The Kite Runner

Khaled Hosseini's first novel is a masterful account of friendship and betrayal, love and forgiveness. It shows us with startling clarity the futility of running away from ourselves, because the past follows us no matter where we hide. When Amir returns to Afghanistan to rectify the wrong he has committed against Hassan, we get an inside view of the minds and souls of the Taliban. In a few deft strokes, Hosseini paints the horrors of their reign as well as their chilling and callous treatment of people, including Amir, and the country of Afghanistan.

The Kite Runner also offers us interesting and intriguing details about the attitudes and culture of the Afghan people, which I found very rewarding.

This book is one that will keep you rooted to your seat until you turn the last page.


An Auspicious Debut   July 23, 2003
In The Kite Runner, Khaled Hosseini's wonderful first novel, the author shines an intense light on part of the world kept far too long within the shadow realm of Western consciousness. Harsh though that light may at times be, one continually encounters nothing less than the complete spectrum of emotional expression.

Mr. Hosseini's view into Afghan society fascinates both in it's cultural particularity, as well as in how much the reader can see oneself in his work; there are moments that will sear themselved into your conscience, like that of an experience lived.

It is a novel whose prose reads like a chiaroscuro on the canvas of memory and regret, which then transforms into glorious, widescreen technicolor renderings of reminiscence---it's joy, it's conflicts and it's insight.

Mr. Hosseini's grip on the narrative remains firm throughout, revealing in microcosm a profound knowledge of the universality of thought, emotion and experience, found within the human condition; in an Afghan I see myself, and in turn, they see themselves in us.

This is a fine, humane novel that you would do well to invest your hard earned literary coin towards purchasing.


Fascinating, Intriguing and a Night Burner   July 23, 2003
 1 out of 1 found this review helpful

Once I started to get into the story I could not put the book down. I found that the incredible story combined with the events of the time fascinating. The cultural aspects of Afghan life and how it was changed forever in just a few years was a real eye opener as to what "globalization" can do for better or worse.
The part that really got to me was that no matter where you live societal mores can determine your life whether you live in Afganistan or the US, and that we should never let these mores dictate our lives and who we are as individuals. You get wrapped up in the irony of the story but then you realize the triumphs of the human spirit that soared thru most of the characters.


Excellent, heart felt, a human tale of compassion!   July 23, 2003
This book has it all! Compassion, cowardice, love, honor, betrayal, and redemption. The scenes in the book are easily visualized thanks to Hosseini's beautiful descriptive style. This is a novel that truly touches the soul. I could not put it down. ENJOY!


So Much Rolled Into One   July 21, 2003
The Kite Runner is a masterfully written tale that will appeal to and more than please a very wide range of readers. It is a powerful work of ethnic literary fiction, giving a glimpse into a culture that goes far beyond the headlines in which it has been imprisoned of late. It is the poignantly familiar story of the immigrant experience, touching on issues that every American who can claim birth in another land will relate to and recognize. It is a story that races through the spectrum of what being human is, from the ugliness of self-service to the beauty of sacrifice for others. It is a compulsive page-turner, guaranteed to keep readers awake long into the night, a thriller with plenty of dramatic shock and awe and action padded through beautifully composed prose.
It deserves every bit and more of the attention it has received so far in publications like USA Today, The Wall Street Journal, and Entertainment Weekly.
You want a thought-provoking read? Read The Kite Runner.

You want a story that moves you to tears? Read The Kite Runner.
You want to be entertained? Read The Kite Runner.