The Kite Runner (#37)

The last book of the 2007...

... and likely one of the most surprising!  Not that there's anything wrong with this particular book... but that I've have just read it now... for the first time (this isn't a re-read)!   Heck, I think my father -- who I am not sure I have ever seen hold a book in his hands -- has probably already read Khaled Hosseini's The Kite Runner by now!

I had tentatively planned on reading it after Todd read and raved about it back in the summer of 2005 (!!)... even then, it had been out for awhile... but a few months passed and Todd's Mom was interested, so we loaned it out and then it was loaned out again, and so on and so on.  I figured I would get back to it eventually (the story of me and many a book!)...

In the interim, Hosseini wrote and published his second book, A Thousand Splendid Suns, instead of a re-purchase of Kite, I figured to give this one a try.  If I liked it, I could go back... Todd, being of fan of Kite, said he would read Suns as well... thus justifying the hardcover purchase (What am I saying? I don't justify book purchases!). Long story... well, long... I liked Suns (as did Todd, though longer story... we had to buy another copy of that book... ha!).  Fast-forward to about a month ago and Todd giving me the guilt trip about not being able to see the film version of The Kite Runner because I still hadn't read the book... so it was buy it, read it... stat!

With being so late to the party on this one, I don't think there is much I can say.  It was a wonderful book and easy to see why everyone has already read it.  I certainly think it will be a book that people will still be reading for years (decades!) to come -- a modern classic.  And given the continuing troubles in Afghanistan, it certainly puts a human face on what many people view as enemy territory.  I had managed to stay, amazingly enough, unspoiled enough to not realize how much of an epic tale this is -- stretching decades and around the globe... and the American/immigrant experience part favorably reminded me of one of my favorite books of this past year, The Namesake... though that's about it, otherwise they are very different books/stories.

To avoid making this a total gush-fest,  I believe that Hosseini (who, having recently seen him in TV interview for the KR movie, is kinda hot) improved with Suns.  Not the story per se, but just a bit "cleaner" writing and better pacing... and without some of the wild coincidences and conveniences that are a part of Kite.  Now, this could just be because I read the books in "reverse"... but still it's a compliment.  As I said in my Suns review, Hosseini is clearly a gifted story-teller and while certainly a nice niche, it would be interesting if he comes out with a novel not centered in Afghanistan.  I think he can and I would certainly read it.

So that's it for 2007!  37 books... technically, 37.3333 books since I read 103 pages of Atonement (I'm on a book to "currently at your local movie theater" trilogy here!)... bringing my final tally of 12,204 pages in the 10k reading challenge.  BTW, Atonement will be my first book of the year and the balance of the pages will count towards this year's reading goal (I'm very honest!) of 12,345 pages!

There be one last piece of business before we close the book (ha!) on the 2007 books... my 2nd Annual Book wrap-up, where I try to come up with my winners (and losers) of the year.  My plan is to get that posted next week... then it's time to start all over again!

2007 10K Reading Challenge:  + 371 pages (Total Pages: 12101 pages) 

Comments

[Joanna]

Ed,

I too was late in reading The Kite Runner - having just read it within the last 4 months. I agree with everything you said. It was a great book that will be widely read for a long time. I read A Thousand Splendid Suns shortky after KR and thought it was even better - hats off to Hosseini.

Saw KR movie last week and was disappointed - something I usually feel after a great book is made into a movie. The movie was not bad by any means - I just think the book was far too complicated to translate well to the screen. Will be interested to hear your thoughts.

Joanna