Kite Runner 1st reaction

           I started out this novel with the glowing recommendations from my mother, sister, grandmother etc. Truthfully, anything would look stellar after my difficulty reading Atlas Shrugged. But I can already tell that I will honestly enjoy this book by the style of the writing as well as the tension that has already begun in the first chapter. 

                 I like how the novel is set up almost in a flashback frame story. From the get go, Amir distinctly points out the importance of the event that occurred in 1975. I find that this method of storytelling is very clever from the author because I immediately wanted to know what was the importance of this event. Did something horrific happen? Will the entire book lead up to this event? Or will my questions be answered soon? All these questions I had made me want to keep turning the pages, which for me, is the indication of a good read.

                       I can't say that I dislike Baba, but I certainly didn't like when he basically gossiped about his own son to Rahim... I think it's very premature to say that your son will grow up to be weak seeing as the boy is only 12 years old or so. I'm not familiar with Afghan culture, but I wonder if there is a lot of emphasis placed on the first son? Based on other literature as well as movies such as Shine, Amadeus, father "expectations" and disappointment often lead to very unstable and problematic children plagued with the sensation of failure. I hope this does not occur to Amir but I wouldn't find it surprising based on the way Baba treats him. It's even more ironic that Amir's first word was Baba, signaling that he literally came into this world attached and wanting to please his father.