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The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini – Book Review & Literary Analysis | A Novel Review

A Novel Review – Book Podcast

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Warm-up Questions

Have you read (or heard of) The Kite Runner? What kind of story do you think it is from the title?
When you watch a book review, what do you want most: a plot summary, an opinion, or a literary analysis?
Do you prefer reviews that avoid spoilers, or reviews that discuss the full story?

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The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini – Book Review & Literary Analysis | A Novel Review

Intro + overview of The Kite Runner (00:00 – 03:49)

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1. Besides The Kite Runner, what other book does the speaker say he will also discuss?

East of Eden
The Patience Stone
Blood Meridian
The Color Purple

2. What does the speaker say he particularly liked about Hosseini’s writing?

It is extremely short and simple
It is incredibly visual and vivid
It is very funny and light
It focuses mostly on scientific facts

3. Why do Amir and Baba go to America, according to the overview?

They flee after the Taliban takes over Afghanistan
They go to study at university
They go on a holiday to watch kite festivals
They move for a new job opportunity

The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini – Book Review & Literary Analysis | A Novel Review

Key themes, quotation, and critique of the plot (03:49 – 13:26)

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1. What does the speaker call the main source of tension in the early part of the story?

A romance story in Kabul
A mystery about missing money
The relationship between the father and the son
A competition to win a scholarship

2. In the quoted passage, what does the narrator say “history isn’t easy to overcome,” along with religion?

History
Weather
Language
Poverty

3. What plot choice does the speaker criticize because it reduces the story’s ‘chief tension’ and affects the redemption arc?

A new character becoming the narrator
Hassan having passed away off screen
Amir moving to a different city in America
The story ending with a wedding scene

The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini – Book Review & Literary Analysis | A Novel Review

Comparing the books + next country and next reads (13:26 – 17:36)

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1. What major similarity does the speaker notice in both books’ backgrounds?

A sports rivalry
A school setting
A detective investigation
The threat of war and destruction

2. What is the next country in the speaker’s book world tour?

Afghanistan
Jordan
Israel
The United States of America

3. Which two books does the speaker say he will read for the USA month?

The Color Purple and The Patience Stone
Blood Meridian and The Color Purple
The Kite Runner and The Patience Stone
East of Eden and Blood Meridian

The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini – Book Review & Literary Analysis | A Novel Review

Transcript will load here…

1. What is one of the speaker’s main criticisms of the novel’s second half?

It has too many female characters
It avoids all political context
It changes key relationships without enough development and weakens the ‘chief tension’
It becomes too focused on comedy

2. What idea does the speaker find powerful when discussing Amir’s perspective on Afghanistan?

History is irrelevant to friendship
Travel is always safe if you read books
War only affects soldiers, not civilians
Being an ‘upper class member’ can make you a ‘tourist’ in your own country

3. When comparing the two Afghanistan novels, what social issue does the speaker highlight as missing?

Humor and jokes
Descriptions of food
Women’s presence and perspectives
References to technology

Discussion Questions

Discuss the ideas from this video

The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini – Book Review & Literary Analysis | A Novel Review

The speaker says the early ‘chief tension’ is the father–son relationship. Do you agree that this kind of tension can drive a whole novel? Why or why not?
What do you think makes a redemption arc feel believable and satisfying in a story?
The speaker highlights ethnic/religious divisions (e.g., Pashtun/Hazara; Sunni/Shia). How can authors show these divisions without reducing characters to labels?
Do you think it is fair to criticize a novel for the “complete absence of women”? What factors should a reviewer consider?