The Kite Runner
I’ve always had this small dream of becoming a professional reviewer or critic of this or that media — novels, popular movies. Then I could write a review and give things “A -“, which would force onto the cover the movie poster or book an “A -“, begging the question “What… deficiency knocked its grade down?”
The other effect is the old Siskel and Ebert show. That show tossed in the trash-bin for use any pull-quote by Siskel or Ebert (in favor of “Two Thumbs Up”), and made moot for promotional use any review by Siskel or Ebert if the other gave a negative review.
There is this effect in reading The Kite Runner that comes with its quick “Study Guide” inclusion, which is a product of the novel’s immediatnotch to the status of “Big Important Literature”, and the fact of its study guide affects my reading rather detrimentally, even if I paid that no mind. I was consciously aware that I was paying too much attention to structure. So… what is that? A few points deducted due to post-production presentation?
With that, I can say it is a depressing ending. Bleak and full of despair. With that little narrative tic of wrapping it into the feeling of bitter-sweetness. But that only magnifies the destitution. On its own, it wouldn’t be too bleak, but the emphasis on the tiny shining light as a positive source for optimism is what makes it depressing.
But this is a novel regarding Afghanistan and the by-product of three decades of war and turmoil, so that is pretty much the way things have to be, I would suppose.
Back into the world of current events, with something like 130 percent of the vote counted, Harmid Karzai has pulled out of run-off status against his competitors. Next up is the what now?