Title: The Kite Runner
Author: Khaled Hosseini
About the story:
Amir is the son of a wealthy Kabul merchant, a member of the ruling
caste of Pashtuns. . Hassan, his servant and constant companion, is a Hazara, a
despised and impoverished caste. Their uncommon bond is torn by Amir's choice
to abandon his friend amidst the increasing ethnic, religious, and political
tensions of the dying years of the Afghan monarchy, wrenching them far apart.
But so strong is the bond between the two boys that Amir journeys back to a
distant world, to try to right past wrongs against the only true friend he ever
had.
The unforgettable, heartbreaking story of the
unlikely friendship between a wealthy boy and the son of his father’s servant,
The Kite Runner is a beautifully crafted novel set in a country that is in the
process of being destroyed. It is about the power of reading, the price of
betrayal, and the possibility of redemption; and an exploration of the power of
fathers over sons—their love, their sacrifices, their lies.
A sweeping story of family, love, and friendship
told against the devastating backdrop of the history of Afghanistan over the
last thirty years, The Kite Runner is an unusual and powerful novel that has
become a beloved, one-of-a-kind classic
Review: I loved reading Hosseini’s ‘And The
Mountains Echoed’ several months back and I was excited to get hold of ‘The
Kite Runner’, since this poignant story of two friends has already created an
impressive impact all over the world.
But as I sat down and started reading it, I
couldn’t stop and put down the book. I was fascinated with the characters,
especially Amir who sacrifices his friendship to gain his father’s approval and
love. But then maybe, Amir was really a coward who did not have courage to
stand up for his loyal friend. Hosseini has built the plot so meticulously,
adding little details that made the book all the more heart-rending. For
example, when Amir recollects that as a toddler the first word he uttered was
“Baba” and Hassan’s, his devoted Hazara friend, was “Amir”, the tone for the
story was set.
There are several outstanding quotes in the book
and the one that I loved was-
“It may be
unfair, but what happens in a few days, sometimes even a single day, can change
the course of a whole lifetime...”
Amir’s life changes dramatically in the winter of
1975, when his decision not only alters his life but the lives of those around him,
including his father’s, his friend Hassan’s and Hassan’s crippled father,
Ali’s. Several years later Amir is given an opportunity to atone his sins when
he has a chance to go to his homeland, Afghanistan.
This tragic and heartbreaking tale of a man torn
between his sinful past and a final chance to redeem his guilt-ridden future is
compelling. A glimpse into lives of those men and women in Afghanistan during
the pinnacle of Taliban rule, is enough to leave one teary and heartbroken.
This book is a definite must read and it left me
wondering why I never read the book earlier!
Rating: 5/5
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