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Book Review of The Kite Runner

The Kite Runner
The Kite Runner
Author: Khaled Hosseini
Genre: Literature & Fiction
Book Type: Paperback
gina329 avatar reviewed on + 27 more book reviews


I liked this book, and it opened up a whole range of emotions for me. It wasn't an easy read for me because of the frustration, anger, and heartbreak it evoked. The core of it all delves into our human nature where jealousy, loyalty, betrayal, honesty, and the need for acceptance exists.

As a person that doesn't have much knowledge of Afghanistan and its culture, it was fairly interesting to get a glimpse into that world. However, at times, because of that, it made for a slower read for me. I found myself getting tripped up on the addition of a foreign language so that things didn't flow as smoothly as I'd have liked. But, I suppose in a way it did add to the "atmosphere" of the story and make you feel that you were there.
As for the storyline, there were a couple of surprising twists I didn't see coming, but toward the end it became quite predictable.

I felt the characters were well developed which always adds a deeper experience with the book. The character of Hassan continuously tugged at my heart, and I struggled with the heartbreak I felt for him. As always, I was pulling for the underdog, and he will remain one of those characters that sticks with me for a long time.
For most of the book I didn't care for the main character, Amir. His cowardice, among other things, was truly hard to accept. In his defense, he did however always seem to be aware of his profound wrong doings and weaknesses, with a conscience to feel guilt. I suppose you could label this book as a brutally honest look at the very human, seriously flawed people that we are sometimes, and the mistakes we make that impact us and others the rest of our lives. But, where there are mistakes, guilt and regrets, there is also a chance for redemption and forgiveness; and that's what this book is about.