Reviews tagging 'Torture'

A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini

84 reviews

anastasia_okodure's review against another edition

emotional hopeful sad medium-paced

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

5.0

osseini certainly does not disappoint, once again proving to possess a magical skill with words – he is easily on track for becoming a favourite author of mine. An emotional tale depicting the strength of womanhood and of motherhood, persevering in the face of atrocity. I recommend this for absolutely anyone and everyone – a truly spectacular read. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Torture, Pregnancy, Grief, Domestic abuse, Murder, Miscarriage, Death of parent, Violence, Adult/minor relationship, War, Suicide, and Death

reading_historical_romance's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Excrement, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, War, Death of parent, Torture, Violence, Bullying, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Murder, Police brutality, Adult/minor relationship, Blood, Child abuse, Child death, Grief, Infertility, Toxic relationship, Death, Sexual assault, Abandonment, Injury/Injury detail, Medical trauma, Rape, Sexism, Sexual violence, Sexual content, and Gun violence

reads2cope's review against another edition

4.5

Resilient is a word I'm tired of being demanded of those struggling to survive in the "East," but it is the most fitting to describe these characters. It was heartbreaking and infuriating to see each woman hope that after these bombs, peace will finally come, knowing the horrors that befell Afghanistan next. 

The middle of this novel almost had me giving up. Every violence that the Soviet Union, the civil war, the USA was made so real and clear, and then to have such beautiful, complex, wounded women abused by their husband made me want to stop reading. I'm so glad I didn't, the end of this book was everything I'd hoped for, though it still destroyed me.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Grief, Sexual assault, Domestic abuse, Child death, War, Colonisation, Abandonment, Bullying, Death, Miscarriage, Medical content, Medical trauma, Sexism, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Police brutality, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, Classism, Infertility, Rape, Misogyny, Blood, Emotional abuse, Murder, and Physical abuse

Moderate: Abortion and Stalking

gabriella_'s review against another edition

dark emotional reflective 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? It's complicated

4.75

i had to leave the room i was in to cry while reading this. idk if this is controversial but in some ways i preferred this over the kite runner. i think there are problematic elements in the book but it still has a captivating prose and poetic flow that is easy to get lost in

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Body horror, Classism, Death, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Self harm, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Infidelity, Pregnancy, Body shaming, Genocide, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Alcoholism, Blood, Medical content, Medical trauma, Adult/minor relationship, Religious bigotry, Sexual assault, Torture, Confinement, Misogyny, Injury/Injury detail, Child abuse, Forced institutionalization, Gore, Murder, Gaslighting, Grief, Sexual violence, Miscarriage, War, Abandonment, Child death, Gun violence, Pedophilia, Racism, Violence, Vomit, and Cursing

berrymuffin's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Classism, Adult/minor relationship, Suicide attempt, Mental illness, Misogyny, Torture, Body horror, Alcoholism, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Sexual violence, Child abuse, Child death, Grief, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Toxic relationship, War, Body shaming, Bullying, Death of parent, Sexism, and Racism

kiwichill's review

challenging dark emotional hopeful reflective sad tense medium-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

A historical drama which follows the lives of two women over decades, with a background of conflicts and wars in Afghanistan 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Confinement, Forced institutionalization, Mental illness, Torture, Violence, Death of parent, Miscarriage, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Excrement, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Misogyny, Toxic relationship, Death, Medical trauma, Religious bigotry, Abortion, Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Blood, Body horror, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicide, Trafficking, Body shaming, Racial slurs, Grief, Infertility, Rape, War, Bullying, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Pregnancy, and Gore

Moderate: Chronic illness, Sexual content, Abandonment, Infidelity, Cursing, Gun violence, Murder, Hate crime, Police brutality, Self harm, and Sexism

alinatariq's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious sad tense 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

5.0

Shattered my heart in the most emotional way over and over again 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Trafficking, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Suicide attempt, Xenophobia, Classism, Death, Infertility, Torture, Sexual harassment, Genocide, Violence, Cancer, Infidelity, Murder, Rape, Racism, Blood, Sexual assault, Suicide, Sexual violence, War, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual content, Colonisation, and Racial slurs

rene_reads02's review against another edition

challenging emotional informative reflective 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

5.0

This was one of the best books I read in a while. It shows the horrors of war and what challenges women faced during that time. This book opened my eyes to a lot of the struggles people were dealing with on a daily basis. Some of these happened before I was born & the rest when I was just a kid, but it’s a perspective that I didn’t realize I’d been waiting my whole life to hear. The characters were so inspiring! There were times when my heart wept for them and times when I cheered them on. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Religious bigotry, Genocide, War, Injury/Injury detail, Emotional abuse, Domestic abuse, Death, Adult/minor relationship, and Grief

Moderate: Child abuse, Medical trauma, Police brutality, Torture, Sexual violence, Pregnancy, Body horror, Body shaming, Classism, Death of parent, Gaslighting, and Medical content

Minor: Child death, Alcohol, Miscarriage, and Abortion

lazypanda's review against another edition

challenging emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes

5.0

This book sat on my shelf dusting away for more than a year since I’ve read the first few chapters. I was afraid to pick it up and read the pain of a child who just wants to spend more time with her father. After a series that occur as a consequence of her wanting to see her father, she is married off to a man so much older than her at just the age of fifteen.
My dearest Mariam, if I could hold you, I would. I would give you all the love you want and need. I’m so sorry you had to go through all the pain that made you build a wall so high you were afraid someone could steal the only thing you had - misery in the arms of a man who treated you like you were not human or animal. I’m sorry because this is still the reality of so many women 24 years into 21st century.

When I resumed reading this book, I did not know I would be introduced to Laila. I have a habit of forgetting what’s written in the back of a book. A book’s short summary. You took me by surprise. Your love story made me feel butterflies in my stomach. Your father earned my respect. Your poor mother, my sympathy. Your brothers, my adoration. My beautiful Laila, you showed me how hope, desire and purpose take forms. Your strength to continue to live in a world unknown gave me strength. Your Tariq taught me how strong love can be. Together you both taught me the strength in togetherness. Your sisterhood with Mariam made me appreciate my friendships with my girlfriends more than I already did. That’s a partnership I never wish to take lightly.

Khaled Hosseini, no praise is big enough to convey the respect all of us have for you. I’ve lived through so many lives in books. I’m a new person every time I’m reading one or have read one. This book has a profound impact. To convey the emotions of women in words is not easy but you have done it so well. I don’t regret waiting a year to read this. I wouldn’t have been able to handle all those tears then. Thank you for writing this story.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: War, Gun violence, Pedophilia, Rape, Murder, Sexual assault, Torture, Domestic abuse, and Death of parent

maajidah's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0

"one last time, Mariam did as she was told" 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Pregnancy, Gore, Miscarriage, Rape, Toxic relationship, Medical trauma, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Kidnapping, Confinement, Forced institutionalization, War, Child death, Adult/minor relationship, Blood, Bullying, Child abuse, Classism, Colonisation, Death, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Sexual violence, Violence, Grief, Infertility, Mental illness, Misogyny, Murder, Police brutality, Religious bigotry, Sexism, Sexual assault, and Torture