The unforgettable, heartbreaking story of the unlikely friendship between a wealthy boy and the son of his father’s servant (Goodreads).
There are so many conflicting feelings that go along with this novel. On the one hand, Hosseini writes with a brilliant voice, as he dictates a wonderful story with dynamic characters and showcases his mastery over emotion. Literary devices are used excellently, and the heart-wrenching moments truly set the novel into a league of its own. That is, until you consider the other hand. Our protagonist is so awfully frustrating, and that makes him a hard guy to root for. His self-pity and the painful way he interacts with others makes him hard to sympathize with. Or maybe we see ourselves in Amir more than we would like... Hmm... Anyway, although the author writes with brilliant stunning tenacity, he seems to point out his own hidden meanings. Which sort of defeats the purpose of hidden meanings. Pacing is also an issue, as the middle section is really boring, and an unnecessary bit of suspense is thrown in at the very end, when Amir is so close to completing an absolutely fantastically developed redemption arc. The novel is incredible in parts, and that just makes the frustrating bits all the more frustrating. Brilliant parallels between characters and a story rife with symbolism battle against several glaring negatives to produce a tale that, perhaps, is all the more compelling because of its flaws. 8.2/10
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