The Kite Runner (original 2003; edition 2004)

Leijapoika on Khaled Hosseinin vuonna 2003 julkaistu esikoisromaani. Suomessa kirja julkaistiin vuonna 2004 (Otava) ja suomentajana toimi Erkki Jukarainen. Hosseinin leijapoika on yhteiskunnallisesti kantaaottava romaani, jossa tarkastellaan esimerkiksi Afganistanin valtion kehitystä sekä eroja länsimaisen ja islamilaisen kulttuuripiirien välillä. Kirjailija on itse asunut Afganistanissa ja muuttanut myöhemmin Yhdysvaltoihin, mikä näkyy hänen ainutlaatuisessa ja todentuntuisessa tavassa kuvata näitä kahta valtiota.

Päähenkilö Amir asuu isänsä Baban sekä kahden palvelijan kanssa Kabulin kaupungissa. Amir ja perheen palvelijapoika Hassan ovat läheisiä ystäviä, mutta iän myötä pojat oppivat olevansa erittäin erilaisissa asemissa yhteiskunnallisesti. Talibanit tuhoavat Afganistania ja tämän seurauksena Amir pakenee tapahtumia isänsä kanssa Yhdysvaltoihin. Amerikassa asuessaan hän ryhtyy kirjailijaksi ja menee naimisiin, mutta menneisyyden virheet eivät jätä häntä rauhaan. Amirille tarjotaan tilaisuus korjata virheensä palaamalla Kabuliin. Päähenkilön matka synnyinkaupunkiinsa käynnistää yllättävien sattumusten sarjan, jonka seurauksena hänen elämänsä muuttuu pysyvästi.

Leijapojassa tapahtumien kulku esitetään realistisesti ja yksityiskohtaisesti. Kronologiassa leikitellään muutamilla takaumilla, mutta kaiken kaikkiaan juonenkäänteet tapahtuvat lineaarisesti. Tarina sijoittuu 1970-luvun Afganistaniin. Kirjassa käsitellään isän ja pojan välistä suhdetta, päähenkilön omaa kasvutarinaa, ystävyyttä ja yhteiskunnallisia epäkohtia. Leijapojan monitasoisuus pitää lukijan mielenkiinnon yllä läpi tarinan.

Mielestäni Leijapoika on uniikki ja avartava lukukokemus ystävyydestä ja velvollisuuksista. Kirjaa lukiessani ajantaju katosi ja kirjan sivut kääntyivät kuin itsestään. Hosseinin tapa kuvata Amirin tunteita on vangitseva ja kiehtova. Vaikka päähenkilölle tapahtuvat asiat ovat kaukana omasta todellisuudestani, hänen ajatuksiinsa ja tunteisiinsa oli helppoa samaistua. Suosittelen Khaled Hosseinin Leijapoikaa kaikille, jotka kaipaavat mukaansatempaavaa ja vaikuttavaa lukukokemusta.

Maisa

Khaled Hosseinin Leijapoika (2003) kertoo varakkaan ja arvostetun kabulilaisen mahtimiehen pojasta Amirista ja tämän köyhästä ja halveksitusta hazarapalvelijasta Hassanista. Koko lapsuutensa yhdessä viettäneet pojat ovat melkein kuin veljiä toisilleen. Kaikki muuttuu kuitenkin vuonna 1975 leijanlennätyskilpailun jälkeen, kun Hassanin joutuu heitä kiusanneen pojan seksuaalisesti pahoinpitelemäksi ja Amir katsoo vierestä uskaltamatta mennä väliin.

Syyllisyys tapahtuneesta jää vaivaamaan Amiria vielä kauan sen jälkeenkin, kun ystävysten tiet ovat eronneet ja Amir ja tämän isä asuvat Amerikassa. Vuosikymmenien kuluttua Amir saa tilaisuuden hyvittää tekonsa ja lähtee takaisin talibanien julmasti hallitsemaan Afganistaniin.

Hosseini kertoo uskomattoman tarinan ystävyydestä ja anteeksiannosta, joka ei ole tippaakaan ennalta-arvattava. Tarinassa käsiteltiin monia eri teemoja, mm. isä-poika-suhdetta, kasvua aikuiseksi ja itselleen anteeksi antamista, joten se myös herätti tunteita laidasta laitaan, vihasta iloon ja suruun. Mielenkiintoista on myös, että kertoja, eli Amir kokee itsensä pelkurina, eikä juurikaan etsi sille tekosyitä. Leijapoika on upea kasvutarina, jossa nuori, virheen tehnyt poika kasvaa aikuiseksi ja saa tilaisuuden hyvittää tekonsa. Hosseini kuvaa Amirin tunteita ja ajatuksia aidosti ja ymmärrettävästi, ja hänen mielipiteidensä ja käsitystensä muuttumista vuosien varrella on kiehtovaa seurata ja niihin on myös helppo samaistua, vaikka kulttuuri onkin täysin eri.

