The Kite runner

Last year in the summer I heard from many friends, that there was a book written by an Afghan writer (Khaled Husseini). The title of the book is ‘The kite runner’. This book became a bestseller in many countries including the Netherlands. The story of the book is as follow:

For Amir it had been one long suffering from childhood till he grew a man and sought his salvage in the ruins of his life. Born and brought up in a rich family in Kabul, Amir was not aware of the advantages, which he had. His mother was a rare combination of beauty and brains. She had been the greatest asset and win for his father and also the reason for the gulf that stood between father and son. She died giving birth to Amir and his father couldn’t forget that. He was a true Pathan and a very patriotic Afghan. He was a man liberal in any ways. He hepled many poor paople by building an orphanage. Being his son Amir often felt he possessed neither his father’s attitude nor his courage. It was Hassan who always saved him from the teasing boys of the neighborhood. Hassan was the only playmate and companion that Amir had since childhood. Hassan’s family had served them for three generations. They had something in common. If Amir had lost his mother by death, Hassan had lost his by her loyalness. Seven days after his birth Sanobar disappeared with a man. Amir was told that they were breast-fed by the same woman and hence they were more of brothers. But Amir would have none of it. He felt that it was beneath his place to have a Hazara boy for his brother. He was a Pathan, and Hassan was a Hazara. Amir's Father had a good relationship with Hassa and Amir didn't like that at all. Amir would often put Hassan to the test of his loyalty for him. Amir enjoyed the little power he could do over Hassan, often though he knew that Hassan gave in to him not out of fear but of love. With Hassan though he made the most of his childhood till the fatal day that made him forever into sleepless nights and nightmares.

It was the annual kite flying day and for Amir the last chance to win his father’s heart. He won the chase. Hassan was running after the winning kite with which Amir had promised to make a gift to his father. He grew impatient of Hassan’s return with the trophy and went down to hunt him. In an alley he found Hassan cornered by Asef, the sadist and the big brother of the neighborhood. He saw how Hassan was beaten and raped by Asef. Amir witnessed it all, and had no courage to rescue him. To rid himself of the guilt he heaped on himself more guilt by accusing Hassan of robbery. As always Hassan read into his thoughts and without a word left with his father Ali the place where he was born. While Afghanistan fell into bloodshed and violence Amir and his father fled to America. A new life waiting them there. With his interest for writing Amir became an established writer. He married the Soraya and fased that his father lead a cancer. Only in America did the father-son bond strengthen and he bore the loss of his father with difficulty. Yet the guilt remained and gave him sleepless nights. Being childless even after years of marriage he felt sin. And then he heared from Rahim Khan from Pakistan. Meeting Rahim, Amir came to know of a shocking truth. Hassan was his half-brother. All his years of discrimination set heavy on him. He found himself on a journey to save Hassan’s son from Afghanistan. He found Sohrab in Taliban hands. He was none other than Asef. Once again like his father Sohrab became his savior. They fled and took shelter in Islamabad. They struck a rare friendship. Sohrab began to trust him and Amir felt clean of some of his guilt. But he yet had to pay a heavier price. As Amir failed to convince Sohrab of his love. Though Amir took him along to the States, though Soraya took him as their own child yet he stood unresponsive. Eventually Amir succeeded to win Sohrab’s heart.

This book was very touching, the story was also very familiar to me because I am also from Afghanistan and we have suffered the same misery, especially from the war.