The Kite Runner

When most people here the word Afghanistan they think of terrorism and the war but The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini gives us a different perspective into the country. The story takes place in Kabul where the main character Amir is a well off pashtun child (a ethnic group) who's family lives in a big house and owns servants including a hazara child (another ethnic group that is discriminated against by the pashtuns). Amir and the hazara boy Hassan are close friends.

In an effort to win the approval of his father, Amir and Hassan enter the local kite flying competition in which the last kite flying wins and the objective is to cut down other kites with your kite line. After Amir cuts down the last kite, Hassan his kite runner goes to retrieve it so Amir can win his fathers approval. Amir follows Hassan out after a while and witnesses Hassan with the kite but being "bullied" by the local bullies in order to keep it and bring it back to Amir. However, Amir is too much of a coward to help and just watches. Later Hassan returns with the kite and gives it to Amir and his father is proud of him at last but it is an empty feeling for him. Disgusted at himself Amir eventually drives Hassan and his father out of their jobs and lives.

 Then the war came and Russia invaded Afghanistan. Since Amir and his father are well off they escaped as refugees to America and started a new life. Everything is dandy for Amir until he received a call from an old friend and his past and is given a chance to redeem himself in the eyes of Hassan.

The story is just amazing and it is suspenseful from the first page to the last. It is hard to put down the book after starting it. The book has a well written and complex storyline and is filled with suspense. Just when you think the story is slowing down Khaled Hosseini throws a curveball at the reader that shocks the hell out of you.

The Kite Runner gives readers a different perspective of Afghanistan but more importantly contains themes that transcends all cultures and applies to all human beings. It is a story about loyalty, friendship, love, approval seeking, cruelty, and ultimately redemption.

The one negative for the book is that it is not for children. That being said it is a best seller selling 10 million copies since 2003 and has been adapted into a movie. I don't usually read but i would recommend this book.