Reviews tagging 'Toxic friendship'

The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini

66 reviews

myriam_almonti's review against another edition

dark emotional informative sad fast-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

4.5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Classism, Genocide, Abandonment, Vomit, War, Addiction, Child abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Violence, Blood, Cancer, Drug use, Gun violence, Pregnancy, Pedophilia, Racism, Rape, Slavery, Suicide, Adult/minor relationship, Death of parent, Drug abuse, Mass/school shootings, Murder, Sexual assault, Toxic friendship, Death, Infertility, Infidelity, Medical content, Miscarriage, and Suicide attempt

laelia's review against another edition

dark medium-paced

2.0

2 things:
1. I really liked the descriptions in the second half of the book. 

2. I didn't like the protagonist at all. Which is why I couldn't love this book. 

This book is great in the way it addresses this difficult situation from the pov of someone who grew up in Afghanistan. But other than that, I didn't like the protagonist's story. I have some issues with it, which made it really difficult for me to decide if I liked this book or not.

To be frank, the protagonist is an asshole. And this whole book is about his 'redemption.' Did he redeem himself in the end? I can't say. But what I can say is that I have some issues with this book presenting him as someone who is not a good person in the first half of the novel, who mistreats his 'friend' because he can't help himself but see him more as a servant, although he pretends he doesn't, who is a liar and has fun at someone else's expense who is not even aware that they are secretly made fun of, and then tries to redeem him by 'saving' their son, who turns out to be his nephew. This is very oversimplified and I know this novel has more to offer than this but it bothers me that this redemption story can be summarised as: hey, you were a horrible person and witnessed your servant's rape but didn't do anything and then made sure their life is hell, but then find out they died, leaving their son orphaned in a really bad situation, so moving him to the US will redeem you? This part just really bothered me.. Did he become a better person? Did he learn from his mistakes? I can't tell.. Then also is he only taking his nephew to the US only because he's his nephew and he feels responsible and they're related? And taking his nephew to the US does not equal saving him. He's far from saved. He may no longer be in a bad situation but he has to deal with that traumatic experience. But does the protagonist help him or get him some professional help? 
A lot of things and ideas in this book are also very outdated. A product of its time, as they say. Does it excuse it though? I don't know. I just know that I am not comfortable with this, so for me it was not the best reading experience.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Gun violence, Murder, Rape, Sexual assault, Toxic friendship, Violence, and Child abuse

danajoy's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad tense

• Strong character development? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Medical content, Rape, Toxic friendship, Violence, War, Death, Death of parent, Infertility, Injury/Injury detail, Islamophobia, Murder, Self harm, and Suicide attempt

rettasbookshelf's review against another edition

dark emotional inspiring reflective sad tense 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

4.75

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide attempt, Genocide, Gore, Death of parent, Death, Child death, Rape, Pedophilia, Infertility, Colonisation, Abandonment, War, Violence, Toxic friendship, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Sexual violence, Sexual content, Sexual assault, Self harm, Physical abuse, Murder, Medical content, Medical trauma, Injury/Injury detail, Grief, Emotional abuse, Child abuse, and Blood

himangi's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful informative reflective sad tense 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

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Bullying, Cursing, Death of parent, Grief, Homophobia, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Slavery, Toxic friendship, Trafficking, Violence, and War

Minor: Vomit

ryleehmln'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
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.25

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Death, Death of parent, Grief, Gun violence, Hate crime, Pedophilia, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Religious bigotry, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Torture, Toxic friendship, Trafficking, Violence, War, Xenophobia, and Genocide

Moderate: Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide attempt

Minor: Cancer

rtt2443's review against another edition

challenging emotional 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? It's complicated

4.5

---

Content Warnings

Minor: Sexual assault, Rape, Racial slurs, Self harm, Suicide attempt, Terminal illness, Torture, Toxic friendship, Gun violence, Death of parent, and Bullying

dharsha21's review against another edition

emotional hopeful informative inspiring mysterious reflective sad medium-paced

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

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Minor: Rape, Racial slurs, Toxic friendship, Sexual harassment, Religious bigotry, Pedophilia, and Death of parent

littlecake's review against another edition

challenging emotional informative relaxing 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

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, War, Trafficking, Torture, Toxic friendship, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual violence, and Pedophilia

izzyknight's review against another edition

challenging sad medium-paced

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

4.0

This book is beautiful. I had to read it for school but I really loved it. It is absolutely heartbreaking especially with everything that is going on with Afghanistan currently it is difficult to read at parts. My main critique is just how unlikable Amir is, he is an unreliable narrator throughout and has very few if any redeeming qualities. However this is truly brilliant and everyone should read it.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Gun violence, Islamophobia, Toxic friendship, Suicide attempt, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Rape, Racism, Medical content, and Injury/Injury detail