This was a painful read, and I mean that as big compliment. I really don’t know much at all about Afghanistan’s history or culture and I think I learnt a lot from this, and am interested in learning more, which I really love when a book does that for me. The characters all feel very human, and complex. Amir is an interesting protagonist, he makes some really bad decisions that hurt people in a terrible way but I also feel the need to defend him, and I think his arc was very well done. This novel is imbued with a deep sense of grief. Grief of a childhood, of innocence, of loved ones, and of a homeland. It’s emotional whiplash tied up in beautiful writing and narrative structure.