The Kite Runner - Mr.Khaled Hosseini

I want to take this opportunity to welcome you to read my opinion, assessment , assumptions, conclusions, conjectures (Opps!!! I just realized I am exceeding the word limit) and thank you for bearing with me J

In many ways, the success of The Kite Runner is an unlikely story. It is populated by characters who live in a distant and, to many in the west, enigmatic country. It is often dark and brutal. Its central character, Amir, is weak, and his behavior is often infuriating. It was published in mid 2003 without much fanfare without the benefit of a huge marketing plan. However, this book has connected now with millions of people around the world. To me, that is a testament to the power of the word-of-mouth phenomenon. From very early on, the response among readers to The Kite Runner was intense and passionate. I still remember, one day, while travelling across the country, I saw the passenger next to me reach into her bag and fetch a copy of The Kite Runner. The success of this book is also testament to the ability of fiction to connect people of differing religions, cultures, languages, and nationalities. Regardless of our background, we identify with experiences that are universally human. We identify with Amir’s guilt, his self-loathing, his desire to transcend his own weak nature. Friendship, loss, guilt, forgiveness, atonement are not Afghan experiences but human ones, and fiction is uniquely able to tap into what is common in us all.

I wanted to warn you that reading this novel is heart-breaking but that term is not strong enough. It is heart-shattering. Many times, I wanted to put the book down and walk away so I would not have to witness what was coming next. In the end, I could not do it. These characters have so much at stake. You can’t just close the book in the middle and leave them where they are with only your bookmark to clutch.

Afghanistan is a character in this book as well as the people but Amir and his family experience as much or more turbulence in their individual lives as the country faces with the Soviet and Taliban occupations. I do not, however, want to give the impression that the entire story is under a veil of tragedy. There are beautiful, bright moments of pure joy and love throughout as well. Our first trip into Kabul in the early 1970s is wonderful.

I am impressed by this writer and I recommend the book but with caution. The quote on the front cover from The New York Times Book Review simply says: “Powerful… Haunting.” That last word is quite accurate. I just finished the book today but have not been able to put it out of my mind for a few weeks now. (I did not have the time or the stamina to read this one in one sitting!) While I feel better now having seen the story through to its resolution, I will not be able to let go of these characters any time soon.