Monday, 5 March 2007


TITLE: THE KITE RUNNER

AUTHOR: Khaled Hosseini

DATE PUBLISHED: 2003

DATE READ: February 2007

NOTES: A beautiful evocation of growing up in Afghanistan and trying to come to terms with the complexities and paradoxes of the place. The narrator Amir is guilty of cowardice and betrayal and but in the end he is redeemed by his actions. Some wonderful characterisations – Amir’s father Baba, his young wife Soraya and, of course, his servant/half-brother Hassan and all vividly drawn. His descriptions of place are terrific. A very fast read – very much a page turner.

However I did have some reservations. I know it is a novel not a political history, but he does give the impression that all was fine in Afghanistan until the Russians invaded……. fine for people of his class perhaps?

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