The kite runner was a beautifully crafted story about loss, love and the unattainable. The story is told through the eyes of Amir, a young Afghanistan boy living in Kabul during the time of the Taliban. The story follows him from when he was about 11 (going back in time to tell us valuable information about when he was born) all the way through until his mid
to late 30’s.
Amir and his father end up going to America due to the intense situation in Afghanistan atthe time. I enjoyed Baba as a character, Amirs father, who I do not recall knowing his real name, he is always just referred to as “Baba”.
Amir for me was a complete let down as a character, for me he was just the vessel for me to find out what happened to the other characters in the book. Amir didn’t seem to do anything as character in the book and just when I think he might rise above or do something worthwhile, he goes and does the wrong thing. Halfway through the book I kind of gave up on his character as I started to feel negatively towards him. Towards the end when Sorhab was in danger and hurt himself Amir mentions that he [“told the child his worst nightmare and sent him to bed”] – thats exactly what he did and I felt so angry
towards Amir. It was also so ironic because in no way was he equipped to be a father and kept on letting the child down after full well what he had been through.
The most devastating of all the heartbreak in the book was that Hassan (who was such a beautiful and peaceful soul) and his son, Sohrab, were both brutally violated by the same heinous person, Assef. In some ways, I felt Amir let me down again as if Amir had stopped Assef when he was hurting Hassan all those years ago, Sohrab could have been spared. I was deeply hurt by the fact that Hassan and Sorhab were such lovely human beings but never rose above and just had life happen to them with no redemption or courtesy given to them. I felt that they were beautiful human beings but the sadness of
the story mirrors the reality of life.
I enjoyed Baba’s insightfulness and his motto on the worst sin being theft as this funnels down into so many different horrible things in life such as, if you kill a man you steal someones father and husband. I also enjoyed the ode to tradition and custom that was mentioned throughout the book when it comes to marriage, humour and the homestead. I enjoyed Soraya as a character although a bit minor in the book.
I was also deeply saddened by how people are still viewed according to cast but found it interesting how in America, these rules no longer applied meaning that Sohrab would not be viewed as a “Hazara boy”. I also enjoyed the dialogue between Amir and the “old beggar” when Amir went back to Afghanistan and again was really hurt by how that old beggar was once an esteemed professor at a university. I think I enjoyed the engagement because even though the man was now a beggar, he still spoke tastefully and shared and important memory with Amir about his mother (whom Amir never met).
The themes of abandonment, displacement and total neglect are prevalent in this book. Four stars for insightfulness and well narrated. Lost a star because I did not like Amir.