Reviews with content warning for Child abuse - The Kite Runner

This book was much darker than I expected, and honestly darker than I thought it needed to be (luckily most of the abuse is off screen). There were things that I wish had been explored more - Hassan's feelings about anything, for example. The main character is definitely a difficult one. I bounced between sympathizing and just being pissed off at him. However, the book sucked me in. I thought it was well written and engaging, and I had a strong emotional reaction to it. In the end, those emotions overwhelmed my complaints.

Content Warnings

bunnybaby_hop04's review against another edition

Go to review page

challenging emotional informative reflective sad tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

Content Warnings

gubler2003's review against another edition

Go to review page

challenging dark emotional sad medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

Tackles history and family with unbelievable sensitivity and truth.

Content Warnings

rberdan's review against another edition

Go to review page

challenging dark emotional hopeful sad slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

The Kite Runner is devastating and beautifully written. There are many content warnings to heed. I had to take breaks because of the heaviness, but that speaks also to how rich the storytelling was. Set in Afghanistan and the United States, this is a story of family trauma and secrets, betrayal, redemption, unconditional love, friendship, war, violence, class, power, and immigration. Yes, it’s a lot, and woven together artfully.

From the joy of kite running to graphic abuse to the complexities of relationship, I felt so much of this book deeply. I’m a white woman from the Global North, so there are many aspects of this book that are far from my own lived experiences, and yet the desire to undo regret and redeem oneself, to simply be loved by those we admire most, and to get away from kindness that feels undeserved… these are things I can relate to. While I know conceptually of the history of the Taliban and of issues with immigration, there is an immersive reality in the storytelling that allowed me to understand in a different way. There is a recurring theme of shame and being loved anyway that is truly beautiful and touching.

Amir’s own self loathing is so beautifully captured that I found myself struggling to like him much. Seeing his family and Hassan through his eyes was so interesting as I got to love them along with him. I ultimately could feel compassion for him as he found his way to loving others. I struggled to forgive him as he struggled to forgive himself, even though his greatest regret was still something he did (or didn’t do) as a child.

All of that said, I also felt that there was almost too much “other people are good and I’m bad” in the story. I get that it’s Amir’s point of view, and I also feel that there’s more nuance than this in who we are as humans.

In the end, I absolutely adored Sohrab and my heart broke for all that he’d endured at such a young age. I ended the book with so much hope for what could be on the other side of his early days.

Content Warnings