Book Review: The Kite Runner, by Khaled Hosseini

The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The Kite Runner, by Khaled Hosseini
★★★★ and 1/2

Synopsis: The unforgettable, heartbreaking story of the unlikely friendship between a wealthy boy and the son of his father’s servant, The Kite Runner is a beautifully crafted novel set in a country that is in the process of being destroyed. It is about the power of reading, the price of betrayal, and the possibility of redemption; and an exploration of the power of fathers over sons—their love, their sacrifices, their lies.
A sweeping story of family, love, and friendship told against the devastating backdrop of the history of Afghanistan over the last thirty years, The Kite Runner is an unusual and powerful novel that has become a beloved, one-of-a-kind classic.
In A Sentence: Beautifully written, very well done!

My Thoughts: Wow! I'm surprised that I haven't read this sooner! I don't have anything bad to say about this book; there's nothing to critique. The story was sad yet wonderful, with plot twists that for some reason you can't see coming, although in retrospect it was so obvious. The action happens sporadically, but it occurs at just the right time in the story, so you don't get bored (not that the rest of the book was boring, but it could have become so if Hosseini didn't give the plot some direction). And, to top it off, the writing is beautiful. Every time I had to stop reading, I would put the book down reluctantly. So when I discovered I had the day off on Memorial Day, I promptly sat down and finished the book in about 3 hours. The writing just draws you in and keeps you there, and you find yourself surrounded by the beauty and culture of Afghanistan and its Muslim Community. Personally, I find Islam oppressive towards women, but I was still able to appreciate the religion and culture through Khaled Hosseini's writing. He made Afghanistan seem like a very nice place before the political upheaval, the exception being Assef (I found it interesting that the only sadistic person was someone who had blond hair and blue eyes).
This was truly a masterpiece in writing, in my opinion. I would recommend this to just about anyone who appreciates a well-written, well-thought-out book. An excellent read that nearly made me cry.

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