The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini
If I had to describe beautiful and painful in a word, I would say The Kite Runner. Why? You'll know soon.
The Kite Runner is Hosseini's first novel and an absolute masterpiece. These 300 pages hold the most terrifying, devastating, and bewitching story. If you want to read another heartbreak like this one, click here:
THE KITE RUNNER SUMMARY:
The book unfolds a tale of friendship, love, betrayal, and helplessness. It has even better plot twists and a gripping storyline.
Amir lives with his father along with his two servants Ali and Hassan, another father and son in Kabul. They have their own little family but every family that looks happy and enchanting from far has cracks that can only be seen closely.
And those cracks which might seem insignificant at first make that family's living far too complicated.
Amir and Hassan are friends. Or should I say friends for Hassan? For Amir? He has a hard time realizing what Hassan is for him. After all, he is a Hazara, a Shia, and Shia and Sunni are not supposed to be friends.
But does that really matter when the bond is as deep as Amir and Hassan's? That when Amir has to tell something he goes to Hassan, the only one who listens to him and gives him time.
Unlike Amir's father who sees him as a weakling. How can someone who is always immersed in books and does not know how to fight, be the son of a man who is known for his fights and his strong personality?
Amir's mother died while giving birth to him and Hassan's mother ran away.
Amir is the opposite of his father. He is weak and a coward. He finds it hard to confront people and stand up for himself.
Hassan is the most calm, kind, and brave kid. He's smart and innocent. He is everything Amir's father wanted Amir to be. Another reason for Amir to envy Hassan.
But putting it all aside, Amir and Hassan were inseparable. It all changed one winter when Amir decides to win the kite flying tournament.
THE KITE RUNNER BOOK REVIEW:
I always enjoy books that speak reality. Fantasy has its own charm but a reality check is necessary once in a while. Life is not all joy, in fact, it's never that. It's always the trial and tribulations that make a story.
As evident, Amir's character is not that likable. It's his story and is narrated by him. I didn't like his character myself but I didn't hate it either. It's because I have realized that such people exist and it's not their fault that they are born with this personality, such characteristics. Sooner or later, they will have their journey of powering through the tunnel and embracing it all.
One thing that captured my attention the most was how the title of the book is not the actual hero but at the same time the actual hero. (Reading the book will make this make sense).
I enjoyed the plot and the character development too. Over the chapters, we are introduced to new characters, and going forth one of them became my favorite.
Overall, the book is a solid 5/5, and you should definitely read it.
THE KITE RUNNER QUOTES:
1. "That was a long time ago, but it's wrong what they say about the past, I've learned, about how you can bury it. Because the past claws its way out. Looking back now, I realize I have been peeking into that deserted alley for the last twenty-six years."
2. "We took our first steps on the same lawn in the same yard. And, under the same roof, we spoke our first words.
Mine was Baba. His was Amir. My name."
3. "With me as the glaring exception, my father molded the world around him to his liking. The problem, of course, was that Baba saw the world in black and white. And he got to decide what was black and what was white. You can't love a person who lives that way without fearing him too. Maybe even hating him a little."
5. "But the most impressive thing about your story is that it has irony. You may not even know what that word means. But you will someday. It is something that some writers reach for their entire careers and never attain. You have achieved it with your first story."
"Do you want to go climb our tree?"
7. "And that's the thing about people who mean everything they say. They think everyone else does too."
8. "For you a thousand times over!"
9. "Zendagi migzara," he said. Life goes on.
10. "... terrible what is happening in your country, yar. Afghani people and Pakistani people are like brothers, I tell you. Muslims have to help Muslims so . . ."
A quote to remember:
"When spring comes, it melts the snow one flake at a time, and maybe I just witnessed the first flake melting"
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