Sunday, January 4, 2009

The Kite Runner


My brother recommended this book to me. I am not an avid reader like him. Whatever books I have read are the ones recommended by others. In that vein, I am glad I have read Khaled Hosseini's The Kite Runner.

The Kite Runner is about the story of Amir, a wealthy Pashtun boy from Kabul, who is haunted by the guilt of betraying his childhood friend Hassan, a Hazara boy, his father's servant's son. The story is set in the period of some historic and painful events in Afghanistan - fall of Monarchy thorough the Soviet invasion, mass displacement of Afghan refugees to Pakistan and Iran, and the emergence of the Taliban regime.

The Kite Runner is a passionate and devastating story of betrayal and redemption. It provides a reference and a glimpse into the side of humanity only a few people possess or experience but is rarely seen or read. Hosseini presents this in such an simplistic and provocatively-intensive manner, it is stunning and heartbreaking.

My perception of Afghanistan has changed after reading this book. Hosseini has beautifully described his home country in a way that the world knows about life in Afghanistan now and before.

When I finished reading this book yesterday, I was feeling down and weeping within. I can't wait to read the Hosseini's next novel 'A Thousand Splendid Suns'.

Khaled Hosseini, 'For you, a thousand times over'...

2 comments:

  1. This book definitely haunts your mind when you sleep. I, like you, only read books when they are recommended to me. I read this one back in high school.

    I read your synopsis on A thousand splended suns, and that's definitely next on my list (And the only one on my list).

    I'm currently reading an awesome awesome book, and once I'm done I'm going to post it on my blog as well :)

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  2. thanks fd. looking fwd to your post on that book.

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