Leijapoika on yhteiskunnallisesti kantaaottava teos, sillä Hosseini kuvaa myös Afganistanin oloja ja siellä asuvien ihmisten, erityisesti naisten ja lasten kärsimystä. Sitä ei kuitenkaan korosteta liiaksi, vaan tarinassa tasapainottelevat sekä ilo ja ystävyys, että kärsimys ja suru. Tapahtumat etenevät kronologisesti ja lukemista ei vain pystynyt lopettamaan kesken. Kulttuurin ja historian kannalta yhteiskunnallisten olojen käsittely sekä sotien kuvaukset ovat mielenkiintoisia ja Hosseinin kerronnasta huomaa, että hän todella tietää, mistä puhuu, sillä hän on syntynyt ja elänyt lapsuutensa Afganistanissa.

Jenna ( )

One of my all time favorite novels. Tells of the plight of the Afghani people from the perspective of a young boy growing up in war-torn Afghanistan. One of the strongest stories of grace and redemption I've ever read. Khaled Hosseini is an amazing author who can tell vivid and detailed stories with grit, raw emotion, and truly spoke to my heart. This story at one point made me consider Afghanistan as a possible mission field for our family. But, God had other plans for us. ( )

Good work by the author impressed me and also it's a good historical fiction book....:) ( )

Good work by the author impressed me and also it's a good historical fiction book....:) ( )

Very inspirational and moving story as it details the story of a boy who grew up with faults that are relatable to everyone's. It also taught me a lot about Afghanistan culture and the historical events that happened in that place. It was overall very interesting and pulled me into the story. I would definitely reccommend it. ( )

"The Kite Runner" was a book which I wasn't sure about reading at first. I wasn't really sure what to expect as for as the content of the book. When I started reading I was somewhat confused by the book and where it was going. But as I got farther into it, I really got myself engaged. I could literally feel characters' emotions at times and could understand their actions. It was a very well written book and the plot has many twists in it. Usually, plot twists can be seen but not guessed for me. But in this book, some things came as a complete shock and just made me want to read more. Overall it was a very immersive book that is a must read. ( )

“The Kite Runner”, by Khaled Hosseni, is an amazing, and touching story which revolves around the life of a young Afghani boy named Amir and his relations with his father and best friend Hassan. A beauty of the novel is that it shows how this one little boy goes through love, hate, betrayal and regret. As this all takes place in Kabul, Afghanistan during the period of the Soviet Russia invasion, along with political tension, there is also the cultural/social tension between classes causing many of the strains on Amir’s relationships. All in all, the story is wonderful, and will no doubt make your heart ache as it has done to mine. ( )

Such an amazing book! I definitely recommend it to high school students and older. It was very moving and inspirational to see how realism connects to the rich history and culture shown in the book. ( )

I absolutely loved this book. I chose to read it for a school project and I'm glad that I did. The language and writing is easy to understand and the foreshadowing leaves you always wanting more. There are several serious situations throughout the book sometimes making it difficult to read, but it is also filled with huge plot twists which surprised me at every turn. It was a great read and I would reccomend it to anyone looking for a story about guilt and betrayal. ( )

This is a emotionally difficult read but a beautifully told story about love and betrayal and loss. The characters are from Afghanistan and the book takes place in Afghanistan and the U.S/California. Be prepared to cry and feel appalled during parts of this book. I didn’t find the end particularly satisfying but I imagine that some of my dissatisfaction has to do with cultural differences. This is a good story and gives some insight into the Afghanistan of not so long ago and of its immigrants to the U.S. He has great psychological insight about his characters. ( )

I read The Kite Runner for a school assignment. I am thankful I did have this assignment, though, as I probably would not have read the book otherwise. The Kite Runner is now on my list of the top 5 best books that I have ever read. The characterization, conflicts, setting, and powerful emotions make it an awe-inspiring, sorrowful tale of perseverance in the face of adversity. Although the beginning was a little slow due to it being just basic background information, around chapter 5, things really began to pick up in the novel and I could not put it down. Overall, I would highly recommend this novel to my friends and family.

The Kite Runner definitely deserves 5 stars because it was as close to perfect as book could be in my opinion. I would greatly enjoy reading it again in the future. ( )

An amazing novel set in Afghanistan that tells the story of two boys, Amir and Hassan, and how their friendship affects their future. ( )

Good story, no doubt, but reeking of melodrama. It's the kind of book where if someone coughs, you know they are doomed and no coincidence is too far fetched. I listened to the author read the book and I don't think he did it many favors. By the end you are parodying the flat sentences in your head. I must grant that once hooked, you must see it through to the end, but prepare for the jerking of those tears. ( )

I resisted reading this book initially, because I tend to not really enjoy books that take place in the Middle East and surrounding areas, but I was desperate for reading material and this was on the shelf. It was not at all what I expected -- it was good! Written more like an American book, its a story that could have taken place anywhere in the world. It gives a more human face to the war in Afghanistan, the same way many WWI and II books do for that war.
An interesting theme of the novel is the Christian imagery -- a surprise, considering the Muslim setting.
Definitely worth the read! ( )

