The Kite Runner: A Tale of Betrayal and Redemption in Afghanistan
This book has given me numerous life lessons
This book has given me numerous life lessons
“War doesn’t negate decency. It demands it, even more than in times of peace.” — Baba”― Khaled Hosseini, The Kite Runner
I’m an avid reader, as you might imagine. I read, on average of two to three books at a time. My friends and family are aware of this about me, and they frequently ask for book recommendations. So I decided to include book recommendations in my blog posts as well. One of my favorite novels has moved me to tears numerous times while reading it. Therefore I’ll start with it. So much that when I was reading it on a flight, it became comical at one point.
The Kite Runner is a tale of betrayal and redemption. The book follows the life of Amir, who grew up in Afghanistan during Taliban rule. His best friend was Hassan, an orphaned servant boy he had known since childhood. They spent their days playing together and their nights sleeping side by side on a thin mat, dreaming about the future they would someday share as adults. But one day, everything changes when Amir betrays his friend to save himself from being punished.
This book introduced me to life in Afghanistan -or what it must be. And with the recent news of American military personnel withdrawing, I thought of this book once more and began rereading it — I think for the third time.
The author, Khaled Hosseini, doesn’t waste any time with an unnecessary back story. He immediately gets straight into Amir and Hassan’s childhood friendship, which seems almost too good to be true. Still, through his dialogue, he makes you realize that these two kids would also have had their share of arguments over the years. They’re living in poverty under Taliban rule, yet Hassan is still the servant to Amir, who goes to live in America. Until Amir returns to his home country, he realizes how difficult life has become for Hassan and his family.
Hassan is portrayed as a caring, compassionate person whose only goal, it seems, is to be there for Amir no matter what. He makes sacrifices for him. Amir, on the other hand, witnesses something horrendous. — I’m not going to tell you what it is because I don’t want to ruin it. Amir commits an act of unforgivable betrayal on his best friend, Hassan, which continues to haunt him for the rest of his life. The story of Amir’s quest for redemption is heartbreaking. The wrongs he committed as a boy in Kabul weigh heavily on him.
I think the messages of fate, justice, and the importance of sacrifice are compelling. Without ruining anything, Amir makes a different set of choices at the end, which you’ll have to read about to find out more. The final chapter of the book may be my favorite — I find it sad but beautiful, just like when I first read it. I believe it offers a sense of hope for both the future of its characters and Afghanistan.
The Kite Runner was a huge success, winning many awards and topping Amazon’s “Best Books of the Year” list in 2003 and 2005. The book won the British Book Award for Best New Author in 2004. It surpassed Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows to become Amazon’s best-selling book worldwide on December 1, 2006. They also produced a film about it, which I strongly advise you not to see. At the very least, not before reading the book.
This book has given me numerous life lessons, including the importance of redeeming oneself and the value of real friendship. I can’t help but think about things in my life that are weighing on me. If you’ve read the book, what did you think of it? And if you haven’t, would you want to read it?
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