Another book I read as part of my catch-up to books usually read in high school. But the story is fairly bleak, to the say the least, for a high-schooler to read. Well maybe for a comfy suburban boy. I think I avoided the book for a while because I thought it was just another sad story to make the reader feel bad, especially since its about Afghanistan and was published in 2003. But the story is much more than just misery porn. It weaves throughout the most desolate eras of Kabul's existence, which matches the smaller yet no less important guilt and redemption story of Amir. Many authors try to map the character's journey to the turmoil of their surroundings, but few make the connection work as beautifully as Hosseini. It's insane that this is his first novel. While I don't think the book needs to be read during one's teen years like The Catcher in the Rye for it to have maximum effect, it should be read slightly earlier than, say, 28.