The Kite Runner

Since I was so fond of Hosseini's A Thousand Splendid Suns, I decided to take a look at another one of his books that had been recommended to me, The Kite Runner. I found this book equally intriguing though very similar to A Thousand Splendid Suns. Also a coming-of-age novel, the story highlights the strong personal relationship between two unlikely individuals, although in this case males.

I have to say that if I enjoyed this book more it would be because of the deeper level of character development as well as twists in the plot that held my attention until the very end. The story spans a large geographical area as well, beginning in Afghanistan and following Baba and Amir to America in the 80s. Amir's perspective on life in Afghanistan is hindered, though, by his upper class status- which Amir himself realizes late in the novel. Hosseini is able to capture how even the lives of the wealthy change after immigrating to America.

A beautiful image that the book leaves me with is the Afghani tradition of kite tournaments. Instead of focusing only on the bad and the ugly of war, Hosseini takes us into the mind of a young boy who, despite the hardships surrounding him, is able to see the colorful images filling the sky, feel the blood from the cuts of the kite string, and enjoy the rush of being the last kite left in the sky. For me this was one of the most important moments; again, giving life and depth to the characters that are so often portrayed so differently from what they are.

The relationships in the book are incredibly portrayed; from the brotherly love between Amir and Hassan to the lifelong struggle for acceptance between Amir and his father. Overall, the book is a generally easy and powerful read that gives a brief overview of life in Afghanistan amidst war and an oppressive regime.