Saturday, January 12, 2008

Kite Runner

Have you ever read a book that as the cliché says, “you just couldn’t put down”. That you carried with you everywhere just in case you got a spare 5, 10 or 15 minutes? That had you so focused, people were talking to you and you heard nothing?

I love to read, but it’s been a while since a book has gripped or sucked me into its world and its characters quite like this book, “The Kite Runner”, by Kahled Hosseini.

I’d seen and heard about this book a couple of years ago but when I picked it up in the book shop and read the description on the back cover, I had to say, I was turned off. What turned me off? Honestly it was the words “Afghanistan” and “Taliban”. My feelings around these words were that of fatigue and frustration.
Since the Gulf War when I was in Secondary School, I’d been hearing those words along with many more and I'd got to the point where I was now saturated and immune. That and maybe my own ignorance was part of the pre-judgment. Ignorance about the region, the country, the people and their religions.

But I ended up getting a copy of the book as a Christmas gift from my friend, Sinead. Along with her assurance that it was “brilliant”. I trusted her opinion but I still picked it up and began reading with an attitude similar to that of a patient taking their medicine. However, I was proved completely wrong. This book, is nothing short of amazing. Its difficult to even describe. The story told, puts names and faces to the people we are hearing about everyday in the media. It’s an education about the country, the people and their culture, as well as the madness of those who are out to destroy it.

I’m desperately close to this blog sounding like some sort of book report. So let me stop myself there. But if any of you are looking for a good book, this is the one. I’ve just finished it, so I’m still kind of attached to the story and its characters, which is making it really hard for me to move on with another book. It’s a bit like getting dumped by a guy you really liked. You were totally into him, you weren't ready and you have no replacement, at least not one that matches up. Its going to take me some time to get over.

1 comment:

Silja said...

oki ... Shinks... I´ve been trying to read this book since February ... and I´m still not done with half of it... I use it to put me to sleep every night...

But all the people I´ve mentioned this book too, agree with you ... everybody loves this book. I´m waiting for it to really knock me down... But i agree with that Afghanistan and Taliban is a turn off!

but yeah everybody say it´s a great book - I´m going to finish it before the movie comes to theatre!

I promise I´ll finish it soon ... hehe It´s been taking me a year... (I read like 8 books since february ...)