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The Kite Runner - Review

The Kite Runner is a 324-page book published in 2003 by Khaled Hosseini. It tells the story of Amir, a wealthy Afghan boy, and his servant Hassan. As children in 1970s Kabul, Afghanistan, Amir betrays Hassan when he needs his help the most. Years later in America, Amir seeks redemption for his past actions when he returns to Afghanistan under Taliban rule. The book explores themes of friendship, class distinction, betrayal, and redemption against the backdrop of Afghanistan's tumultuous history in the latter 20th century.

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154 views2 pages

The Kite Runner - Review

The Kite Runner is a 324-page book published in 2003 by Khaled Hosseini. It tells the story of Amir, a wealthy Afghan boy, and his servant Hassan. As children in 1970s Kabul, Afghanistan, Amir betrays Hassan when he needs his help the most. Years later in America, Amir seeks redemption for his past actions when he returns to Afghanistan under Taliban rule. The book explores themes of friendship, class distinction, betrayal, and redemption against the backdrop of Afghanistan's tumultuous history in the latter 20th century.

Uploaded by

Nafisa Nawal
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Book: The Kite Runner

Author: Khaled Hosseini


Number of pages: 324
Published: May 29, 2003
The Kite Runner is one of those books that will play with the strings of your heart over and over
again. It is a gripping tale of friendship and betrayal, guilt and redemption. It is the kind of book that
will leave a mark and compel you to think about the intricacies of life in the face of unprecedented
tragedies.
The author describes two different timelines in this book. The first was set in context of 1970s when
Afghanistan was burgeoning with life and resources. The latter part of the book portrays the bruises
of a war-torn Afghanistan marred by external invasion and the repercussions faced by its people
thereof.
Amir, the narrator of this story, is a rich, Afghan boy residing in Kabul, the capital of Afghanistan.
Throughout his childhood, he has lived in a privileged bubble due to his father’s name and fame. He
is a Pashtun, an upper class clan in the then Kabul where the influence of caste surpassed all other
factors. His servant, Hassan, belongs to the Hazara community, the lowest tribe.
The class-distinction is clearly evident in this book. Despite the fact that Amir spent most of his
childhood with Hassan, he refuses to call him his ‘friend’, especially in the company of other boys in
the neighborhood. To explain this sentiment, Amir narrates, “In the end, I was a Pashtun and he
was a Hazara, I was Sunni and he was Shi’a, and nothing was ever going to change that. Nothing.” [1]
Amir’s father, mostly referred to in this story as Baba, never distinguishes between Amir and
Hassan, much to Amir’s dismay. Since his very childhood, Amir craved for Baba’s validation, but
Baba was reluctant to give it. On the other hand, Baba has always admired Hassan for his unyielding
righteousness. This is one of the things that has often kept Amir and Hassan’s friendship on edge.
Perhaps it was the one deciding factor which provided the foundation for the climax of the story.
In the winter of 1975, Amir betrays Hassan and leaves him to suffer at a time when Hassan needed
him the most. Years later, Amir’s family flies to America to escape from the clutches of the
Russians. Amir is now successful and well-off, but his past continues to haunt him. At one point in
life, he decides to return to Afghanistan under the Taliban rule for the one thing he knew no wealth
can grant him – salvation.
The most remarkable thing about this book is the steady build of its characters. Without giving
away the ending, I’d say the storyline is extremely though-provoking, as Amir narrates towards the
end of the book, “Life goes on, unmindful of beginning, end, kamyab, nah-kam, crisis or catharsis,
moving forward like a slow, dusty caravan of kochis.”[2]

Bibliography:
[1]
Page 22, Chapter 4
[2]
Page-312, Chapter 25
Reference Links:
1. https://www.theguardian.com/childrens-books-site/2014/jul/30/review-khaled-hosseini-
the-kite-runner
2. https://www.publishersweekly.com/978-1-57322-245-7
3. https://bookpage.com/reviews/2981-khaled-hosseini-kite-runner-fiction#.XIYLwij7TIU
4. https://www.falter.at/the-vienna-review/2007/kite-runner-brotherhood-and-courage

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