The Kite Runner

Author: Khaled Hosseini

Genre: Fiction

If you have ever read any of Hosseini’s books, you already know the caliber of his writing. He crafts short, powerful sentences infused with volumes of emotion. His stories flow so seamlessly that you find yourself unable to stop turning pages until you reach the end. Therefore, get ready for one of the best books you will ever read in your life!

As I recall this book, I am already getting goosebumps and teary-eyed. However, I will attempt to summarize it without giving too many details.

“For you, a thousand times over.” Hassan says this to Amir multiple times in the book. And this is the actual representation of his character, loyalty, innocence, love, and friendship towards Amir.

And, under the same roof, we spoke our first words. Mine was Baba. His was Amir. My name.

The book is centered on the friendship between Amir and Hassan, who grew up together in the same household. Amir is the son of a businessman in Kabul, a Pashtun, and a Sunni Muslim, placing him in the higher social and ethnic hierarchy. On the other hand, Hassan belongs to the "lower" strata of society as a Hazara and Shia Muslim. As the son of Ali, Amir's servant, Hassan assists his father with household chores. Unlike Amir, he does not attend school but enjoys the stories Amir reads to him.

Amir yearns for his father's approval, yet his socially active and traditionally masculine father consistently feels let down by Amir's penchant for reading and writing. In Kabul, an annual kite tournament takes place every winter, and Amir sees it as an opportunity to finally win his father's praise. He succeeds in winning the tournament, but later that same evening, he witnesses a harrowing assault on Hassan. Overwhelmed by fear, Amir chooses not to intervene to defend his friend, opting to walk away instead. This decision haunts him, burdening him with guilt throughout his adult life.

In the 1980s, Amir and his father relocate to the United States to escape the turmoil of the war in Afghanistan. Amir pursues higher education, eventually marrying a caring and beautiful woman. He achieves success as a writer, fulfilling a lifelong aspiration. Despite his accomplishments, the guilt and trauma from the traumatic incident with Hassan continue to haunt him relentlessly. Even after many years, Amir cannot shake off the burden of his past actions.

When an old family friend reaches out, Amir finally gets a chance at redemption.

 Come. There is a way to be good again.

The Kite Runner is a tale of friendship, courage, devotion, betrayal, guilt, and redemption. As with Hosseini’s other books, you will experience a range of emotions as you immerse yourself in the story. I wouldn’t be surprised if you found yourself crying at several points in the narrative. Hosseini has done such a great job with this book that there is no shortage of twists or surprises. The story only becomes more captivating with each turn of the page, until the very last line. This book is undoubtedly a masterpiece that everyone should read. I hope you all get hold of this book at some point and enjoy reading it!

Well, Happy Reading!

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See you in the next blog post 😊