(1/30/2007)
This is the kind of novel which you would not like to stop reading and once you finish reading it , it is going to stay with you for a very long time. Khalid Hosseini's debut novel has opened up issues that were people were scared to think about but what people needed to know. In the bonds of friendship of Amir and Hassan Khalid has let us know about a lot more that goes wrong in the deeps of Afghanistan.
Within this novel you will find an Afghanistan which is not the same anymore, an Afghanistan no soul gets to see anymore.This book is more then a novel about a mere friendship, its a journey that takes you to the time when Kabul was beautiful and the word "war" was still undiscovered. When Taliban had not yet entered the realm of beauty. While reading the book one can actually picture the beautiful country, walk through the mansions with thick hedges , admire the oriental furniture and almost taste the wonderful cherries and pomegranate on the trees.
This book is about Amir and Hassan.Amir who is born rich and a Sunni.Hassan who is a Shia, and Hazara, his only mistake. Amir who has a father who is the most influential and powerful man and Hassan who has a father who is crippled by nature and is nicknamed as "Babulu" . Amir is the literate one and Hassan is the smart clever yet the illiterate one.
Their friendship is a journey on its own.Amir reads and Hassan listens quitely. Amir commands and Hassan obeys not uttering a word.Amir is flies the Kite and Hassan is the kite runner.And it is here where the story turns a drastic point.Where no reader i presume would want to stop and keep the book down because it is at this point that everything changes.
This book touches a delicate issue of child abuse which is seldom discussed in our world so openly as Khalid Hussaini did. It does not shy away from talking about uneasy and usually not talked about subjects.It is only right that the author chose to describe the Horrors to us as we need to know about it.
But mostly Kite runners is a book about a love. Love that is not bonded in the shackles of "romance" only.
Its about Amir's guilt and how he redeems it getting what he deserved really.
And for all those who read it I ask you to ponder these few words which are one of the most beautiful words every written.
"For you a thousand times over"
The most outstanding work I have read about something which I can sort of relate to being a sunni muslim myself.
Thank you for bestowing us with this wonderful treasure.