Product Description: The timely and critically acclaimed debut novel that's becoming a word-of-mouth phenomenon...
Amazon.com Review: In his debut novel, The Kite Runner, Khaled Hosseini accomplishes what very few contemporary novelists are able to do. He manages to provide an educational and eye-opening account of a country's political turmoil--in this case, Afghanistan--while also developing characters whose heartbreaking struggles and emotional triumphs resonate with readers long after the last page has been turned over. And he does this on his first try.
The Kite Runner follows the story of Amir, the privileged son of a wealthy businessman in Kabul, and Hassan, the son of Amir's father's servant. As children in the relatively stable Afghanistan of the early 1970s, the boys are inseparable. They spend idyllic days running kites and telling stories of mystical places and powerful warriors until an unspeakable event changes the nature of their relationship forever, and eventually cements their bond in ways neither boy could have ever predicted. Even after Amir and his father flee to America, Amir remains haunted by his cowardly actions and disloyalty. In part, it is these demons and the sometimes impossible quest for forgiveness that bring him back to his war-torn native land after it comes under Taliban rule. ("...I wondered if that was how forgiveness budded, not with the fanfare of epiphany, but with pain gathering its things, packing up, and slipping away unannounced in the middle of the night.")
Some of the plot's turns and twists may be somewhat implausible, but Hosseini has created characters that seem so real that one almost forgets that The Kite Runner is a novel and not a memoir. At a time when Afghanistan has been thrust into the forefront of America's collective consciousness ("people sipping lattes at Starbucks were talking about the battle for Kunduz"), Hosseini offers an honest, sometimes tragic, sometimes funny, but always heartfelt view of a fascinating land. Perhaps the only true flaw in this extraordinary novel is that it ends all too soon. --Gisele Toueg
Customer Reviews
Average Rating:
Rating: - Heart wrenching tale of friendship and growing up!
Every time i think about Amir and Hassan the hazara boy - my heart warm's up!
The emotional roller coaster that Amir rides even now makes me think that this is a memoir by Khaled and not a fiction. ... Read More
Rating: - Beautifully Moving
The Kite Runner is a moving tale of a friendship, its betrayal, and a lifetime of longing for redemption. Written by Khaled Hosseini, this story gives readers a glimpse into Afghanistan from the time before ... Read More
Rating: - Great Story of Redemption
Having redemption as a theme of the book, this story was easily excellent. We all love stories where the protagonist makes a great error, but has an opportunity to redeem himself and succeeds. The way this book ... Read More
Rating: - Alternate reading
It was interesting to read so many different takes on this book. Perhaps some of you would be willing to look at some of my realistic futuristic thriller novels such as Pluto 2550 or Adam 2552. Maybe you would ... Read More
Rating: - A must read
Resisted reading this for a long time, thought it would be boring. Was I ever wrong, this is a beautiful story that will stay with you long after you finish reading it.
- Heart wrenching tale of friendship and growing up!
- Alternate reading