Author: Khaled Hosseini
No. of Pages: 318
Year of Publication: 2004
Publisher: Bloomsbury
About the Book:
The Kite Runner is Hosseini’s first novel. Set predominantly in Afghanistan, it is the story of a boy, Amir, from an affluent family in Afghanistan. His attempts at catching is father’s attention, his relationship(s) with his domestic help and friend, Hassan, and with the numerous people who come and go as the plots change, have been lucidly described. Amir’s longing for love, acceptance, identity, guilt and atonement, have been brilliantly presented. With Amir in the centre, each relationship in the story has been built beautifully.
The story simultaneously portrays what the rest of the world can only imaging of the details of Afghanistan and what political upheavals have done to life and people there. And although you read about it in the newspapers, reading the book is almost like going through a factual, first hand account of a great journalist. It is like a photograph that speaks to you, giving stories behind everyone and everything visible in it. The way Afghani culture, customs, language has been interwoven in the writing has enriched the narrative. It adds to the flavour and brings a real feel of life to it. Everything cannot be translated.
The book has a constant gloom hanging over it. You keep waiting for the gloom to lift, but it never does. At the same time, you can’t stop reading it. It is a piece of art.. a masterpiece. I wonder, would the emotion in the book be any different if it were Hassan’s tale and not Amir’s.
Final Analysis:
Must read. With hot coffee and chocolate and crisp crackers. All of which you will feel guilty about when you read about the poor and hungry in Afghanistan.
A word of caution though. I would advise you to not read it when you have a cold. It does make your head spin and you may be depressed for weeks after.
Favourite Quote:
“Zendagi Megzara” (mentioned several times and at various occasions)