Book Review: The Kite Runner

Not much to talk about regarding me this weekend, so I thought I’d give a little book report. Got tired of spending my lunch hours listening to talk radio in my car, so I’ve gotten back into reading again, and I’m glad I did, because I recently stumbled upon a great story.

I just finished reading “The Kite Runner” by Khaled Hosseini. The Kite Runner is a gripping tale of a family that grows up in the politically torn nation of Afghanistan. Hosseini weaves in the turmoil of everyday life under the Russian occupation and the hell of the Taliban into the story, all the while the fabric, heart and soul are ripped from the country and it’s people.

The story is at its best when the writer puts you in the land of his childhood, which seems like an idyllic place to grow up, and also during the main character’s relationship with his best friend. As the story unfolds, your heart goes out to the people of Afghanistan who were vitimized by the events of the past three decades in their country. At its core Kite Runner is a human story that educates the layman about a war torn country that has garnered a ton of media attention over the past 4 years.

Amir, the main character and narrator, is hard to like at first while reading. He lives his life with his eyes closed to the sufferings of others as he was taught from birth. But once you start to feel how much his guilty conscience effects every aspect of his life, you truly start to truly feel sorry for him. The main theme of this story is Amir’s struggle to realize, and then reject, his false attitude of superiority. In the end, this is a novel of self-realization, and a kind of personal emancipation from prejudice and ingrained cultural discrimination. It’s also a novel of salvation, hope, and faith.

Ultimately, The Kite Runner is a beautifully written, powerful, and interesting portrait of the life of an Afghan family. I highly recommend this book.

You’ll see a few additions to the sidebar of the journal. I’ve added a live weather feed so you can see what it’s like where I am while you read my posts. Also, there’s a weekly poll, which I’ll use for current events questions or even things I personally could use a little help with. And then I’ve added some “currently” links that show what I’m reading, listening to (music), and what I’m watching (movies). I just thought you might be interested in all that.

I’ll try to get those Brainerd photos up this weekend, so watch out for those. See you next time.