Khaled Hosseini doesn’t sugar-coat anything in his novel, The Kite Runner.  It is based in the mid 20th century to the early 21st, and features the life of Amir– a man who grew up in Kabul, Afghanistan.  Throughout Amir’s life, he is tested in many ways by his Baba, childhood friend Hassan, and the Taliban.  His life has not been anywhere close to sweet, and will not soon get better.

As an adult, Amir made his life in America as a writer.  He is a successful published author with a loving wife and no fear of being shot down by the terrorist group raiding his home country– until he receives a call that he must return home for some unfinished business.  This outline is what is used for the start of the movie The Kite Runner.  The movie was an almost perfect representation of the book– only a few missteps, but with good purpose.  If you can’t get around to reading it, you should at least watch it on Netflix– or better yet, if you have the time to read, read first and then watch the movie… it makes all the difference.  Hosseini even makes a cameo in the end his movie as a bystander– so we can rest assured, any changes made to the movie were not unwarranted.

With a page count of 372, this isn’t a quick read, but it is most certainly worth it.  The intricate attention to detail and symbolism will have you throwing this novel off a three-story building.  You’ll cry, laugh, fawn, and cry some more.  Hosseini will bring you on an epic adventure with Amir and his family.