The Kite Runner
Powerful
Heartbreaking
Unforgettable

The Kite Runner

I became what I am today at the age of twelve. I remember the precise moment, crouching behind a mud wall on a frigid winter day in 1975 . . . looking into a deserted alley. It's wrong what they say about the past, about how you can bury it, because the past claws its way out. I realize I've been looking into that alley for the last 26 years. Afghanistan is a divided country on the verge of war and two childhood friends are about to be torn apart. It's a beautiful afternoon in Kabul and the skies are full of the excitement and joy of a kite flying tournament. But neither Hassan or Amir can foresee the terrible incident which will shatter their lives forever. Khaled Hosseini's first and international best-selling novel has now been adapted into a stunning stage adaptation by Matthew Spangler. This edition was published for the production at Wyndham's Theatre, London, from 21 December 2016.
Sign up to use

Reviews

Photo of Kaitlyn Wendler
Kaitlyn Wendler@kaitlynwendler
5 stars
Feb 6, 2025

This book was devastating. It exposes the very worst things about the human condition, but still manages to give you hope that people can be good. “For you, a thousand times over” 😭

Photo of ellie
ellie@dihluhn
5 stars
Jan 31, 2025

devastating. loved this book though, a thousand times over.

Photo of diya
diya@diyankilaco
5 stars
Oct 2, 2024

I am left speechless. While I did see a thing or two coming - what I did not predict was the pain this would give me at certain points. Some places, you feel scared to go to the next page, terrified of the next paragraph, petrified of the next line. You come out a little hoepful, a little spent, but overall a little calmer than when you began.

+2
Photo of yasi
yasi@middleschoolbf
2.5 stars
Sep 7, 2024

this is a good book for teenagers to read in class. it is ridiculously heavyhanded and self analyzing

Photo of Emma Lechner
Emma Lechner@emmyofthevalley
5 stars
Aug 20, 2024

This book was heartbreaking the entire way through, but the ending just tied everything together so well and the writing was incredibly poetic and moving I really couldn't rate this any lower no matter how sad it made me

+4
Photo of Maureen
Maureen@bluereen
5 stars
Jul 27, 2024

"For you, a thousand times over." *** I had high expectations for this book. It didn't disappoint. Not one bit. Its Goodreads rating is well deserved, if not more. Really glad to have read this book in my lifetime. This may be the best, non YA book I've ever read (!!)

Photo of pamela enojas
pamela enojas@pam_1109
5 stars
Jul 23, 2024

For you a thousand times over.

Photo of Sajiya Chaudhary
Sajiya Chaudhary@sajiya_khalik
5 stars
Jul 17, 2024

It's written so beautifully, and I couldn't put it down, once I started to read. Also, it's as if Amir and Hassan are a part of life

Photo of anjali
anjali@anjalislibrary
5 stars
Jul 8, 2024

Heart-breaking and very, very beautiful. It left me awed, wondering how writing could achieve and create something as amazing as this. Two days is all it took for me to finish this book, despite my best efforts to read as slowly as possible. Very highly recommended. One of the books that just make you feel immensely.

Photo of Megan Parrott
Megan Parrott@meganparrott
5 stars
Jul 5, 2024

This is one of the first books I remember LOVING. Need to read again.

Photo of armoni mayes
armoni mayes@armonim1
5 stars
Jun 17, 2024

I found this book particularly hard to read, but I am glad I finished it. I feel like I have learned so much about Afghan culture and traditions (although this book is not a history lesson of course). I am glad I read this novel!

Photo of sani
sani@luvterature
1 star
Jun 4, 2024

extremely disheartened by the author's political views.

Photo of Friedrich Schuler
Friedrich Schuler@friiedriich
4 stars
May 26, 2024

I had never read a story set in Afghanistan before. It showed me a lot of the country and its people. Also, the narrative about the two boys, whose destinies are strikingly different, deeply moved me.

+3
Photo of Crystal Mfeka
Crystal Mfeka@crystalbooks-forfun
4 stars
May 21, 2024

What an emotional roller-coaster!

Photo of Amelia C
Amelia C @coffeewithamelia
5 stars
May 20, 2024

it was an excellent book that brought me to tears...

Photo of Marz
Marz @starzreads
5 stars
Apr 26, 2024

One the best books I have read in awhile, I was hesitant to read this book at first because a friend had told me this had pages and pages of meaningless in detail descriptions that were useless to the plot . But I am happy to report they were quite wrong. While this book is full of vivid images they were balanced out by a interesting plotline.I do have to that the real action happens a few chapters into the book and it does absolutly pull at your heartstrings...ah I am not the type to cry reading books but this book left me tearing up at times. Hassan and Amir's friendship is precious and beautiful to witness and it was very upsetting when all didn't turn out as planned. There were one or two inaccuracies in the book but they were easily overlooked as this book I have to say is a must read.

