It's not that the first two-thirds of the book weren't enjoyable to read. I was just thinking to myself through it that it was enjoyable, but not fantastic. However, when Amir gets the call to go see an old friend in Pakistan, the book took a turn that made it difficult to read the rest of the book. Why was it difficult? I ended up either on the verge of tears or in tears for the remainder of the book. There are few authors that can bring about enough emotion in me that I feel every inner pain, struggle, and hurt of the characters. Hosseini did that for me. I felt all the anguish that Amir felt through the years after his betrayal of his best friend, Hassan. I felt the redemption in Amir when he finally confronted his past in Pakistan and Afghanistan, and I felt that hurt and fear that Hassan's son, Sohrab experienced in his homeland. The characters felt real. There was never a time that I felt like I was just reading a novel.
For me, this kind of writing is rare. Khaled Hosseini is such a gifted writer. Not only do you love the story that he's writing, but you end up becoming more aware of the history and plight of Afghanistan. This novel is definitely on my top ten novels of all time list now. I am sure in the future I will re-read it which is not a common thing for me. If you read The Kite Runner, expect to be pulled emotionally in many different directions and just let yourself go along for the ride.
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