Book Review: The Kite Runner

There is only one sin. and that is theft. When you tell a lie, you steal someone’s right to the truth. When you kill a man, you steal a life. You steal his wife’s right to a husband, rob his children of a father. When you tell a lie, you steal someone’s right to the truth. When you cheat, you steal the right to fairness.

Hosseini, Khalid. The Kite Runner. Bloomsbury, 2003

Why does a well- written book in first person looks like an autobiography?

While you look for the answer, I must tell you; The Kite Runner, though appear like an autobiography, it’s hard to believe that it’s not. But yeah, it has been inspired by several incidents in author’s life. I give the same reply when someone asks me, “Is this story real or has it happened with you?”

Title: The Kite Runner

Author: Khaled Hosseini

Genre: Coming of an age novel, Fiction

Publisher: Bloomsbury (2003)

Pages: 324

Price: Rs 150-200/- (Amazon, Flipkart)

What if I say reading ‘The Kite Runner’, set in the late 20th century is like roaming through the streets of present day Afghanistan? You can guess the reason, I think. Even if not, after reading this review, you’ll.

The novel can be categorized roughly in two sections i.e. The life in Afghanistan before and after the advent of external powers such as Russia and the uprising of Taliban. The narration start from the perspective of a 12 years old kid and goes on narrating his adventurous stories till 38 years of his age. The author has deftly utilized the techniques of flashback and flashforward while layering it with appropriate amount of Nostalgia. One of the characteristics of the author is foreseeing/describing the events that is likely to happen but it doesn’t and I guess this is what prevents the reader from hanging on the book. Also, one of the incident that happens in 1975 (while the narrator was kid) resonates throughout the novel and it largely shapes the narrator’s conscience. This incident happened during a kite competition and hence, the title of the book.

This book can be also read as an alternative history of Afghanistan, centered on a familial relation, a bit unusual though, through a growing up kid. Several Persian words along with Pastu and Arabic have been used time and again to retain the indigenous flavor. There are several lines that have a deep impact while reading and can be quoted too.

The book is great in every sense, however, over-detailing of the things at times shun the interest of the readers, forcing them to skip some lines. Also, Sohrab, being a native Afghan kid and speaking perfect English (as portrayed by the author) confines the naturalistic flavor that author is trying to inculcate in the novel.

©Shashank

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