The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini (2003)
Amir is the privileged boy, living in a large home in a wealthy area of Kabul, Afghanistan. Hassan is his servant and constant companion although, separated by social class and cultural stigma, they can never truly be friends. When the Afghan Civil War begins, it signals tremendous changes – though in very, very different ways, neither of their lives will ever be the same.
I fully expected to be blown away by this book given all the hype surrounding it in the years since publication. The first half was riveting, but it seemed to lose some momentum later on. I’d still heartily recommend it, especially for the presentation of Afghani culture and the fascinating competitive kite-flying events, something I’d never heard of before.
 | Rating: 4/5 Further reading: Hosseini's homepage Khaled Hosseini (wiki) |