![]() Then comes a revelation of still one more long-held secret that sets Amir on a return trip to Afghanistan (now under the worst years of Taliban dominance) to rescue Hassan's child. From that rift, the story moves forward as Amir and his father emigrate to California, where Amir matures, marries, and becomes a successful writer, but is still plagued by those old sins and lies. A horrific event, a secret kept, the loss of personal honor, and a lie come between the boys. I've put The Kite Runner directly into the hands of perfect strangers in book stores and said, "Read this one." In a nutshell, Amir, the son of a well-to-do Afghani, has a best friend, Hassan, who is the illiterate child of Amir's father's long-time servant. No, I'll go further: it's one of maybe 8-10 books I'd choose to take to a deserted isle. I read 2-3 books a week, and this is without a doubt my favorite of this year. But we can never know what these people have lost. The customs and food and smells of the city the desolation of life and the loss of the country to madmen who are running it with only their imagined vulgar needs and wealth in mind that destroys a culture so varied and rich.We can imagine we are there, and we can share in the sights, the smells, the utter disregard for human life. This is a gritty book, the beauty and violence of this country, Afghanistan, comes to life. The search takes him back to Afghanistan, to an orphanage, a meeting with a member of the Taliban, a search for his lost city and culture and for a prize he will cherish, for the truth and for the life he regains. Amir searches for news of his friend, Hassan. This turns out to be a life renewing event. As time marched on, Amir lost his father to cancer and was summoned to Pakistan to meet with an old family friend. Amir married, went to college, all the while wondering what happened to his childhood friend, the one he betrayed. Amir grew up in a different land, but with the same Afghanistan culture. Their lives would intertwine even when separated.When the Russian army invaded, Amir and his father fled to the United States, California. Amir was the spolied son, Hassan was the intelligent and intuitive servant's son. ![]() Amir would have the most beautiful toys and particularly kites, and Hassan would be able to help Amir play with the toys and run (fly) his kite. Amir would learn to read and Hassan would not. There may be a difference in the lives they led, but they became fast friends. Amir is the son of a wealthy businessman, and Hassan is the son of the servant, Hazara. Amir and Hassan, friends, raised in the same household, but in different worlds. How could we be fighting for freedom in this far off land, Afghanistan, and not understand the people their heritage, their land and what they lost?This book transports us to a very different time in the 1960's. This is a book at once so magnificent,it is difficult to comprehend and describe. This book puts a name and face to the people we are helping to free. "The Kite Runner" by Khaled Hosseini is one of those marvelous books that opens up our hearts and minds. A story that will stay with you long after you have put down the novel. Khaled Hosseini's magnum opus of a novel. I cannot praise this book enough for its staying power in its readers' minds.ĥ/5. There were times I flipped back to old chapters to understand the significance of certain elements. Each character and conflict brought to life and is a new perspective that hasn't been seen before.Īlso, Hosseini's use of foreshadowing and symbolism makes this book one that can be reread many times. I applaud Hosseini for bringing in an Afghan perspective to the American mainstream. It can be distressing in many parts, but the story redeems itself ultimately in the end. There is a rollercoaster of emotions in this book as it also deals with several dark themes such as betrayal, loss of innocence, and regret. ![]() Pre and post-war Afghanistan is so perfectly described that I felt as if I was there. There were times I couldn't put this book down. The ways Khaled Hosseini describes each setting and character is near perfect. ![]() The novel is rich in the Afghan perspective as well as universal themes we can all identify with - childhood friendship, regret and redemption, father and son love. The Kite Runner is a coming-of-age story based in pre-war Afghanistan to the modern-day US.
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