: Child death, Grief, Infidelity, Pregnancy, Sexual assault, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Child abuse, Confinement, Medical trauma, Sexism, and Torture

tsgilman's review against another edition

dark emotional sad tense medium-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

4.5

This book loses 1/2 a point for being so incredibly depressing. It ends on slight hopeful note, but it was published in 2007. Now it is 2022 and the United States has pulled out of Afghanistan and the Taliban has taken over again.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Confinement, Death, Medical trauma, Domestic abuse, Misogyny, Physical abuse, and Sexism

anmariefweeks's review against another edition

dark emotional informative inspiring medium-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

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

thequiltyreader's review against another edition

emotional hopeful 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? No

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual violence, Violence, War, Death of parent, Death, Emotional abuse, Domestic abuse, Murder, Body shaming, Child abuse, Pregnancy, Medical trauma, Infertility, Gun violence, and Grief

Moderate: Miscarriage and Rape

Minor: Vomit