Reviews tagging 'Classism'

The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini

72 reviews

kaia001's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood and Classism

Moderate: Death of parent, Sexual assault, Child abuse, and Death

Minor: War

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

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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

rebecca28's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racial slurs, Rape, Self harm, Murder, Medical content, Sexual assault, Adult/minor relationship, Sexual violence, Suicide attempt, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Suicidal thoughts, Abandonment, Violence, Death, Death of parent, Infertility, Classism, Hate crime, Racism, Blood, Bullying, Child abuse, and Grief

caribbeangirlreading's review against another edition

If I had read this book in 2003 I would have most probably given it a four or five star rating. Now, I can’t make it past the first 100 pages. These were some of my issues: 

 

• In her 2012 scathing review Cath Murphy said it best so I will just quote her – “In The Kite Runner servants embrace the joy of serving others in a way that makes Uncle Tom seem like a firebrand for emancipation.” And on that subject, spare me the whole “servants were like family to us” story line. 

• Hassan’s character is not only flat, but he’s also too Christ-like. He’s written as a sacrificial lamb that can do no wrong no matter how much wrong is done to him. He’s too good, too holy, too perfect. Zero nuance. 

• And speaking of zero nuance, that half-German Hitler loving 12-year-old sociopath . . . I just can’t with that kind of lazy character development. 

• This book was very obviously written for the American gaze. 

 

Having said all of this, I would be willing to read another one of Hosseini’s books. Why? Because 10 years after writing The Kite Runner, in an interview with The Guardian, he actually admitted that if he “were given a red pen now . . . [He] would take that thing apart.” Well, I would too.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Rape, Classism, and Sexism

sydneys_bookshelf's review against another edition

challenging emotional reflective sad slow-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

4.0

this was so hard to read sometimes, just because i had no idea what was going to happen in this book before i started it. moving story. generations pass and this man is trying atone for his mistakes still.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Classism, Death of parent, and Gun violence

Moderate: Rape and Trafficking

coyeyes's review against another edition

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

5.0

The emotional journey this novel walked me through was (and still is) second to none. Probably the richest reading experience I've ever had. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Rape, Grief, Sexual assault, and Sexual violence

Moderate: Homophobia and Classism

Minor: Death

imaginefishes's review against another edition

emotional hopeful 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

5.0

I was originally skeptical of starting this book due to its length and what I believed to be touching on heavy topics, and the start of the book was somewhat slow to get through because of that. However, as the story progressed, I found I couldn't help but be drawn more and more to the book, and I genuinely could not stop thinking about it. The book is deliciously tightly woven together, where certain things certain characters say make an appearance throughout the book much like they sometimes would in our memories and lives, and the author touches on so many social issues pertaining to the context of Afghanistan, which, many of which remain unsolved and continue to be perpetuated today, especially with the recent insurgence of the Taliban. I find this book to be as relevant now as it was nearly 20 years ago, and the way the plot points and how each character is written is truly marvelous and leaves such a lasting imprint on your memory.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Sexual violence, Violence, Classism, Death, Death of parent, Hate crime, Injury/Injury detail, Racism, Rape, and War

Moderate: Bullying, Grief, Self harm, Sexual assault, Abandonment, Suicide attempt, Pedophilia, Body horror, Ableism, Gun violence, and Murder

Minor: Infertility, Infidelity, Terminal illness, and Slavery

The plot points on

paedophilia and rape

were quite shocking, especially initially, and it is truly horrifying to realise these are real things that happen to real people, real children in Afghanistan (and the rest of the world), and the violence and ideology held by Assef which eventually led him to

become one of the leaders of the Taliban and partake in an ethnic cleansing of his own

was really quite vile and again, extremely shocking when it happened.

Luckily, not all hope is lost, and he manages to get some sort of payback, however little.

However, what I have to say is I really did not enjoy the company of the main character - while it is understandable he did what he did, I found it enraging how

Hassan was always the one to come to his rescue, even in death, via Sohrab and his use of the slingshot, though it does make sense in the context of the book and his societal standing.

The book is rife with tragedy, but that small sliver of hope by the ending managed to bring it back a little, thankfully, and

somewhat redeem Amir from the demon he once thought he was

.

jungarten's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional 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? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Classism, Cancer, Sexual assault, Genocide, Violence, Suicide attempt, Sexual violence, Racism, Miscarriage, Death of parent, and Abandonment

lindseyhall44's review against another edition

sad medium-paced

5.0

One of the saddest books I have ever read, but also one of the most beautiful. I truly believe that everyone should read this once in their life (remember to check trigger warnings though!)
The Kite Runner follows Amir, a privileged Afghan boy growing up right before the Russian Invasion. The story spans both adolescence and adulthood, as well as in Afghanistan and the United States, revolving around the themes of friendship, love, guilt, and amendments. It’s been a while since a book made me think about my own life so deeply and care for characters like they are dear friends.
Besides the moving plot line and character development, I think the writing was my favorite part. The prose was incredibly stunning, which is always a happy bonus when I read:)
Overall, I will always recommend The Kite Runner, so pick it up if you are interested!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Self harm, Sexual assault, Violence, Rape, Religious bigotry, War, Grief, Pedophilia, Infertility, Suicide attempt, Terminal illness, Cancer, and Classism

Moderate: Miscarriage, Xenophobia, Pregnancy, Physical abuse, and Sexual violence

lorriss's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Bullying, Cancer, Death, Death of parent, Genocide, Grief, Gun violence, Hate crime, Infertility, Injury/Injury detail, Mass/school shootings, Medical content, Murder, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Terminal illness, Violence, War, and Xenophobia

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Cursing, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Racial slurs, Racism, Religious bigotry, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, and Vomit

Minor: Addiction, Alcohol, Classism, Infidelity, Kidnapping, Pregnancy, and Suicide