Khaled Hosseini's The Kite Runner seems to be in vogue these days. Critics adore it, fans can't get enough of it, and its film adaptation is sure to keep people talking about it for a long time to come. This being the case, could it be that the novel just so happens to be one of those things that is popular for being popular?Perhaps. But it doesn't matter. As most anyone who has actually read the book will attest, The Kite Runner is nothing short of remarkable. Wrapped around some vivid prose, it is at once a love letter to a country besieged by conflict, a cautionary tale about the cruelty that children can inflict on one another, and an inspiring piece about coming of age, redemption and forgiveness. It is a truly touching story, one well deserving of the acclaim and attention that have been bestowed upon it by avid reader and critic alike.
5 comments:
Hmmm… I’n mow reading Blowfly by Patricia Cornwell (it’s my way of taking a break after spending 5 months trying to finish Special Topics in Calamity Physics and then encountering that horrid ending). I have Case Histories lined up after Blowfly, but Kite Runner is also sitting on my shelf. Which one do you think I will enjoy better?
I wasn't overly disappointed by the ending to Calamity Physics. At some point the book became more about the prose than the story (and I obviously liked the prose). More, I also loved the valedictory speech.
Regarding your question: my money's on The Kite Runner. Apples and oranges, I know, but I think it outclasses Case Histories on nearly every front.
(Now you have me interested to look into Bowfly. Argh!)
That valedictory address was weird.
Don’t rush into Blow Fly. It got only middling reviews. But I like the entire Kay Scarpetta series (it forms part of a forensic pathology universe I bought into starting with Quincy ME and which continues with CSI). I find these books to be a fine way to rest my mind after a heavy book like STCP.
Hey
What a coincidence! I did an admittedly sensationalized review of Kite Runner for Philippine Star. It will be out tomorrow.
I liked it but I still think Kite Runner is fast food fiction. The author uses telenovela gimmicks to get people to read. It is same way I feel about Harry Potter.
Jason: And just like that, my interest in Blowfly has been tempered. =)
Jan: I would hardly describe The Kite Runner, or even Harry Potter for that matter (despite how that series evolved), as "fast food fiction", taking the term at face value. But everyone is entitled to his own opinion.
Post a Comment