People familiar with hindi, urdu, arabic languages feel easy because there are many native words used.. But the plot, characters and the way he has described events is just incredible..
100%, i’m not even a fluent arabic speaker but being familiar with the way my family members speak and certain interjections they use a lot like ‘inshallah’ made the book feel alive and breathing and real, and watering this down would’ve made it less believable in my opinion
I love that I almost didn't know Anything about the book before I read .... it made it so much better and I loved all the twists, I actually didn't see them coming! and I agree when you say the book has so much heart .... that s what makes it special yep also I didn't feel that way about the foreign words because they were almost always explained right after .... a part form a few
Hassan was such a nice kid and such a wonderful young man in the story. It broke my heart when I found out he died. He constantly felt betrayed, harassed, and he had it a lot harder than Amir, but he was still such a loyal person. Sometimes the kindest hearts feel the most pain
My friend actually spoiled that part way before I read the book but to be honest right from the beginning it was kinda obvious that hassan was gonna die. I mean the way amir was describing their past just made me feel that.
Every time I see children flying kites on the Jalalabad road where I live, it reminds me of this book. Kabul is still such a charming city which feels like a village.
We read this my senior year of high school as one of our final books, back in the beginning of 2019. While most of our books were focused on multiculturalism, this one hit like none other. I find myself coming back to it every now and then-it’s one of my favorite books.
The bit you said about seeing bits of ourselves and our family in the story is so true. It fascinated me, because the characters and me are from such different worlds. And seeing bits of myself in them does open my eyes that we are not that different after all.
I think the storyline was a bit self-aware. And I agree, that's the only criticism I had. It was still wonderful, almost perfect. And so emotionally intense and beautifully written.
The thing is khaled did way too much in a single book, described the end of an era, fall of a wonderful nation, friendship, brotherhood, destroyed childhood, ruined relations, guilt, envy, contemplation,sociopathy,escapism you name it and the characters are so well written. I cant verbally express how dear this book is to me and I'm not even much of a book reader. And what's more depressing is how time keeps moving. The very moment that may seem like heaven is nothing but a fragment of lost time that's impossible to relive, impossible to let go of as it now governs your life, dictates your life, adds reason to your life.
I barely just finished this book and I just got to say wow.Once you start reading it just kinda knows what can make your heart to feel things for these wonderful characters.This was one of the rare books where I wanted to cry and give the characters a huge hug. Overall,a remarkable book that will stay in my memory forever
I really appreciate your recognition of your different world view than the characters in the novel. It is a wonderful story and I appreciate your willingness to analyze the lens through which you read the book
Great review! Kite Runner was an amazing read but... My first Hosseini book was The thousand splendid suns... and I think that was the most heart wrenching book of his. At least maybe because it was centered around women and I could relate to them more than to a male character. That said, And the mountains echoed really really touches you and pulls all the right strings. And also you might not feel the extreme cultural difference with this book as it takes places all over the world...so you should definitely read that one!!
I just finished this book for my world literature english class and this is the first book to ever make me cry. Whenever I thought my suffering (let alone the characters) would end, something else soul shaking would happen. It is a tragically beautiful book. 5/5 stars.
i read the kite runner and a thousand splendid suns when i was 11 and it really opened my eyes [ i did read some of mountains between us but it was too long ]. These books opened my eyes to other peoples struggles and gave me perspective , to why people do what they do . It taught me to understand other peoples suffering , and why people do what they do. It also got me interested in other genres since at the time i was only interested in books about ww2 . i cant really explain to the extent how this book changed my perception , due to my limited language ability but it just did
Wooo! I've read all 3 of his novels and I think story-wise A Thousand Splendid Suns is on par with The Kite Runner.Overall I probably like ATSS best, because I read it when I was pretty young and it was the first of its kind that I've ever read so it left a pretty deep impression.
I understand completely what you mean by this book being intentional but for some reason I didn't mind it. I absolutely love the two books of his I've read so far and I'm scared to read the third because I know that's all there is.
Many thanks for your review, and yeah, roughly speaking, I do agree with your opinions. Reading this book has been one of the best experiencies in my lifetime. The way you review the book is really fresh, cheerful and amusing. Thanks again.
