This book is a clumsy exercise in melodrama, consistently given a free pass for its topical setting that allows affluent Westerners to feel righteous empathy and solidarity with cliched archetypes. The underlying literary themes in this book - loyalty, family, regret - are all dealt with infinitely better by better authors in better books. Coupled with the fact that the Kite Runner's unweildy prose has all the grace of a highschool newspaper article, it's a wonder how people keep praising it.
Frankly it says more about our need for self congratulation over how understanding and enlightened we are than it does any merit of the book.
The literary value here is vastly lacking compared to the headline news appeal. This is not a book that will not stand the test of time. It pulls together everything that's BIG HOT NEWS right now but at its core is little more than a shadow of a real literary achievement. This is the Spice Girls of books.