Some months ago The Namesake gave me a book he thought I should read. At that time, the title ‘The Kite Runner’ didn’t ring a bell, but in the months after it became clear to me that it was number one hit, not only in the States, but also here in Europe. While I’m normally not too fond of popular literature, like for example the Da Vinci Code, and especially dislike the way the quality of some books is greatly exaggerated(again like the Da Vinci Code), I must say I can’t but praise Khaled Hosseini for his incredible achievement. The Kite Runner tells the story of two Afghan boys, Amir and Hassan, growing up in the Kabul of the 70s, just before the Russian invasion. Amir is a Pashtun with a rich father, Hassan a Hazara and servant of Amir’s father, being looked at as ‘less equal’ by other Afghans, just by his lineage. Amir and Hassan grow up together as brothers, but at a certain moment something will happen that scatters both of their worlds. More I will not tell, because otherwise I will spoil the story for you. I will add that the book is just beautiful to read, and tells a story about Afghanistan and the Afghans without going too much (or not much at all) into the politics and the current situation in that country. Moreover, it tells a story that also easily can be placed in a different country, intriguing, moving, and beautiful but saddening at the same time. Definitely a recommendation!
4th Mar, 2008