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anitarhiannon's review against another edition
dark
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
lucyperry's review against another edition
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
aaaaariba's review against another edition
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
lilyshaw_72's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
5.0
I wasn’t expecting how good it really was.
whatsterereading's review against another edition
dark
emotional
lighthearted
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.75
wakkle's review against another edition
dark
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.0
larissa_4444's review against another edition
dark
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
lucy_99's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
ncat999's review against another edition
4.0
Whew -- I flew through this. I'd resisted reading it, but wasn't surprised that it was pretty excellent. I wish one could give half stars on this site because I'd give it 4.5, but I've settled on 4, or "I really liked it," as the guidelines say. It was sad and affecting and very well done, and I can see why it's a popular favorite. I'm only withholding the 5 stars because just for reasons of personal taste and quirks it's not the sort of book that will take over my imagination and force me to shove it off on others to read. But highly recommended anyhow.
catbrigand's review against another edition
1.0
I'm amazed at how much I disliked this book.
First there is the matter of the author's depiction of Afghanistan. It is so clearly written to cater toward a western audience who knows precious little about the country. That said, the writing is beautiful, but the details are so vaguely written that it seems to remove any degree of difference separating a western audience from a middle eastern one. I dislike this book precisely because it seems to be specifically catered to a western audience that has no knowledge of the Middle East. For that reason, people who read this book probably feel worldly. I find Hosseini's details on Afghanistan impressive only if you know absolutely nothing about the country--and overwhelmingly westerners do not.
Then there is the matter of the Taliban. There are good and bad Hazaras, Pashtuns, Sunnis, and Sh'ias. Instead of showing the Taliban as a human problem, Hosseini makes them so evil that they're almost a caricature. Having a character who personifies the sins and taboos of pedophilia and sadism just makes the matter worse. The fact that Assef comes across as a "white devil" with his German mother and his ideation of Nazi Germany actually made me roll my eyes.
Lastly I felt I had no one to root for. Hassan and Ali are sycophants in the way of the driver from Driving Miss Daisy, or Mammy from Gone with the Wind--servants who are happiest when serving and who have no individual identities, hopes, or aspirations beyond perpetuating the lifestyles of their wealthy masters (while they themselves live in shacks). I understand this was probably Hosseini's point, but it doesn't make me any happier. There seems to be a built in sense of self preservation in the human condition to recognize when it is being shortchanged. No matter how kind your masters, I have a hard time believing you would forget (or stop caring) that you were enslaved.
I felt I couldn't root for Amir, either. I neither pitied him nor really wanted him to succeed. It did make me feel a little better knowing that Ali ultimately knew what Amir witnessed and decided to do nothing, and that Rakim seemed to suspect as well, but Amir annoyed me from start to finish.
First there is the matter of the author's depiction of Afghanistan. It is so clearly written to cater toward a western audience who knows precious little about the country. That said, the writing is beautiful, but the details are so vaguely written that it seems to remove any degree of difference separating a western audience from a middle eastern one. I dislike this book precisely because it seems to be specifically catered to a western audience that has no knowledge of the Middle East. For that reason, people who read this book probably feel worldly. I find Hosseini's details on Afghanistan impressive only if you know absolutely nothing about the country--and overwhelmingly westerners do not.
Then there is the matter of the Taliban. There are good and bad Hazaras, Pashtuns, Sunnis, and Sh'ias. Instead of showing the Taliban as a human problem, Hosseini makes them so evil that they're almost a caricature. Having a character who personifies the sins and taboos of pedophilia and sadism just makes the matter worse. The fact that Assef comes across as a "white devil" with his German mother and his ideation of Nazi Germany actually made me roll my eyes.
Lastly I felt I had no one to root for. Hassan and Ali are sycophants in the way of the driver from Driving Miss Daisy, or Mammy from Gone with the Wind--servants who are happiest when serving and who have no individual identities, hopes, or aspirations beyond perpetuating the lifestyles of their wealthy masters (while they themselves live in shacks). I understand this was probably Hosseini's point, but it doesn't make me any happier. There seems to be a built in sense of self preservation in the human condition to recognize when it is being shortchanged. No matter how kind your masters, I have a hard time believing you would forget (or stop caring) that you were enslaved.
I felt I couldn't root for Amir, either. I neither pitied him nor really wanted him to succeed. It did make me feel a little better knowing that Ali ultimately knew what Amir witnessed and decided to do nothing, and that Rakim seemed to suspect as well, but Amir annoyed me from start to finish.