Friday, January 04, 2019

The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini


The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini

Time to read: 4.5 hours
Pages: 315 (on my 2012 Sony eReader)

TL:DR – This is a great book. 5 stars.


Spoilers ahead.


The Kite Runner is a book that deserves to have more said about it. It doesn’t matter how much has been said already, more needs to be said.

While I didn’t think the writing was anything above average, the emotions that the story managed to evoke were nothing short of breathtaking. The characters felt real and drove the whole thing. I often found myself both hating and loving several of the characters. This book is a beautiful tragedy. From the main character Amir’s betrayl of his best friend Hassan, to Hassan continuing to love him despite Amir so desperately seeking the punishment he feels he deserves. The wonderful revenge of Hassan’s son blinding Assir, and the bittersweet devotion Amir gives to his nephew, perfectly reflecting the dedication Hassan had for Amir when they were children.

This book rent my heart in a way that only one other book has been able to do so, and the emotions wrought are the perfect example of why literature is still my favourite form of media consumption. This is the kind of book that makes you put down your phone and allow yourself to get lost into an entirely different culture.