Reviews tagging 'Adult/minor relationship'

The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini

62 reviews

rberdan's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful sad slow-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? Yes

4.5

The Kite Runner is devastating and beautifully written. There are many content warnings to heed. I had to take breaks because of the heaviness, but that speaks also to how rich the storytelling was. Set in Afghanistan and the United States, this is a story of family trauma and secrets, betrayal, redemption, unconditional love, friendship, war, violence, class, power, and immigration. Yes, it’s a lot, and woven together artfully. 

From the joy of kite running to graphic abuse to the complexities of relationship, I felt so much of this book deeply. I’m a white woman from the Global North, so there are many aspects of this book that are far from my own lived experiences, and yet the desire to undo regret and redeem oneself, to simply be loved by those we admire most, and to get away from kindness that feels undeserved… these are things I can relate to. While I know conceptually of the history of the Taliban and of issues with immigration, there is an immersive reality in the storytelling that allowed me to understand in a different way. There is a recurring theme of shame and being loved anyway that is truly beautiful and touching. 

Amir’s own self loathing is so beautifully captured that I found myself struggling to like him much. Seeing his family and Hassan through his eyes was so interesting as I got to love them along with him. I ultimately could feel compassion for him as he found his way to loving others. I struggled to forgive him as he struggled to forgive himself, even though his greatest regret was still something he did (or didn’t do) as a child. 

All of that said, I also felt that there was almost too much “other people are good and I’m bad” in the story. I get that it’s Amir’s point of view, and I also feel that there’s more nuance than this in who we are as humans. 

In the end, I absolutely adored Sohrab and my heart broke for all that he’d endured at such a young  age. I ended the book with so much hope for what could be on the other side of his early days. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Bullying, Child abuse, Death, Pedophilia, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Violence, Kidnapping, Grief, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, War, and Classism

allison_18's review against another edition

dark emotional informative sad tense 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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Body horror, Bullying, Cancer, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Gore, Gun violence, Infertility, Infidelity, Miscarriage, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Terminal illness, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Mass/school shootings, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Alcohol, and War

moreta1's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative 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? Yes

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Bullying, Cancer, Child abuse, Death, Genocide, Hate crime, Infertility, Infidelity, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Grief, Mass/school shootings, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, and War

vumalilli's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful reflective sad tense fast-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

2.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cancer, Child abuse, Genocide, Hate crime, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Islamophobia, Grief, Suicide attempt, War, and Classism

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship

theemster's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad medium-paced

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

3.5

Watch the trigger warnings, this one is heavy.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Bullying, Cancer, Child abuse, Death, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gore, Gun violence, Hate crime, Homophobia, Infertility, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Terminal illness, Torture, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Police brutality, Islamophobia, Medical content, Kidnapping, Grief, Mass/school shootings, Religious bigotry, Medical trauma, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, Sexual harassment, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

shiftycow1313's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful informative reflective sad tense slow-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? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Bullying, Cancer, Child abuse, Death, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Infertility, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Racism, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Terminal illness, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Police brutality, Kidnapping, Grief, Religious bigotry, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

kibiiiariii's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional funny informative reflective sad tense 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Adult/minor relationship, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Bullying, Cancer, Child abuse, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Genocide, Gore, Gun violence, Hate crime, Infertility, Infidelity, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Terminal illness, Torture, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Xenophobia, Blood, Police brutality, Islamophobia, Trafficking, Grief, Religious bigotry, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, Abandonment, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

kittykatkatboom's review against another edition

dark emotional sad tense fast-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Rape, Sexual violence, and Violence

amandaantonitti's review against another edition

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? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Infertility, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Self harm, Sexual violence, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Islamophobia, Grief, Religious bigotry, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

soniaiscool's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad tense fast-paced

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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Adult/minor relationship, Bullying, Cancer, Child abuse, Child death, Chronic illness, Cursing, Genocide, Gun violence, Infertility, Pedophilia, Sexual assault, Terminal illness, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Mass/school shootings, Religious bigotry, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Toxic friendship, War, and Classism