The Kite Runner, by Khaled Hosseini

The Kite Runner follows the story of Amir, the privileged son of a wealthy businessman in Kabul, and Hassan, the son of Amir's father's servant. As children in the relatively stable Afghanistan of the early 1970s, the boys are inseparable. They spend idyllic days running kites and telling stories of mystical places and powerful warriors until an unspeakable event changes the nature of their relationship forever, and eventually cements their bond in ways neither boy could have ever predicted. Even after Amir and his father flee to America, Amir remains haunted by his cowardly actions and disloyalty. In part, it is these demons and the sometimes impossible quest for forgiveness that bring him back to his war-torn native land after it comes under Taliban rule.

This story really grabbed me. I hadn't read it until now because I honestly didn't want to hear yet another sad story of Afghanistan or the middle east. But for some reason I changed my mind and decided to step out of my usual box. I am really glad that I did. This story pulls at your heart in so many ways...I literally got that pit in my stomach reading about Amir, his guilt, and how the story didn't really have a happy ending...but it sort of did, and I think that was the point. Surprisingly, not much of this story actually takes place in Afghanistan. I was surprised because it really wasn't about the Taliban (yet they are very present), or about politics, or about 9/11. It paints a beautiful picture of what Afghanistan used to be, before the Russians, before the Taliban...and the beginnings of this story could have taken place anywhere and sounded very familiar. I think that is what was so heart wrenching. It doesn't seem foreign and it doesn't seem like it's happening so far from home. I could relate to it very easily, more than I thought I could.

There really was nothing I didn't like about his book, other than like I said, the ending wasn't really happy. It was, but it wasn't...it was still tragic. But I think that was Hosseini's point. Amir nevery really was able to confront his guilt and make ammends.

If you are squeamish about sexual abuse, I would not recommend this book. Although it was a very short experience, it was always present in the story. But, it is worth it, if you can get past that bit. Very worth it.