For You, a Thousand Times Over: Review of "The Kite Runner"
Emmanuella Adache
The Kite Runner is a story set in the Capital of Afghanistan, Kabul. Khaled Hossieni tells the story of two friends Amir and Hassan. Amir, the son of a wealthy father, Agha Sahib and Hassan, the Hazara son of a servant, Ali. They both grew up together maintaining a very good relationship as friends and also experts in the game ‘kite running.’
The story hardly ever dulls or bores. An eye-opener to the pains of Afghanistans during the war and also to the sacrifices and loyalty of Hassan whose identity as a servant and from the lower class of Afghans gives him a crushingly low esteem and confidence, more loyal than a "dog". Hassan’s life revolves around Amir and taking the blame for every wrong Amir does is no big deal to him.
Without giving away the story, young Amir commits an act of betrayal towards his best friend which haunts him for the rest of his life, bearing a petty grudge against Hassan because he has to share his father’s love with him. Amir abuses the loyalty and love of Hassan and the ever smiling face of his friend in the face of this betrayal, further increases the depth of his own guilt.
Fleeing Afghanistan during the course of the war for America, after many years, Amir is called to return home and right the wrongs he committed years ago, The Kite Runner becomes a story of a quest for redemption.
Written through the eyes of Amir, Khaled subtle hints at the suffering and changes during war, giving us a perspective of Afghan’s war history. With a fictional sense, the author shows a clear insight of the culture of the Afghans alongside cliches, which he freely uses. Anyone who knows a good book, will agree with me that this is one.
From the loyalty of Ali and his son, the understanding of Rahim, the grit of Sahib to the person of Amir, this emotional and gripping story had me thrilled, glued and moved at the same time, each felt at different scenes from the first to the last page. Khaled Hossieni lets no plot holes through even as he journeys with his characters through friendship, loyalty, betrayal, fear, love, discovery and finally redemption. Everything is meshed together perfectly, creating a beautifully constructed story, fascinating and yet relatable at the same time.
Personally, this book I would say gives a sense of hope and redemption even for the distraught, and I just couldn’t stop reading from the moment I picked it up until I was fully satisfied at the final pages. The Kite Runner is worth every hype or stars it has received and trust me you can’t find that out until you’re buried in-between its pages.
