The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini

Basic plot 

Amir is a privileged Pashtun boy always living in the shadows of his impressive father. By his side is his loyal friend Hassan, a poor Hazara boy. Life in 1970s Afghanistan was good, filled with endless summers of climbing trees and winters of kite flying. His childhood was idyllic until the unspeakable happened one grey winter's day in 1975. Ripped by Russian occupation and torn by the Taliban oppression, Amir and his father fled to America to build a new life. Haunted and riddled with guilt, a long-distance phone call from his past catches up with him.

What I liked about this book

I loved this book. The writing is exquisite. The writer manages to evoke not only vivid visions of Afghanistan  and subsequently the contrast with life as an American immigrant, but also a myriad of emotions in the reader. The story is poignant and gripping. Each turn of the page left me wanting more.

What I disliked about this book

Honestly, as a fictional story, it is hard to find fault with the book. My only gripe is the unfortunate depiction of Muslims in an unflattering light. I take comfort in remembering that several bad Muslims are not representative of the beauty of Islam itself.

A quote I liked in this book

When you lie, you steal a man's right to the truth.

Rating: 4.5/5 (actually I would give 5 except for the fact that no book is perfect)

This book actually belongs to Siti who has been kind enough to lend me this book as part of her book swap project. Lydia has also posted a book swap list on her blog. I am delighted that there are book lovers out there who, like me, want to share our passion for reading with others. (My book list is at the Book Club).