A friend bought me this book as they thought it would aid me in my volunteering with the Refugee Council. It's certainly made me think more deeply about the experience of being a refugee and how arriving in a safer place is only the start. It's also a taut and carefully-crafted novel. I enjoyed the book so much that I am starting a ray for it.

Players so far:
Me
Pakasnelly
harry-sougin - UK
bluecat07 - Germany
Bjorg - Iceland
daberco - USA
fairydustwings - USA

Received from TurquoiseFloyd yesterday, thank you both!

I'll start it as soon as I've finished my WWII 1000 pager epic; two hundred pages to go...

If I can read a book without being badly distracted by the TV - not to mention finishing it in one day - then it deserves 10 stars! In fact, I can't think of any criticism at all, despite being pretty pedantic! Must go see what Amazon UKers have to say...

I'm glad I read The Bookseller of Kabul recently as that gave me some useful background to this book. (Conversely,The Kite Runner explains why kite flying was on the Taliban's banned list.) Neither are an 'easy' read - very uncomfortable at times - but so worth while! Thank you KenseyRiver for sharing.

Pakasanelly's memory jogger - Amir, Hassan, Baba, Ali, Rahim Khan, Assef.

Have PMd harry-sougin today for address.

recieved this book after many good reports, looking forward to reading it!

The book arrived here today. Thanks for sending it, harry-sougin! I am looking forward to reading it!

I really liked this book, it was an interesting and moving read.

Sorry, it took me so long - too many rings showing up at the same time.

The book is now on its way to Bjorg.

Thank you so much for this ring, KenseyRiver!

Just got the book:) am going on a holiday and will bring it with me:)thanks bluecat07!!

I just loved this book, I must say it´s one of the best books I´ve read this year. For me it was a real pageturner. The story was so intresting and well written and it brought me to tears a few times;) I´ve not a single bad thing to say about this book!!

I can´t find daberco which is the next person in line!!! so I will send the book to fairydustwings once I get the address!!

it´s been a while since I PMed fairydustwings but I´ve not gotten any answer. PMed again today;)

Am sending the book home on monday:)

Book returned safely home and will now visit the Ipswich book meet to tempt further reades.

This has been well travelled, and has picked up a few rave reviews...I was pursuaded at today's Ipswich meet-up ;)

(10/04) Good, very good, but patchy IMHO. Hosseini has thrown the whole kitchen sink this 1st(?) novel. Luckily as the book moves forward over 25 years and from Kabul to Peshawar (Pakistan) to Fremont, CA and back again, there are good episodes to balance the less good ;) I thought Amir and Hassan as boys, culminating in the Kite Fighting/Running competition and a massive betrayal, was very poignant. Amir and Baba's flight out of Afghanistan and as emigres in the US was weaker. The return to his Taliban-ruled home to rescue his ****** was partly shocking, part black comedy (Assef as a Muslim Kurtz!) and ultimately sad; an Afghani fatalism pervades the story.

As a cultural history of this troubled land Hosseini writes from the heart and is peerless. For me it doesn't quite work on the central love-betrayal-redemption theme; Amir and his father's relationship isn't convincing. Lastly, KH bravely avoids a couple of obvious plot devices...reunion, reconciliationx2, happy-ever-after...call me a sentimentalist, but I missed them!

Update: by DW is reading this...and then we are passing on to a friend. Thanks to all for sharing