Kite Runner Final Post

            After having finished the Kite Runner, I must say that Hosseini has outdone himself. I found the story to be gripping, drawing the reader in from the very get go. Not only was the story superb in my opinion, but also Hosseini’s style and control over language adds to the story the element of a good storyteller. This factor makes the book not good, but great, as every time I picked up the book the story was playing out like a movie in my head. 

Something I really liked about the story is the fact that Khaled Hosseini took a different approach when writing this book. Rather than writing an epic story of a man’s successes, he writes a story about a man’s redemption. In the beginning, I can say that as a reader I was somewhat thrown off by Hosseini chosing to develop a character with unusual traits and an undesirable history. Normally a character with heroic qualities that is moral is chosen. In the beginning it would have seemed that Hassan or Baba should have been the protagonist of the story. Baba was a man of honor, pride, and high principles. Amir on the other hand was weak, foolish, and a coward. Although my perception of Hosseini’s protagonist was negative at first, as the story progresses you slowly come to realize that he is simply human. I specifically liked the fact that as the story unfolds Amir redeems all of his bad qualities. He comes to be brave when he takes back Sohrab, grows wise as time passes, and is strong when it is required of him to be.

            Another aspect of the novel that I enjoyed was the abundance of details Hosseini included in his story. For example, I really appreciated the comments that Hosseini would make on the Afghani culture. The inclusion of simple things like typical Afghani traditions, meals, and customs aids in the understanding of the whole story.  Due to the fact that Hosseini did explain many Afghan qualities and tendencies, not only was the book entertaining, but educational as well. Often times Arabic cultures are misunderstood, leading to assumptions made by many unfamiliar with the culture, including myself. The perspective that Hosseini provides is very insightful and I gathered a lot from it. Although it was through paper, this exposure has made me a more cultured and worldly person.  

            Additionally, Hosseini also made great use of syntax, imagery, and diction throughout the story to evoke feelings within the reader. Numerous times it was Hosseini’s cliffhanging ends to chapters of the story that created foreshadow, evoking a sense of dread within the reader. Moreover, on the subject of diction, I believe that Hosseini’s choice of words played a large role in drawing out certain reactions from the reader. I feel as if Hosseini had complete and total control of how he was making me feel as I read on his story. Finally, Hosseini created some incredibly vivid images throughout the story. At times he would leave the reader to create a picture in his/her head on his own, while other times he would paint the picture for the reader. This was most effective when describing intense scenes in the novel, such as the rape of Hassan, the death of key characters, and any time blood was mentioned.

            Subsequently, I particularly enjoyed the realism in this story. Hosseini has genuinely made me ponder how much of the story is in fact true. Through out the story, the dialogue and character actions are very consistent and realistic. The fact that this story is potentially, and likely, realistic really does strike home. It is eye opening and a bit shocking to think about the fact that this story is an accurate representation of the world. As a reader you can also connect to the story because of this. When Amir shows his human side, for instance, we initially judge him and perceive him in a negative light because we are comparing him to the protagonists in other stories. In reality, Amir seems to be an accurate representation of thoughts and behaviors of humans, which is in fact both scary and comforting. It shows that humans are weak, but at the same time, my faith in humanity has not wavered as Amir does make up for his actions. In addition to the realistic aspects of this story, the abundance of plots twists keep the reader captivated, as what is around the corner is always unexpected. Multiple times in the novel, a new factor, such as Amir and Hassan being half brothers, is introduced, completely changing the structure of the story.

            In conclusion, this has been one of the best works I have ever read. I really loved the book. Unlike Atlas Shrugged, this was an easy read both due to the simpler language used by Hosseini as well as the quality of the story told by Hosseini.