“We spoke our first words. 

Mine was Baba.  His was Amir.  My name.” 

Reading these lines, I knew that this story is going to stay with me for long.  “The Kite Runner” needs no introduction – a moving portrait of modern Afghanistan, from its pre-Russian invasion glory days to the terrible reign of the Taliban.  Debutant writer Khaled Hosseini’s this tale vividly covers universal themes of friendship, courage, guilt, betrayal, and atonement making it unlike a maiden work.  Last year I didn’t know much about Afghani culture, kudos to Hosseini to bring an Afghan perspective to the mainstream, a less known milieu.  Reading his books, I could connect myself with the struggles of a misunderstood country and sufferings of Afghanis.  With Amir I went through the places where the sultans of Kabul used to play and read Shahnameh.  I cherished the beautiful moments and tasted scrumptious kabob.  I travelled through the streets where the horrific incident happened.  The protagonist Amir as the name suggests is the son of a rich Pasthun (Baba).  Ali, the Hazara who serves Baba lives in their compound along with his son – Hassan.  China doll faced, green eyed, and harelipped Hassan is the only playmate and best friend of Amir.  The characters of Amir and Hassan are larger than life that I couldn’t stop myself hating one and loving the other.  Two little friends, an unspeakable secret, and a quest for redemption is both realistic and poetic. 

The picturesque description of pre and post war Afghanistan in Amir’s life spanning from childhood to teenage is a rollercoaster of emotions.  Flying kites was the only escape and Hassan was a successful kite runner.  Amir was considered weak and often criticized by Baba for lacking courage. He finds solace in the words of a fatherly figure Rahim Khan, Baba’s closest friend – “Children aren’t colouring books.  You don’t get to fill them with your favourite colours.” 

On victory of the kite-fighting tournament, I felt the contentment of loyalty and friendship in Hassan’s words – “For you, a thousand times over.”  But in an attempt to appease his father, Amir’s lack of courage goes wrong shattering the peace of the family.  I first felt the guilt, then the agony of betrayal, cowardice, jealousy and so-called pride and honour.  In a country that is under destruction, there is also emotional richness.  I admired the bravery of Hassan and Baba.  Whenever they tried to be righteous and good, my heart sang.  Baba treats Hassan with an affection that Amir craves, going as far as gifting Hassan with cleft lip surgery for his birthday.  In a world that had gone to hell they still tried to be decent, they still tried to stand up for their people.  They still had values and also acted according to them.  Hassan defends Amir though he never receives the same treatment from him.  Though Amir successfully gets rid of Ali and Hassan from his house, I couldn’t.  I loved Hassan with all my heart for being an innocent soul.  His only flaw was he was too good to live in a sick and violent world. 

“The Kite Runner” reiterates never to judge a person by his looks, similarly don’t judge what is inside this book by its cover.  After the invasion of the Russians, the family escapes to California.  Amir embarks on a successful career as a novelist where he receives a call from Rahim Khan reminding him – “there is a way to be good again.”  Amir realizes it is not his mentor calling, but his unatoned sins that were calling him. If you had read “The Great Expectations” by Charles Dickens, you would find similarities in the ideas.  Despite the novels being penned in different milieus and eras, both the protagonists disown their friends.  How lack of an identity brings chaos to one’s life and how maturation of perspective is necessary for one’s identity are common themes in these novels.  Hosseini’s writing style too is similar to Dickens in some pages. 

While it is quite common to take a liking for the protagonist of the novel, I hated Amir for his cowardice, ungratefulness, and his futile efforts of redemption, but everyone has their own share of vice and virtue that shapes them into who they are, even Baba has.  Amir revisits Kabul to atone his sins, to rescue Sohrab.  With the elements of distress, sadness, and emotional traumas I found it difficult to motivate myself to read further, tears rolled down my cheeks, still I wanted to know what would happen to Amir and Sohrab and finally I was redeemed. 

From a literary aspect, coincidences along with symbolisms and foreshadows are abundant in this book.  The split in Hassan’s lip signifies his poverty which separates him from Amir.  Later, when Assef splits Amir’s lip, Amir’s identity gets merged with Hassan’s.  The kite serves a symbol of Amir’s happiness as well as guilt.  I cannot praise this book enough, except the gory and violence in the third half of the novel, Hosseini is an exceptional story teller.  What began as father-son relationship story ended revealing a family secret, long forgotten betrayals, wars, and ethnic differences that led two little inseparable boys into very different life paths and also the power of hope like the kites.  The best message this book delivers is when people value their loved ones for their personal worth and not their class or position in the society, they create meaningful and fulfilling relationships and gain greater peace of mind for the rest of their life. 

As for me, I definitely will not re-read this book! I’m kind of proud that I accomplished to read it.  If you can deal with pain, this book is highly recommended.  If you’re one of the faint-hearted, better give it a wide berth.

Author:  Khaled Hosseini (Afghan-American) 

Pages:  371 

Year:  2003 

Publisher:  Riverhead Books.