The Kite Runner

One day, not so long ago, my 10-year-old asked me, “what was it like to grow up in the 1900’s?” I was a bit thrown off at the phrasing, but recovered and explained that it was very similar to today, without the internet. He looked horrified.

Way back in the 1900’s, entertainment, at least in my house, meant reading. I’ve always appreciated a good story and have dozens of favourites, making it hard to pick just one. I recently re-read a beloved tale, The Kite Runner, by Khaled Hosseini, and was reminded why it consistently stays near the top of my list.

Following the story spine, The Kite Runner goes something like this.

Once upon a time, a young man named Amir grows up in 1970’s Afghanistan, with his wealthy, widowed father and their servants.

Every day, he enjoys his childhood with his servant and best friend, Hassan, while trying to earn his father’s affection.

But, one day, while helping Amir win a kite-fighting contest, Hassan suffers a horrific sexual assault and Amir does nothing to stop it. To make things worse, he frames Hassan for something he didn’t do, forcing Hassan and his father to leave their home.

Because of that, Amir’s family is torn apart. Hassan and his father move away. Amir and his father emigrate to the United States, and 20 years pass without contact with Hassan. Afghanistan is ravaged by war. Amir and his father struggle in America, and his father dies of lung cancer. Amir marries, but he and his wife are unable to have children.

Until finally, Amir returns to Afghanistan and learns what has happened to Hassan. He is given the opportunity to atone for his mistakes, but not without risk and sacrifice, including a confrontation with the person who assaulted Hassan years earlier.

And, ever since then, Amir does his best to move forward and tries to make up for the horrible decisions of his childhood by adopting Hassan’s orphaned son and bringing him to America.

Memorable characters and vivid description.

The Kite Runner has received critical praise and more than its share of controversy. It has sold millions of copies by following the principles of good storytelling. The story relies on universal themes, including strained father/son relationships, and redemption.

Amir is not always likeable, and there are many points in the book where the reader may find themself silently urging him to act differently. But, his guilt betrays his humanity. While he initially shows cowardice, it’s no more than anyone might expect of a 12-year-old boy, and he’s forced to grow up quickly with the resulting impact. This makes him, if not likeable, at least relatable. He’s a real person, who does some awful things as a boy, and then carries the weight of those decisions into adulthood.

Kabul, and then California, are described with rich detail, allowing the reader to imagine themselves sitting beneath an ancient pomegranate tree or browsing the crowded aisles at the Afghan flea market in San Jose. For someone like myself, who grew up watching images of Afghanistan on television, depicted as a hot, sandy desert filled with war and terror, the startling beauty of the country came to life through this book.

While this book takes place over several decades, and across continents, it remains a simple story of family, and doing what’s right, even when it’s hard. There are twists along the way that keep the reader guessing and interested, and emotional passages that have me in tears every time I read it.