js reviewed De vliegeraar by Khaled Hosseini
Review of 'De vliegeraar' on 'Goodreads'
4 stars
Gaandeweg aangrijpend, en met het hoofdkarakter meegroeien van stuntelend naar magistraal.
eBook
English language
Published Sept. 21, 2003 by Riverhead Books.
The unforgettable, heartbreaking story of the unlikely friendship between a wealthy boy and the son of his father’s servant, caught in the tragic sweep of history, The Kite Runner transports readers to Afghanistan at a tense and crucial moment of change and destruction. A powerful story of friendship, it is also about the power of reading, the price of betrayal, and the possibility of redemption; and an exploration of the power of fathers over sons—their love, their sacrifices, their lies.
Since its publication in 2003 Kite Runner has become a beloved, one-of-a-kind classic of contemporary literature, touching millions of readers, and launching the career of one of America’s most treasured writers. source: www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/83013/the-kite-runner-essential-edition-by-khaled-hosseini/
Gaandeweg aangrijpend, en met het hoofdkarakter meegroeien van stuntelend naar magistraal.
I think the first two thirds is a four star book and the last third is more of a three star book. I just found the end a little too fantastical. Also, my ignorance of the historical parts makes me wonder how much social/political/religious commentary I am just not picking up on and what the real perspective is. But those things aside, it is a page turner. He really nails guilt, what happens when you don't do the right thing out of fear, what happens when you let bullies and sociopaths do their worst.
For good or ill, this is the type of book that I'm going to compare to [book:Midnight's Children]. This is not a fair comparison, I'll admit. In the end, though, this book feels more like John Irving than Salman Rushdie. That's not a bad thing, if you're a fan of Irving's neat and tidy, overly contrived plot resolutions.