The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini: This came to me highly recommended. That is, the “OMG THIS BOOK IS SO GOOD” sort of highly recommended. But you know, I wasn’t all that impressed with it. The bits and pieces of Afghan culture that shone through now and then were interesting, but really it was just your standard tale of betrayal, guilt, and redemption. Pretty predictable, all in all. I’m not saying it wasn’t well-written, just that it didn’t really grab me. Part of this problem may be due to listening to it on audiobook, which was read by the author. Some people believe that authors are the ideal choice for narrators, but I disagree. Sure, the author may know best how the characters are supposed to sound, but that doesn’t mean s/he can reproduce them. Not everyone is a good voice actor, and Hosseini, for all his talent as a writer, most certainly is not. I’d say I’d consider reading the printed version at some point to give it a second chance, but I’m sure I’d still only be able to hear his monotone voice in my head. A shame, because with the right narrator I’m sure this could have been a very moving tale.

Also posted on BookCrossing.