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The Kite Runner

By: Khaled Hosseini
Narrated by: Khaled Hosseini
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Editorial review


By Seth Hartman, Audible Editor

THE KITE RUNNER CONTINUES TO SOAR

Like many of my favorite titles, The Kite Runner came into my life when I was in middle school. The novel was sold to me as a coming-of-age tale set in a changing Afghanistan. While that is technically a solid gist, author Khaled Hosseini’s masterwork is so much more than that.

This story centers around Amir, a sensitive boy born into a wealthy Afghan family. The Kite Runner begins in the year 1973, a very tumultuous time in Afghanistan. Amir’s upbringing in the idyllic Kabul region is undercut by the rumblings of political upheaval. As the government faced a swift coup d’etat by the king’s ambitious cousin, Mohammed Daoud Khan, wealthy citizens all over Afghanistan fled as quickly as possible. Amid all of this turmoil, Amir is separated from his servant and friend Hassan after the latter is sexually assaulted. While Amir’s family would escape inside an oil tanker, Hassan is left behind as the revolution takes hold. A good novel would build up to this massive climax and leave it there, but The Kite Runner takes a much more nuanced approach. Amir experiences this trauma from a young age and is then suddenly dumped in America, forced to cope with survivor’s guilt while adjusting to a totally new culture. His journey then becomes a bid to accept his surroundings, grow into the man he hopes to be, and address his checkered past.

I have always been a huge fan of historical fiction. Something about experiencing key moments in time through an intimate perspective just works for me. Listening to the audiobook, Khaled Hosseini's narration adds yet another layer of context to the story. Imagine my surprise, then, when The Kite Runner pulled away from Afghanistan and introduced a culture shock element to the plot. The beauty of this title comes not just from its intricate setting descriptions and steady character development, but also from this tonal shift. This title has something for everyone, but is especially relevant for people who have dealt with a lot of change in their lives.

I will never forget where I was when I first experienced this section of The Kite Runner. I bought the book in the airport for an international flight and cracked it open while waiting for my flight to board. By the time I was on the plane, I was an absolute puddle. My young brain struggled to comprehend such an extreme level of social unrest and the human cost of political upheaval. Despite these unpleasant feelings, I was ready to dive deeper into this beautiful yet demanding story. This is not a tale about bravery, or defying odds, or even revenge in the traditional sense. This is a story about one man’s hope to redeem himself in the eyes of his oldest friend, and if that is not possible, at least do some good in the world for once.

Continue reading Seth's review >

Publisher's summary

Taking us from Afghanistan in the final days of its monarchy to the present, The Kite Runner is the unforgettable and beautifully told story of the friendship between two boys growing up in Kabul. Raised in the same household and sharing the same wet nurse, Amir and Hassan grow up in different worlds: Amir is the son of a prominent and wealthy man, while Hassan, the son of Amir's father's servant, is a Hazara - a shunned ethnic minority. Their intertwined lives, and their fates, reflect the eventual tragedy of the world around them. When Amir and his father flee the country for a new life in California, Amir thinks that he has escaped his past. And yet he cannot leave the memory of Hassan behind him.

The Kite Runner is a novel about friendship and betrayal, and about the price of loyalty. It is about the bonds between fathers and sons, and the power of fathers over sons - their love, their sacrifices, and their lies. Written against a backdrop of history that has not been told in fiction before, The Kite Runner describes the rich culture and beauty of a land in the process of being destroyed. But through the devastation, Khaled Hosseini offers hope for redemption.

©2003 Khaled Hosseini (P)2003 Simon & Schuster Inc. All Rights Reserved. AUDIOWORKS. is an imprint of Simon & Schuster Audio Division. Simon & Schuster Inc.

Critic reviews

  • Alex Award Winner, 2004

"A beautiful novel...ranks among the best-written and most provocative stories of the year." (The Denver Post)
"Powerful first novel...tells a story of fierce cruelty and fierce yet redeeming love." (The New York Times)

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What listeners say about The Kite Runner

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Emotional

It's hard to put into words the emotional impact this book had on me. It is filled with life lessons with no sugar coating. It is also filled with love, hope, forgiveness, pain, and resolve. It was an incredible read.

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A must read!

I was brought to tears several times. Powerful lessons of life and love! I would highly recommend this book! 5 stars!

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Phenomenal

Absolutely captivating. The story line, the way it's told, the history. I wanted to hear more.

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Stay with it

The author also narrates the story and adds a realistic touch. It starts slow but well worth staying with as he winds the story together.

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MUST READ!

Definitely one of those books that you jus can't put down. You become so engulfed in the story. One of the best books, if not the best I have ever read. Highly recommended!

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Stunning book that kept me on the edge 80% of time

Would strongly recommend to anyone. Great for students and adults alike. The audiable make it more intense because the author himself reads it, you can hear the pain and joy in his voice as he reads along.

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Country ripped away from the citizens.

Would you consider the audio edition of The Kite Runner to be better than the print version?

The prose of the book was beautiful. If I had read, rather than listened to, the book I would have skimmed over most of it. I found the description of life before and during the devastating war interesting and informative.

Who was your favorite character and why?

My favorite character is not a person but the country of Afghanistan. It's turmoil then and now seems unending.

Have you listened to any of Khaled Hosseini’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

Klaled's reading of his work added authenticity to it. He was the perfect one to read his novel.

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I really enjoyed this book.

Gives great incited to a very complicated culture. Glad I grew up in America. Narration was perfect.

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emotionally engaging

start to finish, one of the best novels I've seen in a long time. The story will be with me always.

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As rich and as intricate as an eastern tapestry

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

It is a story of childhood, coming of age, and the acceptance of adulthood which are universal events. Despite the cultural and historical difference in background, there is much the protagonist goes through which can be emotionally related to by many. It also provides an insight to a very old, conflicted, and rich culture which is told in a beautiful way that will move the reader to a deeper understanding of some of the current conflicts between peoples, ideas, classes, and religions.

What did you like best about this story?

This story holds the two greatest accomplishments of fine literature (in my humble opinion) in that it portrays truth and structure. There is truth on every page of this story. It manifests itself in the well-rounded characters which drive the events and the tumultuous events which shape the characters. The author paints a beautiful picture of the good and reveals the ugliness of the bad in human nature whilst including the consequences of repercussions of both. Not only is his story substantial in content, but its presentation is not to be overlooked. Hosseini's harness of the English language is artfully demonstrated through his dialogue, descriptions, and depth of knowledge in literature -- both English and Persian.

Have you listened to any of Khaled Hosseini’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

This is my first book by Hosseini, but I am eager to read/listen to his others.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

As I have said before, The Kite Runner is powerfully moving. There is an intensity in the book which is shared by both the protagonist and the reader. Due to his mastery with words, Hosseini pulls the reader in, and does not let go until the end. When the protagonist is happy, the reader is as well. When the protagonist struggles, that burden is also shared by the reader.

Any additional comments?

I listened to it more than six times and bought the iBook version as well.

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