Book Review: The Kite Runner

"But its wrong what they say about the past, Ive learned how you can bury it. Because the past claws its way out"

Have you ever read a story that is so tragic, so sad and so devastating that it broke your heart into a million pieces? I probably have, with novels like The Little Prince and Slaughter House Five. But Ive never read anything that comes close to the effect of The Kite Runner in my emotions. I was crying, from beginning to end and praying that this is just fiction. But deep in the recesses of my heart, I know that this is near reality and the most I can do is wept about it. I felt so helpless.

I'm still grieving over the story so I'll probably read first The Devil Wears Prada before journeying to another serious book. I need a shallow one, a humor relief, something I can scorn. But then again, I am afraid it might make me feel worse. Because how can one be living in such a luxurious, superficial and mean life when halfway through the globe, people are suffering from one decade to another, from a war that they cannot escape. I don not understand but it's a reality, life is not always be fair. And while there are injustice, sometimes, all we can do is watch, read and listen....It's not in our hands to decide.

The Story

Remember when I said in a previous post that I felt that I let go of the better titles? Well, scratch that! Because I enjoyed the two titles I took home and they cost lesser than the other two. In fact, they are very good books that's why I am writing a review about them.

The Kite Runner is a story of one boy's love for another, his master, his sole friend and his constant companion. Hassan is the son of a Hazzara (cultural minority in Agfhanistan) and his father Ali is the servant of Baba, a rich Agfhan businessman. Baba's son is Amir, a boy who is eternally seeking his father's love and approval.

Amir and Hassan have developed friendship over the years, despite their differences, one being the slave according to his race and the other, on top of the caste. They grow up together, share moments as normal friends would do. Amir is an enthusiastic kite flyer while Hassan is his loyal kite runner. But one day, on a big kite flying competition which brought Amir into his father's eye range, Hassan made a sacrifice that would haunt Amir for the rest of his life, even as far as America, where he fled to hopefully forget about the monsters of his past.

Hassan let himself be raped by a group of young bullies, to bring back to Amir the blue kite which signifies his victory as one of the best kite flyer in Agfhanistan and would earn his father's affection.

A call from a friend brought Amir back to war-torn Agfhanistan to be with is friend during his last days. But there is a deeper reason for his return...a chance to atone his sins and pacify the ghosts of his past. Amir did not expect the poverty and devastation that war brought to his homeland but more so, he did not expect to be confronted by the revelation of a long kept secret about him and Hassan. It almost killed him with more guilt and the only way to be free is to save his friend's son from the hands of Assef, the same man who raped his friend, massacred him together with his wife, raped his son as well and keeping him as a toy.

But is his heart strong enough to face up with his past and save his future or just like before, he would just close his eyes and turn back from his responsibilities and be a coward forever?



My Thoughts

The best lesson that this novel has taught me is to be thankful that I am living in a peaceful country which is relatively free from discrimination and war.

Hosseini has skilfully sewn the threads of tragedy that it revealed itself into a beautiful yet very somber epic of unconditional love, friendship, family, culture and forgiveness. One that would linger to the readers mind for all of his life.

The Kite Runner is full of gory details about punishment of the lowest members of the society, from scorn, to death with stones and rape. These are vividly described by the author, Khalid Hosseini, an Agfhanistan, with his carefully chosen words. When you start the book, it is very hard to put it down because of the many climaxes, twist and turns. Surprisingly, although from a vantage point, the book might be predictable (because of my background with watching telenovelas in the Philippines and from Mexico), you wouldn't notice it until you are faced with another revelation about the lives of the characters.

The book gave us a glimpse of the Agfhanistan that is unheard of in the rest of the world. The country where children can play in the streets, the people hold annual festivals and businessmen still make lavish parties without bombs dropping down in another corner of the town. It is very hard to imagine that there had been an Agfhanistan like that and Hosseini's narration described it as something from our own childhood, in our own country.

For a first novel, The Kite Runner is undoubtedly a book to beat and it's not surprising that this was turned into a movie. I have been neglecting this title for a long time even if MK's mom already recommended it to me. The story is just superb and it would take another author from another country of war to top this book.

One thing I noticed though is that the thoughts and dialogues of Amir during his childhood (11-13 years old) are too mature for his age. There are some things that I guess are too high for a boy his age compared to the To Kill A Mockingbird where the children really think like they are children. If you look more closely, Amir is a 12 year old boy talking and thinking like a 16 year old.

I am short for words and I have to hurry for work. So I'll just leave you with a recommendation to read this book when you can. It is a really good title, and will make you appreciate life better.

A reminder though: This book is not for the faint-hearted.