Im not really well versed in book reviews so I read this book with no expectations, no preconceived ideas of how a book should be, so I just kind of enjoyed it? Well, enjoyed sobbing myself into oblivion I love these characters so much.
I just finished the book 3am in the morning and i felt the same way. I cried like a baby and before I read the book, I don't know what i am signing up for and it's the best feeling ever to read a book that you're not spoiled.
What I remember from reading this is that it was so depressing and touching at the same time. But aside from the characters people could get wrong impressions about the society that the story took place, idk
hehe love the little kite animation Khaled Hosseini actually came to New Orleans for a signing and I almost went but I didn't have the chance too, but I really want to read it eventually
I read this book for school and I was nervous it would make me hate it but it was so interesting that it was impossible and its defiantly one of my favorite books
I fully understand the criticism. A book supposed to be intentional but you have to balance it with the random, absurd, chaotic quality that life has in order for it to feel real and not contrived. It was good.
You are so good at explaining yourself. I'm always all over the place lol. I loved this book. I did a history report on this book. One of my most ambitious research papers. I recently read the color of our sky that had a lot of similarities to this book. Which kind of annoyed me, but the book was still amazing
I'm not one to read books that often, heck this was an assigned book in one of my language classes, but I daresay this book is a masterpiece. It's probably the best book I've ever read, and I haven't even finished it. No other book in recent memory has made me feel the same way this has, and im only about half way done.
3:26 when reading this book i sensed that heavy deviotion to the cultur without understanding the culture itself and in a way its a amazing thing to feel the way the culture connects with the character Amir but also a tiny bit overwelming.
I haven't read this book, but watched the movie. And for the first time I cried as a grown up from a movie. When Amir's father dies, he died with the amulet or locket with Afghan soil in it. That was so emotional and extraordinary.
I watched the movie years ago, and wanted ever since to read the book. It resides to me especially because I'm a Tunisian and the post revolutionary period has made me fear we slip to what Afghanistan slipped to. But, I loved your review so you get my subscribe and like. Not a "book person" but I'm trying to read more for all it's worth.
I've read The Kite Runner and And the Mountains Echoed, and am currently reading A Thousand Splendid Suns. And the Mountains Echoed is my favourite; I enjoyed The Kite Runner, but I get what you mean about it feeling too delibrate at times.
The inclusion of the italicized words was an interesting choice by the author. I understand both sides of the argument. The author included the words because English doesn't have a translation. Middle Eastern languages, especially Farsi and Urdu are very deep and philosophical. They are ancient languages and English just hasn't had the time to develop into a more meaningful language. But yes, while reading, you do have to be good at learning from context. I guess loving language and having a good understanding of it helps while reading this book.
I have never read the book but have seen the movie and I was really moved by it. I found your comparison to a bible story very interesting. I need to pick it up soon.
I love your honesty in this review, andI still want to read this book even though you flagged up what was, in your opinion, a flaw. You described it really beautifully - I hope I can get used to talking to a camera and really get into as much detail about a book as you did in this video!
hey all afghan here my dad watched the movie and really liked it, so thats good ig oh ye, my dad was born during the soviet afghan war, survived, then had to escape to pakistan when the taliban took over daikundi (the province he lived in)
I just love love love Khaled Hosseinis novels so much and I'm very glad you took the time to review this one! Funnily enough I haven't read it yet haha but already know the story because I've watched the movie a while ago (I'm pretty sure the book must be better though and I'll eventually get there...I'm currently reading And the Mountains echoed after finishing ATSS, which was amazing. Ah, I'm trailing off...anyway, thank you again for your reviewing this book, keep up your good work!
Have just finished this book and I wholeheartedly agree with this review. It was a little more contrived and at times frustratingly predictable at key plot turns, but the central motifs and the beautiful characterisation and essence of goodness overcame these minor quibbles. Can’t wait to watch the movie next. Hassan was a reminder of the attractiveness of purity and the parallels with Jesus were hard to miss.
I actually read the kite runner this year for english, it was by far the most interesting novel i've read from the selection of novels my teacher chose for my class and i'm glad she did. You did great on the review, i think honesty is important when it comes to doing a book review but i wish you would talk more about the themes in the spoiler section. Anyways, great review! :)
The Kite Runner is one of my faves! I have read his other books too ("and the mountains echoed" and a thousand splendid suns") and I really enjoyed a thousand splendid suns! Read it and do a video!!
