Reviews tagging 'Genocide'

A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini

45 reviews

cassie_heintz's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0

Beautifully cruel. Heart wrenching in the best and worst ways.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, War, Domestic abuse, Genocide, Gore, Grief, and Physical abuse

Minor: Sexual assault, Adult/minor relationship, Abortion, Child death, Rape, Emotional abuse, Miscarriage, and Sexism

theelliad's review against another edition

medium-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? No

4.5

this was so beautiful to read and so eye opening to read a history, raw and realistic though fictional, so ignored by the western curriculum. mapping these events to pop culture moments and more recognisable (to western readers) events gives the story such a followable timeline despite it spanning such a wide time period 

the writing style of this is so beautiful and emotional and hosseini approaches such difficult themes in such a gentle and humane way, overall a very beautiful read 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gun violence, Misogyny, Torture, Grief, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Adult/minor relationship, Blood, Body horror, Death of parent, Gaslighting, War, Child death, Infertility, Miscarriage, and Physical abuse

Moderate: Gore, Hate crime, Murder, Pregnancy, Sexual assault, Misogyny, Classism, Forced institutionalization, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, Abortion, Rape, Cursing, and Police brutality

stephmcoakley's review against another edition

adventurous emotional informative inspiring reflective sad fast-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Religious bigotry, Self harm, Emotional abuse, Sexual violence, Domestic abuse, Islamophobia, Murder, Sexual assault, Cursing, Forced institutionalization, Gore, War, Violence, Grief, Toxic relationship, Vomit, Death of parent, Miscarriage, Rape, Abandonment, Abortion, Genocide, Gun violence, Infertility, Adult/minor relationship, Body horror, Blood, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Torture, Child death, Classism, Colonisation, Confinement, Injury/Injury detail, Medical trauma, Death, and Infidelity

masucolmusings's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad 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? It's complicated

4.0

so emotional!!! what got me was jalil’s letter to mariam.

the fact that he died and never heard from her again……..and laila’s naming her next child after mariam………

tears

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Physical abuse, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Child abuse, War, Sexual violence, Pregnancy, Murder, Misogyny, Islamophobia, Gun violence, Genocide, Death of parent, Child death, Blood, Abandonment, and Suicide

azaan's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad tense fast-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

5.0

Learn this now and learn it well, my daughter: Like a compass needle that points north, a man's accusing finger always finds a woman. Always. You remember that, Mariam."

O my Lord! Forgive and have mercy, for you are the best of the merciful ones. 
"Kneel here, hamshira. And look down."
One last time, Mariam did as she was told.

"But the game involves only male names. Because if it's a girl, Laila has already named her."

An eye opener. A must-read. This book is like Hosseini pulling off the veil of the mystery surrounding Afghanistan, surrounding women, surrounding history, surrounding culture and surrounding the women  of Afghanistan. Brutal, honest and like multiple kicks to the heart and soul, this book tells a tale of love, neglect, war, abandonement, abuse, escape, tranquility and, once again, love. 

A must-read for anyone and everyone. If I could, I would've given this infinite stars- because like a thousand splendid suns, it shines bright and burns my very existence with the truth most of us are ignorant of. 

"One could not count the moons that shimmer on her roofs, 
Or the thousand splendid suns that hide behind her walls."

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Torture, Domestic abuse, Genocide, Injury/Injury detail, Adult/minor relationship, Death of parent, Death, Gore, Rape, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, and War

pabi'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? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Miscarriage, Cursing, Death, Abandonment, Infertility, Medical trauma, Pregnancy, Violence, Domestic abuse, Genocide, Murder, Rape, Sexism, Adult/minor relationship, Bullying, Gun violence, Misogyny, Alcoholism, Confinement, Religious bigotry, War, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, and Physical abuse

Mariam you deserved the world.

arthur_ant18's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective 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? No

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Misogyny, Emotional abuse, Death, Adult/minor relationship, War, Death of parent, Grief, Violence, Miscarriage, Sexual assault, and Sexual violence

Moderate: Classism, Child abuse, Torture, Suicide, Child death, Murder, Rape, Islamophobia, and Genocide

audc's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective 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

4.75

Would give it 5 stars but I don’t think I ever plan on reading it any time soon. BUT, I would DEFINITELY, DEFINITELY, DEFINITELY, recommend it and have and my friend loved it. 

Of the top of my head:
So many emotions! I can’t believe Mariam’s character development!!! Following these TWO STRONG WOMEN from childhood! 

It’s triggering, but it’s probably nothing close to the reality. This book needed to be written. The writing is just so flavorful and precise; I couldn’t stop underlining!!! 

It drags at some points, but it’ everytime it’s so worth it! 

I really appreciate that this book is not westernized and that throughout there’s that single thread of Afghanistan. 
I appreciate that though the story is set during the larger picture of the Taliban and political insecurity, famine, social upheaval the book focuses on these women and the smallest details of their lives. Rippling effect that further encompasses the history at large. Making it a lot more impactful. 

!!Very Triggering!! 

At least a happy ending will continue to live in this book despite what actually happened. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Colonisation, Slavery, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Genocide, Kidnapping, Mass/school shootings, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Gore, Gun violence, Infertility, Abortion, Classism, Confinement, Physical abuse, Police brutality, Religious bigotry, Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Antisemitism, Car accident, Emotional abuse, Excrement, Misogyny, Pregnancy, Racial slurs, Rape, Torture, Death, Death of parent, Deportation, Domestic abuse, Terminal illness, War, Gaslighting, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Miscarriage, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexism, Vomit, and Xenophobia

Minor: Emotional abuse, Racial slurs, Vomit, Car accident, Classism, Fire/Fire injury, Blood, Body horror, Colonisation, Murder, Abandonment, Panic attacks/disorders, Terminal illness, Xenophobia, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Antisemitism, Deportation, Domestic abuse, Excrement, Alcoholism, Death, Death of parent, Infertility, Injury/Injury detail, Mass/school shootings, Ableism, Pedophilia, Abortion, Alcohol, Child abuse, Confinement, Forced institutionalization, Gaslighting, Genocide, Grief, Hate crime, Misogyny, Slavery, Torture, Gore, Gun violence, Medical content, Miscarriage, Religious bigotry, Sexual harassment, and Suicidal thoughts

hilom's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

5.0

Like "The Kite Runner", this is another masterpiece that I would recommend to literally anyone interested in reading, in a heartbeat. This might even surpass the kite runner in some ways but to sum it up, beautiful characters, bittersweet plot that will break and mend your heart simultaneously and absolutely beautiful sentence and dialog structuring that holds the entire story as and how it's meant to be held.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Grief, Genocide, Hate crime, Misogyny, Violence, and Adult/minor relationship

Moderate: Sexual assault, Rape, Death, and War

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