It all started when I got an email from my high school English teacher requesting us to bring a book to read everyday during class. When I asked my mom if she could take me to Barnes and Noble, or the library to get a book, she suggested I consider looking at some of the old book collections my parents have. Years before I was born, my mother’s friend had gifted her a book which all her friends had read and adored.However, she hadn’t read it but thought I might like it. So my mom passed the book to me and suggested it could be a great way to start the school year. However, I did something very unlikely of me, and I read the whole thing in a few days. This book was a rollercoaster of emotions and put me in the shoes of the character. It left me broken and had me create a new insight of life. Let me introduce to you the New York Times best selling book The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini. There is a movie based on this book abscissa available on Amazon Prime.
The story starts off in the mid-1970s in Kabul, Afghanistan and alternates to present day, California. Our protagonist is Amir, a twelve-year-old boy whose life has been filled with misfortune. His mother died from the complications of childbirth, and his father seems to have a better liking for his best friend Hassan who lives in their house as a son of house helper Ali.Hassan is loyal and isn’t as much of a coward as Amir. The most dedicated person in his life is Hassan, who is like a brother to him, and his father is also fond of Hassan. Amir’s family is a wealthy Pashtuns while Hassan comes from a not so wealthy Hazara family. The Hazara people of Afghanistan were discriminated against by the Pashtuns but not in Amir’s family. Hassan’s family has been Amir’s family since Hassan’s father was adopted by Amir’s grandfather. Several people in the community don’t agree with this relationship between Pashtuns and Hazara. As a result Hassan is the victim of discrimination and harassment by their neighbors.
One summer in 1975, their neighborhood had an annual kite flying competition. Amir decided to give it his all to impress his father and teamed up with Hassan. This resulted in them winning the kite flying competition. But the happy day quickly turned into a nightmare when Amir quietly witnessed Hassan being physically abused by group of neighborhood bullies. This resulted in lifelong regret for Amir. Amir feels guilty for not standing up for him, and running away pretending that he didn’t see anything. Amir has an inferiority complex and feels that his father should kick Hassan out of the house. As a result of this brewing jealousy something terrible happens and Hassan leaves the house with his father. A couple of years later, Amir and his father had to move to California to start a new life amid political instability in Afghanistan after invasion by the Russian army. This doesn’t solve the internal conflict as Amir feels the guilt of not being a good friend to Hassan, and his father dying of cancer.
Then, in 2001, Amir is reminded of his past life in Kabul when he gets a call from his dads friend, Rahim Khan who requests him to meet up in Pakistan as he wants to tell him a story and his dying wish. When Amir decides to walk down memory lane, he feels instant regret and grief for his past life. He knows that he can’t change it, but he can keep moving forward to make the best possible change to correct his mistakes . The story ends on a heartwarming note and leaves the reader in smiles and tears. What happened to Hassan? Will they meet again? Well to find out please read the book.
This story also talks about the history in Afghanistan and lives of people under Taliban rule. It highlights the value of friendship, family, loyalty and love. If you are into books that cover these topics, this book is just for you. This book taught me the meaning of loyalty, kindness, courage, dedication and putting others before yourself especially during times of need. It is also a story of surviving war-like situations.
The kite runner will make you smile and cry!
Happy Reading!
“For you, a thousand times over”
——-Hassan