Aside from the touching story of Amir and Hassan, the book has introduced me to history and insights to Afghanistan. Asad Koraganie (fellow reviewer) has suggested that it is not perfect in the detail. But for someone who has only known Afghanistan through the news from the 80's and post 9/11, this book is more than enough of an introduction that made me follow up with other books and stories about the country.

I came across three junior reader books by Deborah Ellis (which in my opinion not suitable for most children): Breadwinner, Parvana's Journey, and Mud City. I highly recommend these books if you enjoyed Kite Runner.

The book has many insteresting developments in the storyline and the characters that kept me thinking and dreaming even after finishing the book two weeks ago.

The images and references of the monkey and the rabbit(s) were obvious sybmols that linked the story of grandpa Dominico, Concettina's "little bunny rabbit", Dominick's dreams, and the closure with Princess Evil Eye. In a twisted way, I was amused how it all tied everything together.

My favourate part of the book is Dominico Tempesta manuscript. The way the manuscript was "translated" makes each and every sentence subtlely comical and yet honestly reflecting how Dominico felt about his parents, siblings, the church and God, his cousins's neighbors, his wife and daughter, and the Monkey.

I felt for Diminico hard life as an immigrant and I shared his feeling of achievement. I could not help to think of an alternative ending to Dominico's story where he treated his wife nicely and lived happily ever after. And for the Monkey, I wished that he asked her to rest and took care of her if she was sick instead of abusing her.

And much like Dominick, I was afraid to finish reading the manuscript to find out who his father was.