Photo of Andika Farhan
Andika Farhan@bhagavat
4 stars
Apr 17, 2024

Have just finished this book and I wholeheartedly agree. It was a little more contrived and at times frustratingly predictable at key plot turns, but the central motifs and the beautiful characterisation and essence of goodness overcame these minor quibbles. It took my time getting to this book for a great many reasons and now that I have finally read it. This book moved me. I was somewhat blind going into this read, unaware of the content of the story and the true depths of anguish I was about to dive into.


Hosseini was able to pluck heart strings of emotion that I had thought silent and stolid. The themes of loyalty, friendship, devotion countered with betrayal, animosity and selfishness were plaintive notes played out in a literary orchestra of human sentiment.


Beautifully written and told with compassion, empathy and with a skilled writer's eye for detail and expression, this can also be a painful book to read. Not for everyone, but for those who can endure what is at times heartbreaking the reward is as magnificent as is this work.


Can't wait to watch the movie next. Hassan was a reminder of the attractiveness of purity and the parallels with Lord were hard to miss.


“"For you, a thousand times over"

+6
Photo of Ankit Panchal
Ankit Panchal@ankit0404
5 stars
Apr 11, 2024

' For you, A thousand times over... ' Khalied Hosseini just brought the emotions of friendship so precisely on the pages of this novel that you wont put down this novel while reading. It is worth to read the novel. Hosseini is an epic story-teller. Before reading the book, I was just touching outforms words ' The Kite Runner' on the cover. After reading it, while touching these words I can feel the emotions that novel has. So touched by the book. Must read.

Photo of maitha mana
maitha mana@maithalikesapplepies
4 stars
Apr 3, 2024

Very fast paced in comparison with the book, but that's nothing unexpected.

Photo of Joe
Joe@joe2267
5 stars
Mar 17, 2024

The book that got me into reading. A masterpiece.

Photo of Isabella
Isabella @iscbella
3 stars
Mar 13, 2024

as expected from hosseini, the writing is beautiful. he has a way of bringing you in with the main character's journey. devastating book but it falls flat in some areas.

Photo of ellie 💐💌⭐️
ellie 💐💌⭐️@elliebennett
4.5 stars
Mar 7, 2024

Stunning. Devastating. Unforgettable.

Photo of Laura Hilliger
Laura Hilliger@laurahilliger
4.5 stars
Mar 1, 2024

Books should come with trigger warnings though. This book is heavy AF. But good. Really good.

+3
Photo of Lewis Ngugi
Lewis Ngugi@ngeshlew
5 stars
Feb 29, 2024

One word: Awe

Highlights

Photo of khush
khush@khushs

"...the noor of my eyes"

Page 0

the light of his life, very important to him– from the dedication section

Photo of Emma Kim
Emma Kim@emmasaejin

Ein Dozent eines Kurses für Kreatives Schreiben an der San Jose State University hatte einmal über Klischees gesagt: »Meiden Sie sie wie die Pest.« Und lachte dann über seinen eigenen Witz. Der Kurs stimmte mit ein, aber ich fand schon immer, dass Klischees zu Unrecht kritisiert wurden; denn oft treffen sie den Nagel auf den Kopf. Doch die Tauglichkeit einer abgedroschenen Redensart wird überschattet von ihrer Wahrnehmung als Klischee. Zum Bei-

Photo of Gabi🌸🌷
Gabi🌸🌷@bookworm2x

Ima načina da se sve popravi.

Načina da se prekine ciklus.

Page 178
Photo of Gabi🌸🌷
Gabi🌸🌷@bookworm2x

Toliko sreće osjećam da me to plaši. Čovjeku je dano da bude ovoliko sretan samo kad se sprema nešto što će mu to oduzeti.

Page 195
Photo of Gabi🌸🌷
Gabi🌸🌷@bookworm2x

Za tebe tisuću puta.

Photo of Gabi🌸🌷
Gabi🌸🌷@bookworm2x

Djeca nisu bojanke. Ne možeš ih ispunjati svojim omiljenim bojama.

Page 23
Photo of Gabi🌸🌷
Gabi🌸🌷@bookworm2x

No shvatio sam da je pogrešno ono što tvrde za prošlost, da se može odbaciti. Jer prošlost se otima rukama i nogama.

Page 9
Photo of Amalie Elisabeth
Amalie Elisabeth@amalielisabeth

“What I have in ample supply here is children who've lost their childhood. But the tragedy is that these are the lucky ones.”

