The Kite Runner

by Khaled Hosseini

I searched this blog to see if anyone had written a review of this book in the past, and surprisingly, no one has. So, I will in anticipation of the upcoming film, released on December 14th in theaters.

The Kite Runner is set in Afghanistan where two young boys, Amir, the son of a wealthy businessman in Kabul, and Hassan, the son of Amir's father's servant, grow up together. They spend their time flying kites in the competitive kite contest and playing under the tree near their village. Their lives are relatively free of strife until Hassan is brutally attacked by local bullies. Amir sees the attack, yet does not help his friend. Out of guilt he severs the relationship. They grow further apart and even further as Amir travels to America, where he tries to live down his betrayal.

It is a story of friendship, the tragedy of lost innocence, and reconciliation. Amir is given the chance to repair his relationship and be absolved of past regrets in a journey back to Afghanistan, to a country he no longer recognizes raging with war and crawling with Taliban. The story is passionate, moving, and I am definitely looking forward to seeing it on the big screen. From the reviews I have seen, the movie is supposed to be almost exactly like the book, which does contain some sensitive subject matter. I highly recommend this book, and we still have a few copies left. If you liked this book, I also recommend A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini as well.