The Kite Runner (Khaled Hosseini)

What I love about this book is that the author writes about Afghanistan in a familiar way, and is able to show us that while the culture there is very different, in some ways it's not so different at all. I won't focus on the story so much as I will what I liked and didn't like about it. The first hundred pages or so take place in Afghanistan during the protagonists youth, and talk about the foundations of his friendship with Hassan, as well as the end of their friendship. What's good about this section is that it's amazingly readable, it's at times sad and funny, and always well written. The only problem is that this is by far the best part of the novel. After this section the novel is still excellent, but it doesn't live up to the first section. I know it's fiction and the author has creative control, but some of the events in the latter part of the novel were still a little far fetched, though still entertaining. Though there are some sections that live up to the first part, s... Read more

Kite runner was in my library over 4 years but I did not touch it. Shame on me! It is an extraordinary book. I am so glad to read it in my life-time. This is a classic.

oh boy where to begin....This book had the potential to be great. And I can see why some people liked. I can't see why so many people LOVED it. The writing was good, and did create a nice and rich world of the Middle East, letting the reader peek into the lives of the characters and see both their and their country's struggles to survive and become independent. I did enjoy some of the characters, The servant and his son Hassan especially, as well as the family friend. But the glowing saintlike way the author described them prevented me from ever being able to make my own decision about liking them or not. Ultimately, the problems in a general description were: 1) The main character/narrator of the story was so weak, and selfish, and aimless, it was almost impossible to feel compassion for him or his strife. I read many books where the character is flawed in major ways, but the story or the personality is so compelling, you still yearn to see them succeed, or at least to... Read more

I read this book a year ago for the first time and recently read again after seeing the movie...amazing story, amazing author

I enjoyed this book from cover to cover, although it kept me up at night turning pages when I should have been sleeping.

Haven't read the book The Kite Runner, but the condition of the book was o.k. readable. Thanks

What can I say about this book that hasn't been already? Outstanding, a must read...end of story.

This was by far one of the best novels I've read..I had to read it for my English 102 college course and it was so interesting. I recommend this book to anyone!

The Kite Runner is a powerful book; the kind of novel that sticks with you, probably forever. On one level, it's the story of a friendship between two boys. On another level, it's the story of modern Afghanistan. The threads of the two stories are interwoven expertly, and parallel each other in many ways. Both threads are tragic, but both end on a note of cautious hope. The story begins in the 1970s, when Afghanistan is a poor but beautiful, peaceful and cultured country. The protagonist is Amir, a young boy who lives a sheltered life as the son of a prominent Afghani. Hassan, the son of his father's servant, is Amir's best friend. Because Hassan is a Hazara, one of Afghanistan's underclass, Amir cannot openly acknowledge his friendship with Hassan. The result is a one-sided relationship in which Amir cherishes and relies upon Hassan while simultaneously disdaining and disavowing him. At the same time, Amir struggles to gain the approval of his father, who doesn't understand his ... Read more

This book is amazing. I have passed it on to other family members and they all loved it. The movie was decent too. The book is better of course. I can't wait to read more from Khaled Hosseini.