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Summary: So great, I had to write a review!
Review: I am an avid reader of first novels, finding that often more truth can be seen in the descriptions and nuances presented by those who are not yet "perfected and practiced." This incredible novel is so pertinent today and descriptive of the regime changes in Afghanistan and the extent of the injuries inflicted upon a nation when power is subsumed by forces extraneous to the people of a nation. The dual nature of the plot, focused on a weak boy grown into a weak man and his redemption along with the demise of a once vibrant Afghani country into depravity at the hands of the Taliban, makes for truly compelling reading.
This book brought to light for me that since the US went in and dismantled the Taliban and its control over Afghanistan, there is a possibility of a better life now for those living there, whereas there was only fear until very recently.
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Summary: Riveting. Fascinating. Powerful.
Review: In a word or two, this book is riveting, fascinating, powerful. An avid reader, I found this to be the best book that I have read in recent memory. It more than lived up to all the accolades that heralded its US debut. Khaled Hosseini could not have written a more apropos novel than The Kite Runner, a story that is set against the backdrop of the recent historical events and subsequent political upheaval of Afghanistan. And while this story does cover much of the political turbulence that disrupted and destroyed the lives of so many Afghani people, this is a story, which because of its of theme friendship, betrayal and ultimate redemption, will eventually transcend time and place. The author presents the reader with a serene, picturesque description of pre-war Afghanistan before the fall of the monarchy and the 1979 Soviet invasion. Hosseini, who portrays Afghans as a generous, gregarious people in a land where perhaps the only things more cherished than custom and tradition is loyalty and honor, has given a face to his country that until the events of September 11, 2001, have remained virtually unnoticed by the rest of the world. The deeply held mores and customs of the Afghan people that Hosseini so skillfully, yet simplistically weaves into his story also serves to enlighten the reader about Afghanistan. Finally, it is the storyline itself that is truly memorable. The Kite Runner is ultimately a tale of friendship, betrayal and redemption - about how one person finally atones for the sins of his past. Filled with bouts of harrowing action and blissful calm, the novel verily elicits the entire spectrum of human emotions. Hosseini makes his characters quite real, very human, keeping them true to themselves, their personalities, although it is the protagonist, the primary narrator, whose character flaw is at the heart of this novel. Finally, I must admit that some parts of the story were predictable, but it does nothing to lessen the terrific tale told by Hosseini. The Kite Runner is a beautifully written story that will stay the reader long after many other stories have been read and forgotten.
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Summary: Personal history Afghan / Muslin civilisation breaking down
Review: I read this book in bed being ill, which is about as good an opportunity to read as when on vacation. It was one of the most impressing books I ever read. Each time the story gives unexpected turns. The literary style is perfect (pardon my English, I'm not native speaker). It gave me insight in how minorities are discriminated and not allowed to have a real life. It shows the Afghan / Muslin civilisation breaking in pieces with the power vacuum being filled by Taliban and Sharia. The main person is a child who has to choose between trying to help his friend (a minority)who is being assaulted and saving his own skin. He decides to turn away. His feeling of guilt determines the sequence of events which merge with the recent events in the history of violence and dispair of Afghanistan. It is a book written in respect and with deep psychological insight.
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Summary: What a wonderful tale
Review: It has been a while since I last came across a story which reads almost like a memoir. The Kite Runner ranks amongst one of the most readable tale released this year about family/ friend betrayal, forgiveness, drift between master/ servant et al. It also allows a better understanding of the Afghan way of life- they are actually a bunch of closely-knit fun- and life-living people. The Afghan war may have taken place some 20 years ago and time may have faded some impression of the atrocities of that war. However, the description of how the commoner cope with life in Afghanistan during that war and the subsequent Taliban rule was made in simple language which actually make this book more powerful. I usually loathe reading stories on war because of excessive description of bombings, treason et al. This book looks at war from a commoner viewpoint. Are we all not glad that the Taliban has been expelled from the country. The sad thing is: it will take many years to rebuild the country, her people and her past glory.
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Summary: Truly magnificent book
Review: Amir and Hassan grow up together in Kabul in the seventies. Amir is the son of a rich and influential man, Hassan the son of his handicapped but very appreciated servant. The boys seem inseparable, but despite everything there is always the difference in standing. And then on the day of the big kite competition in Kabul something happens that turns their friendship upside down. In the beginning of the eighties Amir and his father flee to America, where Amir marries and becomes a writer. But his past with Hassan is haunting him. Then he is called to Pakistan by the dying best friend of his late father and he finally hears the secret that changes the meaning of his past. In the end he has to go back to Kabul (which is now ruled by the Taliban) to come to terms with his past and save Hassan's son. This is truly a magnificent book that grips you from the first page. It is awful and beautiful and contains every aspect of life: friendship, treason, love and a villain and gives wonderful descriptions of Central Asia and the Afghan culture as well.
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Summary: Please read this book & pass it along!
Review: I'm grateful to a member of my book club for recommending this book. In the 3 years of our club, I would rank this in the top 3 books. The novel is a beautiful, inspiring story of the triumph of love and courage in a tortured soul who watched his best friend being brutalized without stepping in to defend him & because he did not protect his friend, his friend's fate haunts him. Believing he is powerless and too cowardly to right the wrongs, he tries to bury his memories, at the expense of his self-esteem. When at last, fate brings him to a point where he can right the wrongs, he lets himself go where he never thought he would, back to his home in war torn Afghanistan. There he becomes the kind of person he has always admired because he is forced into it and slowly his conscience unfolds and helps him see what is important to him in life. In the end he risks everything he has earned in American to do the right thing. This novel is recommended to anyone who enjoys good well-researched fiction, and/or who wants to understand the history of Afghanistan in a personal way. I'll never watch the news in the same way again. It is also beautifully written, with feeling, but never, feeling forced or false.
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Summary: Wonderful!
Review: Absolutely, without a doubt, one of the best books I have ever read.
Rating:
Summary: Best Fiction I have read
Review: Hosseini has written a terrifically human book that touches the soul. The Kite Runner is evokative, picturesque, and gripping. I recommend this work to anyone seeking a moving tale set in one of the most war-torn regions in the world.
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Summary: An elegant, eye openning story
Review: When I started reading the Kite runner, I could not put down the book;I was glued to the book until I finished it. What a strong story of love, loyalty and betrayal.
I am form middle east and to some degree familiar with the middle east and Afghanistan situation and in my opinion Doctor Hosseini could not have done a better job relating and demonstrating what has been going on in Afghanistan in the past 30 years.In his book Dr. hosseini very skillfully inserts the Afghanistan's political events including the atrosities of Taliban with the beautiful story of Amir and Hassan. He teaches us about the culture and people of Afghanistan, even common every day conversational farsi words such as baba. I highly recommend this book and hope Dr. Hosseini continues to write more.
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Summary: A stellar first book
Review: In this spellbinding debut, Khaled Hosseini tells a story of Afghanistan's modern history through the tale of Amir, who grew up in Kabul. His best friend was Hassan, the son of the family servant and a member of a shunned ethnic minority. As the son of a prominent businessman, Amir lived a good life, and yet he was always competing for his father's attention and approval, sometimes competing against Hassan. One eventful night in 1975, Amir makes a pivotal decision, a decision that not only marks his path for years but also destroys their family unit. Eventually fleeing to America with his father, Amir thinks he's run far enough away from his past, until someone from his past resurfaces. "The Kite Runner" is about fathers and sons, about the power of redemption, about the shining hope of literature. This is a book whose lush scope is wider than the confines of its pages.
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