Reviews tagging 'Medical trauma'

A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini

54 reviews

mary_c's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

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

4.0

This novel is not for the faint of heart.  It is painful and tragic.  There is repeatedly domestic violence, which is very intense and vivid.  There is general misogyny, hatred of women if they are unable to conceive, or if they give birth to girls.  There is graphic, war-related violence.  And that does not cover all the potential triggers that occur in the book.  Good writing, well-crafted story, important historical depiction, but it is not an easy read for the sensitive.  

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Gore, Infertility, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Suicide, Violence, Blood, Grief, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Abandonment, and War

almaashussain's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0

What a wonderful read. Many sad moments, but ultimately a satisfying ending. Understand the pashto and farsi words without needing a translation is so rewarding. Definitely a compelling and fulfilling read for us brown muslims!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Sexual violence, Suicide, Torture, Violence, Blood, Grief, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, and War

reading_historical_romance's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense 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? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gun violence, Infertility, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Excrement, Police brutality, Grief, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Abandonment, War, and Injury/Injury detail

reads2cope's review against another edition

4.5

Resilient is a word I'm tired of being demanded of those struggling to survive in the "East," but it is the most fitting to describe these characters. It was heartbreaking and infuriating to see each woman hope that after these bombs, peace will finally come, knowing the horrors that befell Afghanistan next. 

The middle of this novel almost had me giving up. Every violence that the Soviet Union, the civil war, the USA was made so real and clear, and then to have such beautiful, complex, wounded women abused by their husband made me want to stop reading. I'm so glad I didn't, the end of this book was everything I'd hoped for, though it still destroyed me.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Infertility, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, Blood, Police brutality, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Abandonment, Colonisation, War, and Classism

Moderate: Stalking and Abortion

gabriella_'s review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-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? It's complicated

4.75

i had to leave the room i was in to cry while reading this. idk if this is controversial but in some ways i preferred this over the kite runner. i think there are problematic elements in the book but it still has a captivating prose and poetic flow that is easy to get lost in

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Body horror, Body shaming, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gore, Gun violence, Infidelity, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racism, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Grief, Religious bigotry, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, Abandonment, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

kiwichill's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful reflective 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? Yes

5.0

A historical drama which follows the lives of two women over decades, with a background of conflicts and wars in Afghanistan 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Body horror, Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gore, Infertility, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicide, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Excrement, Medical content, Trafficking, Grief, Religious bigotry, Medical trauma, Abortion, Death of parent, Pregnancy, War, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Chronic illness, Cursing, Gun violence, Hate crime, Infidelity, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual content, Police brutality, Murder, and Abandonment

rene_reads02's review against another edition

challenging emotional informative reflective 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

5.0

This was one of the best books I read in a while. It shows the horrors of war and what challenges women faced during that time. This book opened my eyes to a lot of the struggles people were dealing with on a daily basis. Some of these happened before I was born & the rest when I was just a kid, but it’s a perspective that I didn’t realize I’d been waiting my whole life to hear. The characters were so inspiring! There were times when my heart wept for them and times when I cheered them on. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Violence, Grief, Religious bigotry, War, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Body horror, Body shaming, Child abuse, Sexual violence, Torture, Police brutality, Medical content, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, and Classism

Minor: Child death, Miscarriage, Abortion, and Alcohol

maajidah's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional 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? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

"one last time, Mariam did as she was told" 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Infertility, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Police brutality, Kidnapping, Grief, Religious bigotry, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, Colonisation, War, and Classism

malucavia's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful inspiring 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? It's complicated

4.75

Maybe the best book I’ve ever read. 

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 Afghanistan. It was at times very emotional to read.

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.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse and War

Moderate: Death, Domestic abuse, Rape, Medical trauma, and Death of parent

Minor: Miscarriage and Murder

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

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Content Warnings

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

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

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