Reviews tagging 'Genocide'

A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini

32 reviews

serenspace's review against another edition

dark emotional 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

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief, Genocide, Gore, Pregnancy, War, Death, Domestic abuse, Misogyny, and Adult/minor relationship

It's not often that I feel completely hopeless for the characters in a book. There is usually some hope of miracles or happy endings. But the majority of this left me feeling defeated for Mariam and Laila, so completely extinguished. The style of writing Hosseini employs is emotionally rich and devastating, keeping me on my toes while also filling me with immovable dread. It encapsulates the fear of a nation torn by war, putting me squarely in the shoes of those left behind. Mariam's ending broke me, such conviction that despite everything, there are things, people, worth fighting for. Laila's ending, far more hopeful and happy yet tainted by gried, avoided the quality of a happy-ever-after by walking through her entire life, showing every part of her. If anybody should be happy, Laila tops the list, followed of course by Tariq, Aziza, Zalmai... A brilliant novel.

33cosmo's review against another edition

dark emotional informative 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

4.5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Blood, Classism, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Excrement, Genocide, Sexual content, and War

Moderate: Gun violence, Abortion, Body horror, Pregnancy, Cursing, Death, Death of parent, Genocide, Gore, Infertility, Injury/Injury detail, Racism, Violence, War, Bullying, Child abuse, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Child death, Classism, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Murder, Police brutality, Grief, Infidelity, Sexual content, Rape, Sexual assault, and Torture

Minor: Vomit, Abortion, Medical content, Mental illness, Alcohol, Chronic illness, Medical trauma, and Panic attacks/disorders

_jasper_394's review against another edition

emotional inspiring reflective 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

4.25

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Hate crime, Gun violence, War, Adult/minor relationship, Bullying, Domestic abuse, Genocide, Grief, Miscarriage, and Physical abuse

Moderate: Child death, Car accident, Child abuse, Death, Death of parent, Rape, Religious bigotry, Sexual content, Torture, and Violence

aalayah's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional hopeful reflective sad tense 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? No

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Body horror, Death, Police brutality, Sexual assault, Violence, Gun violence, Infertility, Religious bigotry, Sexism, Sexual content, Bullying, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Genocide, Gore, Sexual violence, Medical content, Pregnancy, Rape, Miscarriage, Physical abuse, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Murder, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Medical trauma, and War

saskia_ej's review

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense fast-paced

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

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny, Violence, Adult/minor relationship, Toxic relationship, Sexual content, Suicide, Genocide, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Death, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Sexual assault, War, Miscarriage, Murder, and Physical abuse

sadiaa's review against another edition

5.0

I read this book when I was a teenager so this is a reread, but it will always be 5 stars.

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Forced institutionalization, Genocide, War, Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Sexual violence, Blood, Grief, Infertility, Pedophilia, Police brutality, Toxic relationship, Violence, Classism, Colonisation, Murder, Adult/minor relationship, Death, Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, Pregnancy, Rape, Religious bigotry, Emotional abuse, Miscarriage, Abandonment, Ableism, Child death, Child abuse, Cursing, Death of parent, and Physical abuse

keyhaw's review against another edition

dark emotional informative 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? It's complicated

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Murder, Police brutality, Domestic abuse, Death, Genocide, Rape, Sexual violence, War, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, and Violence

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.

---

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 

---

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

---

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