Reviews tagging 'Medical trauma'

A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini

54 reviews

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

Mariam you deserved the world.

pattycrabby's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative reflective sad tense slow-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child death, Domestic abuse, Infertility, Miscarriage, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual violence, Suicide, Violence, Grief, Medical trauma, Death of parent, and War

dejnozkova's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful informative inspiring sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0

I feel that this book was beautifully balanced, just as The Kite Runner was. But unlike The Kite Runner, this novel presents the stories of women; their struggles, their dreams, their disappointments, their bravery and tenderness, and their relationships with each other. His characters’ histories and personalities are intimately fleshed out in a way that makes them believable, intriguing, and emotionally impactful. It was a treat to watch them evolve over the course of Afghan history (from the 70’s through the 00’s), how they react to historical events and politics and how this shapes their inner domestic lives. 

The novel is also as informative as it is heart wrenching, especially if you aren’t already familiar with the politics and recent history of the region. Hosseini artfully navigates issues of politics, authoritarianism, the oppression of women, and suppression of civil liberties without being heavy handed or lazy. These issues are organically taught through the experiences of the characters so that they are memorable and personal. 

The novel is closed by offering a glimmer of sunshine to balance the darkness, which I personally love. I think that when authors write stories drenched in tragedy and outrage it’s important to also remark on the resiliency of the human spirit and our capacity to create and find beauty despite everything. I think Khaled Hosseini is one of those authors that actually acknowledges the flowers that can bloom after all the suffering. So for those of you tired of pessimistic endings I recommend this book as I feel it was down-to-earth and still hopeful.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexism, Toxic relationship, Violence, War, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Gun violence, Panic attacks/disorders, Grief, Medical trauma, Pregnancy, and Colonisation

Minor: Confinement, Miscarriage, Rape, Excrement, Vomit, Abortion, Pregnancy, and Alcohol

gaycornbread420's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Adult/minor relationship, Body horror, Child abuse, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Gun violence, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Grief, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, War, and Injury/Injury detail

emoklestad's review against another edition

emotional informative sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes

4.25

Slow but a good story that comes full circle—sad but still glimmers of hope. Learned a lot about Afghanistan.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Domestic abuse, Violence, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Murder, and War

katrinarose's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad medium-paced

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

3.5

I have struggled to rate this book. I didn’t enjoy it, but I did fly through it. The writing style is beautiful and emotional but not overly flowery. My biggest complaint is that the characters were a bit black and white - either painted as a monster or perfect. I appreciate depth and complexity even in the most vile characters. In lacking this, most actions the characters took were a bit predictable.

I did cry while reading this book, but I was almost angry at the fact. Hosseini is praised for how raw he displays the suffering of generations of people in Afghanistan, especially women, but combined with the lack of real character depth, it feels like trauma porn for a western audience. I go back and forth on this opinion because their suffering deserves to be told in all the horror it was, but I can’t decide (and in the end it’s not up for me to decide) whether it’s honoring them or exploiting them.

So I didn’t enjoy it due to the immense pain I felt for the Mariam and Laila (and all the other women who suffered), however I couldn’t put it down either. A 3.5 it is.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Infertility, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Violence, Blood, Grief, Religious bigotry, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Pregnancy, and War

Moderate: Child abuse, Child death, and Gaslighting

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: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gore, Gun violence, Infertility, Infidelity, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Torture, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Police brutality, Islamophobia, Grief, Mass/school shootings, Medical trauma, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Sexual harassment, War, and Injury/Injury detail

snwalsh's review against another edition

dark emotional informative 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? No

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Murder, and War

cappuccino_'s review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad 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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Adult/minor relationship, Child death, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual violence, Suicide, Torture, Violence, Blood, Medical trauma, Murder, and War

bookswstella's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional 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

4.25

This book was so beautiful, heartbreaking and real. Mariam and Laila’s stories are both heartbreaking, you can literally touch on the emotions in this book. 
I love the dual POV and the story is so touching. It really made me think about the difference between men and woman and it’s fascinating how different the world sees on it.

It’s so so beautiful and well written and I will definitely read more by Khaled Hosseini!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Deadnaming, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Violence, Blood, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Abandonment, and War

Minor: Child abuse, Hate crime, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Torture