The Kite Runner

In 2003 Khaled Hosseini published The Kite Runner. A few years later it became a best seller in the United States. The readers enjoyed reading Khaled’s personal narrative about Afghanistan culture and tradition, such as Kite Fighting in the Winter. In the end of the book kite flying and kite runners was a symbolic way of how it troubled a friendship of two Afghan boys Khaled, who is known as Amir in the book and Hassan, Amir’s kite runner, and loyal childhood best friend. The theme of this book is, there is a way to be good again because in the end twenty-six years later while one had been lost, another friendship was created and this time Amir is the Kite Runner.

               

The Kite Runner starts off in the setting of Afghanistan where Amir, the protagonist and his well respected father Baba lived in a luxurious mansion. They had two servants Ali and his son Hassan, who are Hazara, a different ethnic minority then Amir who is Pashtun. The book takes us through the life of Amir from his childhood to his Adulthood. While reading, readers see the difficult times between his father’s approval and problems. Not only that but the problems between his friendship with Hassan. Amir’s story shows readers how you should never give up, friendship, should never die and how you should always stay loyal no matter how the circumstances get. But out of all the trouble Amir has been in, Rahim Khan, Babas close friend and a man that Amir admired, calls Amir about twenty years later after the trouble. He tells Amir, “ There is a way to be good again.” (Rahim Khan, 192)

               

I highly recommend everyone to read this book. It has become one of my favorite books. The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini had a powerful grip on my focus from the beginning until the end. It had a simultaneously heart wrecking and harm warming story with an emotionally compelling plot. Hosseini’s language was very beautifully detailed and different from any personal narratives that I have ever read, and it made me feel as if I was there with him through his struggles, gains and losses.

Book Review by Dalena N.