Not much to say writing several years after reading this--pretty good but I guess I felt there was something too easy about the story and it's resolution. ( )

good book ( )

This was amazing. There were parts that were hard to read, but overall, just unbelievable (in a good way). This is another book that I think everyone should read, if only to gain some sort of insight into Middle Eastern culture. ( )

For me, what stood out about this book was not so much the plot or characters, but the setting. When one sees Afghanistan on the news, it looks completely bleak, desolate, and monochromatic. The Afghanistan in [b:The Kite Runner|77203|The Kite Runner|Khaled Hosseini|http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51m925LY6uL._SL75_.jpg|3295919] is far more beautiful than that and described with the love that comes from loss. I also loved the parts about the kite-fighting. The plot and characters were occasionally somewhat implausible but I overlooked that for the other things I liked about the book. ( )

i couldn't get into it. so acclaimed, so popular, so unread by me.... i loved 1k splendid suns - identify more with the women's plight than the difficulties of friendship between two young boys. ( )

A captivating book. It will grab your heart and you will feel all that Amir is feeling, you will marvel at Soraya, suffer for Hassan, feel guilty, everything!
Amazing, it is beautiful yet that does not take truth from the situation. ( )

Definitely not one I would have normally read, but I really enjoyed it. It was 4 stars right up until the very end. I can't quite put my finger on it, but I wasn't thrilled with the end. I felt like the author rambled a lot, in an effort to draw out the book. The last 50 pages or so I did a lot of skimming. Overall, though, a good book and one I'm glad I read. ( )

I first read this book in 2005, for a book club discussion. Recently, I decided to listen to the audio version of this powerful story. Khalad Hosseini does an excellent job reading his own work, and it's wonderful to have a reader who knows exactly how to pronounce the Farsi and Dari words he sprinkles in the novel..

Set in Afghanistan and Pakistan in 1975-76, 1981, and August 2001; and in Fremont, California, from 1981 through December 2001, this novel has as its backdrop the tumultuous recent history of Afghanistan - the overthrow of the monarchy, the invasion of the Soviets, the takeover by the Taliban, and 9/11.

The main character is Amir, son of a wealthy man in Kabul he calls Baba. When the book begins in December 2001, Amir is 38, and he is remembering what happened that previous summer, when an old family friend calls from Pakistan. The book then flashes back to Kabul in 1975, when Amir is twelve years old. His main companion is a boy a year younger than him, Hassan, the son of his father's servant Ali. Ali and Hassan are Hazaras, an ethnic group looked down upon by other ethnic groups in Afghanistan. Amir and Hassan compete together in kite-fighting competitions, and Hassan is Amir's kite runner - the one who tracks down the kites they cut down and brings them back as trophies. One day in the winter of 1975, something happens while Hassan is running a kite that changes things forever.

Besides providing fascinating insights into life in Afghanistan and for Afghan refugees in America during this period, The Kite Runner is also an exploration of betrayal and "a way to be good again," of the relationships between fathers and sons, and of the meaning of friendship. Highly recommended.

© Amanda Pape - 2013

[The audiobook and a print copy for reference were borrowed from and returned to my local public library. A version of this review also appears on .] ( )

A genius idea for a story that could have been deep and meaningful in more than a 'I think we can get a screenplay out of this' way. That's not to say it wasn't enjoyable, it was, very, but it isn't literature. The characters are cheesy and one dimensional and appear and disappear in not very realistic ways throughout the book. The politics are none to subtle either. But, it was a good and undemanding read and I've rounded up the 3.5 stars to a 4.

Usually if I enjoy a book on a fairly shallow level, one where I'm not invested emotionally and will be upset if the director has a different vision from me, I can't wait to see the film. But in this case, I've read the book, it's enough, I don't think I would ever reread it either.

Enjoy it when you want something undemanding, a nice blockbuster type of book set in exotic climes, but don't expect it to live up to the hype, it's just not that good. ( )

The Kite Runner is an interesting and insightful look into Afghanistan before the various wars that have engulfed it. It is seen through the eyes of Amir, the protagonist. Numerous themes abound in this work: war, loyalty, racism, sacrifice, forgiveness and redemption. However it is really the last theme that will provoke differing opinions. Does the reader feel that the protagonist has achieved redemption by the end of the novel? Is this something that could in fact be achieved? ( )

Wow. It has been a long time since I read a book that made my jaw literally drop. A really long time. I've read some good books, but this book shocked me to the point that my jaw dropped and I sat shaking my head in wonder. This book was so good, on so many levels, that me talking about it surely can't do it justice.

Without giving too much away, I will just say that I was enlightened and appalled by this book. I couldn't believe some of the events that occurred in the story. No, I take that back, I could believe them, but I didn't want to.

The Kite Runner tells the story of Amir, and his relationships from childhood to adulthood, focusing mainly on his father, Baba, and their servants, Ali and his son Hassan. Amir describes the prejudice that ran rampant in Afghanistan in the 70's - and still does, apparently. He tells the story of not only the loss of his childhood, but the loss of his country as well.

I think that's all that I will write. Just read this book. ( )