So, I'm having trouble trying to put into words my feelings about this book. Therefore, here is a rambling of my thoughts.
Yes, it was good. However, I have a "but" lingering in the background and I'm not sure why. Here's what I can tell you. The jacket comments are accurate, such as, "Powerful", "Unforgettable", "Haunting", "Moving". It is by no means a light read, and as one critic said, it is a story that stays with you. Then I read a full pendulum of reviews from readers both hailing it as the best book ever written and others not liking it at all. While the majority opinion falls on the positive side, I am somewhere closer to the middle.
So what is it about? Well, I personally can't describe this as a feelgood story, although redemption does come toward the very end. It is a story about two boys who grew up in Afghanistan and follows the life of one boy in particular through his immigration to the United States. It describes the difficulty, hardships and challenges in their lives from the 1970's to post-9/11, and there are many sad occurrences throughout this story that may leave you with a heavy heart. I did greatly appreciate the insight into Afghan life, and found it is a good reminder to everyone that you cannot define the people of a country solely upon the acts of their leader(s). However I did find this book a bit depressing and don't think that it would be for everyone.
Therefore, to sum it up I'll say this: Yes, it was good. Yes, I'm glad that I read it. And yes, I'm ready to move on to something else now. Oh, and no, I won't forget it.
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