I don’t think the book is necessarily meant to be dramatized. I think Khaled Hosseini wanted readers to catch a glimpse of what life is like for the civilians of Afghanistan. And it was honestly somewhat toned down because people who have never lived in a war torn country can’t comprehend what life is actually like in one. There was a line somewhere (and I’m paraphrasing) that said something along the lines of “there are so many children in Afghanistan but no childhood” and that really took a toll on me. A painful read worth every minute though. I loved it
Nice review. I just finished the book. I agree that there is a somewhat contrived or stilted feel to it in places, but overall it was a great read, and phenomenal for a first published effort. By the way, every time I looked for it, I found an English translation for the italicized words cleverly worked into the same paragraph. No need to go look them up.
YASSS!! I couldn't hold on the end, because I loved the beginning too much that I was expecting an ending that was real and emotional but I didn't feel like an end, it felt like a drift between a beautiful nonfiction to a wanna be fantasy.
+Naty Munive The end was basically the whole aim of the author: he wanted us to realize that there is no closure, so to speak in real life, which I agree with. Watch any of his Interviews. That's the only thing he talks apart from Afghanistan.
Husseini is a pashtun writing the voice of a Hazara whom the pashtuns see as enemies and inferior. It is like if a white man writes the voice of Hassan as a black person. All the powerful characters are pashtuns and all the submissive, naive are hazaras. I dont know how people would feel if a white man wrote a novel today about black people and painting them as submissive, flat, lame, hare-lipped, no sense of changing their situation? This is the most horrifyingly one sided novel I have ever read. since it is written for the western audience who know nothing about the Hazara-Pashtun history, they assume to see Pashtun as rounded characters (heroic, bad, savior, kind, rebels etc..) while Hazaras as nothing but submissive, accepting and naive... The reality is far from that. In fact, Hazaras are porportionally more educated in the country. Husseini as a Pashtun is obviously biased and harbours tacit and subconscious racism.
I am from Afg. and I can assure you that it was like that for many years. Only the last 20 years somehow made the situation better for Hazaras. Its not wrong to point out injustice in society, even tho you have to use many stereotypes to make the story more appealing to non Afghans.
I know its been years but I think what you meant is that there was no room for the reader to infer, everything was kind of given in a way, but the book was wonderful
Finished it today, the way it engages you and forces you to read continuously is remarkable. this was definitely a 10/10 for me. respect for your review as well ..!
JUNGKOOK'S WIFE um it's titled the kite runner because Hassan is the best kite runner Amir knows and because at the end of the book Amir runs for the kite for Sohrab. And yes, they are brothers. Baba had Amir and Hassan but with different women.
To be honest I hate Amir too. I know people that work as cashiers and they want to physically jump from behind and fly kick rude customers, that's what I wanted to do to Amir.
Don't hate me. But I think this book is a little boring that's why I have a hard time finishing this book. I think a big part of this is not knowing a lot about islam, which I think is my fault for not researching. But I do love the characters. I would try and read his other book. Maybe I would like it better.
Please, never be sorry for pointing out things you don't like in a book! Even though it's a high acclaimed book! I read The Kite Runner quite a while ago and although I don't quite remember everything about the book, I know I absolutely loved it. I also wished there was a glossary because I wanted to understand the foreign language. I agree that you could still get the context but a glossary would have been nice too.
The book is a literal dipiction of what happenf to hazara people, they where treated as slaves, bullied (still are), murdered and treated like lower beings in Afghanistan. The well off hazara’s still face discrimination and oppression to this day. You can still hear news about beheadings of hazara people today too… this book brings to light the internal conflict of Afghanistan. The only criticism I have for the book is that it depicts all hazara as lowerclass when that wasn’t the case it was mixed by the 70-80’s. I know because my family was a well off hazara household.
Oh, goodness! That book is pure sadness and heartbreak. But it's indeed beautiful. I wouldn't recommend it to EVERYONE out there because it could be too (looking for an accurate but found none other than) strong for some.
Thank you for the positive review but, it's flawed because he reviewed and revised and fixed any errors before publishing the book? Dunno man, to each his own, but to me this book was one of the most organic reads I have had in. . . My life really. This was THE most organic read I had in my life.
