malucavia's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
It was beautifully written and really captivating. Hosseini has a very pleasant to read writing style. Because of its swift pace the book is a real page turner.
It was also very unpredictable - in a good way. This kept you on your toes throughout the entire novel and made you eager to find out what happened next.
The story revolves around the lives of Mariam and Laila. Their lives are though surviving as women in a tumultuous Afganistan. It was at times very emotional to read.
Spoiler
I cried a lot during the book, but especially at the end when Mariam essentially sacrificed herself for Laila. And when Laila announced that she would name her daughter after Mariam. The way Hosseini wrote this (and tbh the entire novel) was both absolutely heartbreaking as well as beautiful.
Graphic: War and Emotional abuse
Moderate: Medical trauma, Death, Rape, Domestic abuse, and Death of parent
Minor: Murder and Miscarriage
33cosmo's review against another edition
- 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
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
abibliophobic_nerd's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
Graphic: Child abuse, Death of parent, Blood, Death, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Miscarriage, Pregnancy, Rape, Suicide, Terminal illness, Abandonment, Confinement, Grief, Misogyny, Adult/minor relationship, Domestic abuse, Murder, Sexual assault, War, and Physical abuse
Moderate: Medical content, Medical trauma, and Mental illness
aalayah's review against another edition
- 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
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
tash1531718's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Medical trauma, War, and Violence
happinessie's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Graphic: Misogyny, Murder, Sexism, Grief, Sexual violence, Suicide, Abandonment, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Blood, Death, Infertility, Physical abuse, Gun violence, Death of parent, Medical trauma, Miscarriage, Rape, Sexual content, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Violence, and War
fatsss's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Although a reader can be skeptical about the stories of women being written by a man, he did a great job at portraying their stories.
It’s filled with so much pain so it’s guaranteed to make you teary eyed. I also admire how easy it is to get sucked into this world because of Hosseni’s ability to use words that create vivid images.
The book reenforces all the horrible pain and tragedy that comes with war especially those faced by women and children. I liked that Hosseini emphasized that the pain these two groups go through during war is incomparable.
Though this book has the power to let readers see and understand the struggles of Afghanistan women, I feel the way it portrayed these struggles, it may also give readers who should not have the space to give opinions on certain issues the space to do so.
For example, the discourse around women wearing burqa’s or hijabs where random people who it doesn’t concern say they are against it when it honestly isn’t their business.
It reminds me of what Roxanne Gay said in Bad feminist, paraphrasing, she said forcing women not to wear the burqa is just as bad as forcing them to.
Well at the end of the day, nothing is black and white and it’s all more complicated than that.
But yes, good book. But approach with caution it deals with so many hard things.
Graphic: Misogyny, Grief, Medical trauma, Domestic abuse, War, Violence, Gun violence, and Adult/minor relationship
Moderate: Miscarriage
mohginreads's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Graphic: Violence, Sexism, Physical abuse, Murder, War, Sexual violence, Miscarriage, Medical trauma, Torture, and Domestic abuse
wifeslife's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Pregnancy, Medical trauma, Child death, Adult/minor relationship, Classism, Child abuse, Sexism, Abortion, Injury/Injury detail, Emotional abuse, War, Toxic relationship, Misogyny, Confinement, Bullying, Blood, Abandonment, Miscarriage, Mental illness, Death, Violence, Religious bigotry, Rape, Physical abuse, Murder, Infertility, Grief, Domestic abuse, Torture, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, and Police brutality
stephmcoakley's review against another edition
- 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
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