Page 234
Photo of jakuzi
jakuzi@loveyerin

arkamızda hareketlenen, itişip kakışan çocuklar; ağaçların üstünde yalpalayan, başıboş uçurtmanın peşine çığlık çığlığa düşen bir grup uçurtma avcısı. gözlerimi kırpıştırdım, tebessüm silindi. ama oradaydı. onu görmüştüm. "uçurtmayı senin için yakalamamı ister misin?"* diye sordum. yutkunurken, âdem elması inip çıktı. rüzgâr saçlarını karıştırdı. başını evet anlamında salladığını gördüm.

"senin için bin tane olsa yakalarım."* dediğimi duydum.

sonra döndüm, koşmaya başladım. yalnızca bir gülümsemeydi, hepsi bu. her şeyi düzeltmiş değildi. hiçbir şeyi düzeltmemişti.* belli belirsiz bir tebessüm. minicik bir şey. ormandaki bir yaprak; ansızın havalanan bir kuşun kıpırdattığı bir yaprak. ama kollarımı ardına kadar açıp onu kucaklayacağım. bağrıma basacağım. çünkü bahar gelince, karların tek tek, tane tane eridiğini biliyorum; belki de ilk kar tanesinin eriyişine tanık oldum. koştum. peşinde avaz çığlık bir çocuk sürüsü, deliler gibi koşan, yetişkin bir erkek. ama umurumda bile değil. yüzümü kamçılayan rüzgâra karşı, dudaklarımda pençer vadisi kadar geniş bir tebessüm, koştum, koştum.

Photo of Amalie Elisabeth
Amalie Elisabeth@amalielisabeth

“War doesn't negate decency. It demands it, even more than in times of peace.”

Page 107
Photo of Amalie Elisabeth
Amalie Elisabeth@amalielisabeth

But no one woke up and in the silence that followed, I understood the nature of my new curse: I was going to get away with it.

Page 80
This highlight contains a spoiler
Photo of Amalie Elisabeth
Amalie Elisabeth@amalielisabeth

That's what I made myself believe. I actually aspired to cowardice, because the alternative, the real reason I was running, was that Assef was right: Nothing was free in this world. Maybe Hassan was the price I had to pay, the lamb I had to slay, to win Baba.

Page 73
This highlight contains a spoiler
Photo of Amalie Elisabeth
Amalie Elisabeth@amalielisabeth

The streets glistened with fresh snow and the sky was a blameless blue.

Page 57
Photo of Amalie Elisabeth
Amalie Elisabeth@amalielisabeth

Maybe Baba would even read one of my stories. I'd write him a hundred if I thought he'd read one.

Page 53
Photo of Amalie Elisabeth
Amalie Elisabeth@amalielisabeth

And that's the thing about people who mean everything they say. They think everyone else does too.

Page 51
Photo of Amalie Elisabeth
Amalie Elisabeth@amalielisabeth

Baba and I lived in the same house, but in different spheres of existence. Kites were the one paper-thin slice of intersection between those spheres.

Page 46
Photo of Amalie Elisabeth
Amalie Elisabeth@amalielisabeth

Huddled together in the dining room and waiting for the sun to rise, none of us had any notion that a way of life had ended. Our way of life. If not quite yet, then at least it was the beginning of the end.

Page 34
Photo of Amalie Elisabeth
Amalie Elisabeth@amalielisabeth

"Children aren't coloring books. You don't get to fill them with your favorite colors."

Page 21
Photo of Elena Menendez
Elena Menendez@baghoot

Pour toi, un millier de fois, m'entendis-je déclarer.

Page 406

The most heartbreaking sentence

Photo of Shelby Doherty
Shelby Doherty@dohertys17

That's how children deal with terror. They fall asleep.

Page 341
This highlight contains a spoiler
Photo of fabiha
fabiha@wtfabiha

He stopped, turned. He cupped his hands around his mouth. "For you a thousand times over!" he said. Then he smiled his Hassan smile and disappeared around the corner.

Page 59

I remember when i first read this i knew what was about to happen ya😭😭😭

This highlight contains a spoiler
Photo of fabiha
fabiha@wtfabiha

"For you, a thousand times over," I heard myself say.

Page 322

cried my heart out

Photo of sin h.
sin h.@sincity

And I could almost feel the emptiness in [her] womb, like it was a living, breathing thing. It had seeped into our marriage, that emptiness, into our laughs, and our lovemaking. And late at night, in the darkness of our room, I'd feel it rising from [her] and settling between us. Sleeping between us. Like a newborn child.

Photo of sin h.
sin h.@sincity

Children aren't coloring books. You don't get to fill them with your favorite colors.