There was so much packed into this novel that I did not expect. It was a little bit of a slow starter for me (I was in a bit of a slump), but all of a sudden I could NOT put it down, and I raced through the last half. 
 This one hit my emotions really hard, and in ways I didn't necessarily expect even though I knew the book generally would be difficult. I also would note that the book does contain sexual violence, as well as other types of violence in its depiction of the war and the Taliban. I would warn that if you find that kind of content triggering, you will probably be triggered. 
 Thankfully, none of the awful stuff in this book felt like it was disingenuous or for shock value - the reason it was so heartbreaking is because the landscape of the novel felt so real. You can tell that Hosseini grew up in Kabul from the way he talks about it, as the people and the city felt so real in this novel, and that note of authenticity rang through everything in this novel. Considering how much time it covers and that it isn't exactly massive, he somehow grounds every scene (in and out of Afghanistan) with this amazing sense of place. I also like how subtly he weaves this context into the fabric of his story. Political turmoil isn't something that is reported on in batches in the novel, but it is woven into the fabric of their lives, and nearly fades into the background - which I thought was the perfect decision, given the age of the narrator for many of the events. 
 On that note, I loved our not-so-heroic narrator. I like that we were put in the shoes of someone who is ordinary, and see his world through his privileged yet also flawed eyes. His survivor's guilt, his selfishness, and then his way back through all of his mistakes to finally make it right. For me, this was a story of family and love and sacrifice, but it was also a redemption arc, leading perhaps not to a perfect world or a perfect life, but to a better one. You're not supposed to read this and romanticise Afghans and the wars, but you're supposed to understand - a fine balance perfectly achieved through this narrator. 
 While tremendously hyped, it lived up to it, and I will definitely be recommending this one. It is one of those rare novels where you feel you have been truly immersed in another's life, and you come out knowing more about humanity and yourself than you did when you went in.