One thought: Now that is what I call a good ending!
The ending section was quite a whirlwind. It was just full of twists, turns, and new developments. After the calming middle section about domestic life, this part with all the action and adventure in Afghanistan was just spilling over with energy. Not that I'm complaining.
Everything seemed to come full circle here, with Amir going back to the land of his childhood (although he and it are radically changed), and now with Sohrab, the late Hassan's son, he works slowly to redeem himself from past crimes. But, it's not without any bumps along the road. The scene with Sohrab's despair flowing into a suicide attempt is delivered in such a way to strike to the very core of the reader's heart. The panic and horror Amir feels is delivered in an extremely powerful way. The reader doesn't know exactly what happens at first, only hearing Amir "suddenly [...] on his knees, screaming. Screaming through [his] clenched teeth. Screaming until [he] thought [his] throat would rip and his [chest] explode" (343). Amir's panic is almost tangible at the moment, making it one of the most powerful scenes in the book.
Bringing Sohrab to the US and letting him recuperate is not a fantasy cakewalk, something that would have utterly ruined the book. Instead, Sohrab's silence after the trauma he underwent is much more realistic, and it makes the last scene all the more worth it. When Amir describes how he never gave up trying to engage Sohrab and went to run the kite for Sohrab, he shows just how much he has changed as a person. In the first instance of kite flying in the book he ends up betraying Hassan for his own gain, but now, he is much more sincere, a reformed man working hard to redeem himself.
This story was by far one of the best I have ever read. The ending was excellent, wrapping up the novel in a satisfying, but not corny, way. Overall, the writing was very engaging, and I would highly recommend it for any mature reader.
Book rating: 10/10 (a solid one)
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