Reviews with content warning for Death of parent - The Kite Runner: Graphic Novel

Reviews tagging 'Death of parent'

The Kite Runner: Graphic Novel by Mirka Andolfo, Tommaso Valsecchi, Khaled Hosseini, Fabio Celoni

6 reviews

lawbooks600's review against another edition

emotional medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Representation: Asian characters
Score: Seven out of ten.

Okay. This one was brutal. I liked this illustrated adaptation of The Kite Runner, but I don't want to reread this one. I only saw it on a library display shelf a few days ago and decided to pick it up. I glanced at the intriguing blurb, and when I closed the final page, I enjoyed it, but it was heartrending.

This specific version of The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini (with artwork from Fabio Celoni and Mirka Andolfo) starts with Amir in the 1970s living his life in Afghanistan, but most prominently, he spends some of his time flying and fighting other kites. That is until the Soviets invade Afghanistan, forcing him to flee to America, but that is only one part of the narrative. The first half or so focuses on Amir's life in Afghanistan, which can be difficult for him sometimes, because of expectations from his father rooted in toxic masculinity, like having to physically fight off people, when Amir would rather read and even write a book. Scratch that. It was a lot more than difficult. The second half, lasting only a few pages, revolves around Amir living in America in the 1980s, then going back to Taliban-controlled Afghanistan in the early 2000s in the bittersweet final pages, which looks entirely different to the Afghanistan he knew.

I don't know where to begin with The Kite Runner, but I'll try: I mostly liked the art, except the intense and graphic scenes that appeared sometimes, which were harder to read. I liked the characters, especially Amir, as he developed his character, and showed traits I appreciated. I know this edition of The Kite Runner is less than 150 pages, making it short, it still uses every page and nothing goes to waste. The only white space are the margins. The pacing is swift, too. I liked this one, and wonder what the original is like.

Content Warnings